Naked in public spaces — onsen

[Kasumi63]

Hi, everyone! Today, I’m heading off to an onsen (hot public bath / spa) resort. I’ve always loved onsen and used to go frequently, but onsen culture doesn’t really exist down here in Okinawa, though we have a few. Anyway, this is my first time since all my surgeries, so I’m a little bit nervous (just a tiny bit). I’ve been going to a local sports club, but at an onsen, it’s much more difficult to be completely discrete, as everyone goes in the onsen completely naked. We’ve had a few incidents with people complaining about transgender women, but those were pre-op women. Like I said, I’m not all that worried, but I’m curious how some of you may have dealt with nudity in public spaces. (Maybe this is less likely to be an issue in the States.)

[awkward-yet-sweet]

All of my "public spaces" experience has been as a female in female spaces.  But even though I didn't know yet that I was intersex, my intersex body looks a bit unique.  In high school, I played soccer, and so there was the usual locker room group shower setting.  Mostly my sister and I stayed together in our corner, and not much was said. 

 

Prior to COVID, I went to an all-female gym that had a pool.  The dress code there was that you could be topless anywhere, but had to have panties/bikini/etc on.  There was a locker room with showers there.  Semi private, but nudity was relatively common in that space.  That was a bit awkward, as the girls sometimes used it as a place to evaluate if they wanted to hook up later.  Again, I was usually with my sister, so we didn't attract a whole lot of attention. 

 

Now that I know I'm intersex and I'm mostly passing as a boy, I haven't really thought much about nudity around others.  When I played intramural soccer, I often went without a shirt in summer.  Being totally flat chested and kind of androgynous, I don't think folks thought too much about what my gender was.  I'm in a conservative area where topless girls in public isn't really a thing, so I can't of took the lack of protest as a sign that I pass pretty well.