I get that society has done its damnedest to feminize men in this country. For some reason it’s now ok for men to cry in public, talk about dumb shit like their feelings and own small dogs. But the things that have been said to me the last two days in the gym locker room are completely and utterly unacceptable.

First, some guy came in while I was changing, caught sight of my boxers and actually started talking to me about them. He said they look like something from a Grateful Dead concert and that they were extremely loud. I was like, uh, ok, whatever.

Men should never discuss underwear with men in a locker room. Ever.

Yesterday I was getting ready to shower. As I was undressing, some guy I never saw before came in from the pool and said hi. In reply, I said “How’s it going?” Big mistake. He thought I actually cared and replied that he was fine but was “feeling really, really fat today.” Bleh. I didn’t even know how to respond. I was like, uh, ok, whatever.

Men should never discuss their self-image issues with men in a locker room. Ever.

I do my best to not socialize at the gym. I’m there to get my sweat on, take a shower and get out. To assist in that endeavor, I have a strict policy in place ensuring my ear buds are stuck in my skull and sound is playing loudly through them at all times outside of the locker room. Obviously, that policy needs to be amended to state that ear buds will be in place and sound will be playing loudly through them from the time I cross the gym’s front door threshold until the time I leave. It is in effect immediately.