The Atlantic

Men, Manliness, and Being Naked Around Other Men

A culture that tells people to "man up" when it comes to nudity invites strange problems.
Source: Daniel Aguilar / Reuters

Every time I use the bathroom at one of my grandchildren's school events, I flash back to my own childhood. Coming face-to-face with the communal trough urinal and door-less toilet stalls triggers my feelings of juvenile embarrassment. In case a man has never used one of these urinals, eHow offers up advice on "How to Use a Trough Urinal." It cautions you to "keep in mind some people may be uncomfortable with closeness to others when using it, so keep your distance, if possible." We are instructed to "not feel the need to flush if you have

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