speedos and sexual orientation

[thisweirdthing1985]

I think this subject has been addressed before in other threads. but I just want to ask, how speedos became "swimwear only for gays" in the mind of most people?
only because of the gay pride events?
you know, many girls like to wear tiny bikinis and they even go to buy them with close friends and look each other in the changing room to give advice if the bikini looks good or bad (not only bikinis indeed, but we're talking about swimwear). and nobody think they are lesbians.

so if I, being a straight guy, wear a speedo at the beach then many people would think I'm gay (although is not bad because I donīt have any problems with gay people - one of my best friends from the university is openly gay) but I mean, why? If I see a girl with a sexy bikini I don't think she wears it because she is lesbian. I admire men with great bodies, for me it's very inspiring, but it doesn't mean that I want to have sex with them or anything similar. and yes, a guy with a nice body wearing a sexy swimsuit looks freaking great, as well as a hot girl wearing a sexy swimsuit.

[thisweirdthing1985]

by the way how many straight speedo fans around here?

[sebbie]

Have you ever read my (very popular and widely linked) Web paper on this topic?
http://sebringsil.com/speedowear.htm

There is also a variation on this in a section in my book that deals with this.

http://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Male-Sexuality-David-Sebringsil/dp/1481222171/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362223662&sr=8-1&keywords=sebringsil

[Torchwatch]

Those who say speedos are only worn by gays have issues with their own sexuality, anyone who voices an opposing view is then called gay.
The fundamentalist anti gay anti speedo lobby will argue that a man wearing speedos is a threat to children, while a boy child wearing speedos is at risk.

If you accept that there is nothing wrong with being gay, that gay men are not more likely to be child abusers than str8 men and that men wearing speedos and bikinis aren't actually indecently dressed (lets exclude deliberately see through suits) then all the arguments of the only gays wear speedos lobby becomes vacuous hatred.

[Byron]

There are many side issues to this problem of public perception and you will see from the archives that the in-your-face activities within gay pride parades have been strongly criticised by some readers (including myself - as I find them distasteful and too reminiscent of the freak shows which would would tour towns for the amusement of the populace some 150+ years ago).

One aspect which has reignited some recent discussion (and perhaps resulting from Tom Daley's YouTube statement) is gay men within team sports remaining closeted.
Money is at the root of that (as with all moral considerations) because, despite so many public expressions of so-called and very hypocritical "support", it is still professional suicide* for a
sportsman currently playing, to out himself. Footballer Thomas Hitzlsperger
of Germany has recently done so but, as usual in such cases and it being unsurprisingly important to his long-term personal financial security, he awaited his retirement from the game before making an announcement.

* I use the word literally as that is precisely what happened to one professional footballer within four years of coming out and still under contract to his club.

NB: Very disappointing to see that the only responses to this post have been from the "old-timers" (no disrespect intended) of the forum - considering the increased numbers of NEW members enrolled in recent months.
Such silence from them - or perhaps just one post in the space of one year - prompts me to the question "Why on earth did you bother joining a FORUM in the first place ?"

[thisweirdthing1985]

thanks everybody, nice answers: sebbie I will take special time to read very carefully everything you wrote in your page.

and yes I'm happy you three took your time to write so interesting answers, but as Byron said, where are the other people?. I hope there were no many answers because it's monday and the week has just begun.

[California Dolphin]

The long look in men's athletic wear probably started in the 1990s with basketball player Michael Jordon who wore long and baggy "shorts" instead of the traditional short shorts.

I suppose the anti-gay crowd adopted Jordan's idea and boardies replaced speedos and short swim trunks. Jammers are just a streamlined version of boardies to minimize drag, but still maintain the down to the knee coverage.

The long and baggy style has been around for over 15 years, however it's slowly going away (at least here in California) and the traditional short running shorts are coming back. I haven't been to the pool in 8 years so I don't know what's in style for swimming.

[FJD1]

I'm a straight guy and I like wearing speedos .... the skimpier the better! They are much more comfortable and who likes wearing long board shorts in the water?

[dorcas3]

Guys- Just wear the speedos wherever you wish. What's the worst thing that can happen to you. They are appropriate garb for any kind of swimming. Nobody is going to attack you and if they do it's a crime. I swam, as every morning, in my Caussie suit (red). It's getting baggy around the ass and I even call my friends attention to it. Sometime you have to go more than half way with people. The same ones are at the pool depending on the time of day and I have been going there for long enough time that most know me and me them.Just relax pull the suit on and walk to the pool.stop in the locker room and talk for a while with the others and make beleave that you are in a tuxedo! Many guys put on brief stretchy underwear so what's the difference. JVY

[50 Free]

Interesting topic. I guess when people assume a man wearing a brief is gay, chances are they're correct. But then again they might be quite wrong. How is that my problem?
I don't care. I'm convinced that most people reading this are gay. So what, how could that be a problem either? I don't care.
I'm a swimmer, have been for 45 years. I suppose if I thought, or someone told me that my body in a speedo disgusted them, I'd wear something else. But it hasn't happened yet..

[California Dolphin]

There are many STR8 men who are also rather "Bi" also and they secretly frequent gay sites and venues.

I know the operators of a bathhouse in the San Francisco area and they are of the opinion that a lot of their patrons are Str8 or even married men.

They purport that the evidence of this "downlow" behavior is when the patrons open their wallet to pay for admission, they frequently see pictures of their girl friends, women, or their wife and children.

[Byron]

they are pansexual guys?

[Byron]

Yousozunga* - a Chilean website giving interesting advice for men on what to wear in zunga (speedo) styles and sizes and public acceptability or distaste thereof (* with a curious .es suffix which I thought denoted Spain)

http://files.yousozunga.webnode.es/200000007-763ab77345/lowcut.jpg
They seem to have "borrowed" Tom Daley in this pic as I recognise the red lion-head on his blue Team England speedo. The caption to it (as translated from the Spanish) is "A man should not need more than this to swim, sunbathe, or ride a strong hot day (sic.) and interact and socialize with the rest of society when the weather invites".

Unfortunately they also use TD in another pic. to illustrate the section "unexpected erection".
(WTF - it's the one we all know is photo-shopped, showing "him" with head turned and right arm raised with hand brace)

[50 Free]

I totally believe that, Cal Dolph. I even admit I'm curious what goes on in a bath house. I guess we're getting way off topic but so what, and, I didn't do it. LOL

[Torchwatch]

50Free, "I'm a swimmer, have been for 45 years. I suppose if I thought, or someone told me that my body in a speedo disgusted them, I'd wear something else."

If someone suggested that your lips disgusted them would you wear a mask or grow a big bushy moustache; or perhaps would you consider the person a bit weird and their opinions unworthy. So let it be with speedos, wear what you want to and ignore the weirdoes.

[Byron]

Didn't "do" what?

[California Dolphin]

I totally believe that, Cal Dolph. I even admit I'm curious what goes on in a bath house. I guess we're getting way off topic but so what, and, I didn't do it. LOL
What goes on at a bathhouse is a wide spectrum ranging from simply erotic to very XXX encounters.

I'm not really into anything XXX, I've got a really hot kink for nudity and wet skin so I go to the bathhouse for a nude soak in the hot tub.

I've seen other guys with a foot fetish who love getting their face massaged by another guy's feet. There are lot's of fetishes I've never even heard of and you would need to check an encyclopedia of eroticism to see what alls in the outer limit of the solar system.

[Byron]

Yes, indeed - you might think you have seen all procedures and then one day............
Mostly harmless enjoyment but there are some I have not seen and would not
wish to see (eg fisting)

[knikon]

I am straight and dont get turned on by other guys at all. While I can appreciate another guy in a speedo I have no sexual inkling towards him the way I would with a woman in a bikini. I could care less if people think I am gay on the beach. Doesn't help me get girls but oh well...

[LeanHunk]

I'm a straight guy and I like speedos.

Wearing speedos does not make you gay, contrary to popular (American only?) belief. A big part of the reason why (American) society views it as such is because they see so many men at gay pride parades running around in them. This isn't even mentioning how they leave little to the imagination. Pair this with the stereotype of gay guys being over-sexed/promiscuous and you can see how a strong association between speedos and gay culture arises.

If you are wearing a speedo with reasonable coverage (i.e. your penis isn't bulging through the fabric; it covers the majority of your penis and posterior; etc.) I don't see why anyone should be offended. Granted, I wouldn't wear one at the kids' pool/beach, but at any other swimming venue they are fair game.

[Byron]

Re. second para. - don't jump to the wrong conclusion here (trick of the light):
http://25.media.tumblr.com/1a1793e017743c06551e1048613f35b7/tumblr_myq9e1R7zb1ramp95o1_500.jpg

[knikon]

It is funny I stopped in the local Andrew Christian store for the first time yesterday and both the employees were gay. Really nice guys, one of them had me show him some to the suits on me. It was funny because I had never felt so straight until then tho. It wasn't awkward at all but I wasn't getting turned on at all. I did like the new Andrew Christian suit I got so much I went back for two more today. To add to the bonus they were all half off!

Earlier that day I did get a boner from a girl I saw on the beach in my speedo solar (still a modest suit in my opinion). That thing has a mind of its own I guess. Either way the solar hid it somewhat. In a pair of shorts I would have pitched a fast tent! Unfortunately it is hard to find a girl that is as engaging as those store employees were tho, out here. Most of them are all just pretty faces on a cookie cutter person...

BTW on that above picture the wrinkle is a bit skinny to hold a good meaty dick...

[fitnessjock]

by the way how many straight speedo fans around here?

That would be me.

Speedos are perfect for swimming and look good on an athletic guy.

Bodybuilding suits can really bring out the best in a man who's in shape.