are speedos just for gays ( Or do threy want them to be)

[Byron]

We seem to have been down this road many times. Who would have thought that the little garment we would put on as kids without complications, for the practical purpose of taking our bodies into water for exercise, would one day become the subject of so much social angst about how appropriate it is to wear in certain surroundings and how it might have beeen commandeered to represent a badge of honor and/or protest by a minority group in parades to celebrate a particular sexual orientation.

I was surprised to see the degree of agreement here about gay pride parades and will add my view that on the whole they have done more harm than good in some of those "in your face" displays - no doubt to the cynical enjoyment of bigots who are given gratis a reinforcement of their prejudices.

To answer the question, yes - I think there are some gays who consider the speedo "uniform" to be reserved as appropriate for them only to wear.
There is something in the human psyche where there is a compulsion to declare one's origins in public, in much the same way that a veteran may wish to have his regimental badge sewn to the breast of his blazer (though the latter will do so for rather different reasons of course).

[Byron]

some related illustrations:

Here is a lifeguard in his uniform* (note the splendid little cap) on Brighton Beach 100 years ago (1903 - and rather daring for the time I would have thought). The signs on the beach declare that "Neither indecent bathing suits nor immodest deportment will be tolerated".
(I love the word deportment - does anyone use it today ?)

*pic colorised I would add.

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/l...drew-fare.html

Coming up to date here are the Lifesavers With Pride marching in the Sydney Mardi Gras and where they are described as all in their red speedos - "the iconic uniform" of this event.

http://www.pinkguide.com/Mardi_Gras_Red_Speedo

To finish, the Sicilians don't seem to bother about these inhibitions:

http://blog.amielsius.com/2011/04/we...o-speedo-land/


PS to Louis: You forgot Manchester and Brighton

[louis]

lol I didnt forget Manchester and Br... I put etc. n est ce pas lol.
I must thank and congratulate you for your contrubution im making this subject as clear and understandable as you wrote.

[Byron]

LOL - you got us going again on le petit maillot de bain.
I didn't see etc. mais il n'y a pas quoi mon ami

[louis]

CaliforniaDolphin, you dont get the point, what is referred to here is-are speedos just for gays (OR DO THEY WANT THEM TO BE)
There is no hang up here about guys wearing speedos at any beach, pool , or at any water sports facilities whatsoever.
As many sead speedos are meant for swimming, diving, water polo, and lap swimming and just for a everyday pleasure swimming, even at the gym.
You say that you have never seen a guy in a speedo down the street, well I have and many outhers have, one cant swim or dive or play water polo on a street, to me it just seems like wene I see one he has SPEEDOS ARE JUST FOR ME TO WEAR syndrome. Gay guys contortionning andgo go dancing in gay parades (spreading there legs) are you going to tell me that its ok....all kinds of people are present at such parades even kids,gay parades are very colorful and joyful to watch but there IS A LIMIT TO MODESTY AND INNAPROPRIATE GESTURES and that is stright to the piont on the line, what will it be next going to church in a speedo I suppose...
Iv even seen here in Monttreal in a gay parade a gay acting an immitation of kissing another gay guys bulge in a very skimpy sexy speedo his mouth only 1 inch or so from his bulge.Would you term that as appropriate...
Hell they seem to be all yelling SEE MY SPEEDO THEY ARE ONLY FOR US.
Hopefully this question is made clear all wearing a speedo is ok and even better for us speedo lovers but....................

[PSDave]

Unfortunately I have to disagree on that. I have seen very obviously gay guys at the market shopping in speedos. I also remember someone posting before a gay guy in a speedo going into a family restaurant. When asked to leave he started screaming gay bashing. Ironically, the manager asking him to leave was gay too.
When I talked to a friend that owns a gay clothing store that carries about every brand of speedo suit available. Of course he also has the board shorts. He told me more and more gays are buying the board shorts so they don't fall into the stereotype the speedos currently have.

[Byron]

When was the restaurant incident ?

Was it posted here or on the old fantasy board ?

[Byron]

The Sydney perspective:
http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/...303-1bfmb.html

[dorcas3]

Where in hell did the idea of respect go. Like it or not there are limits to how one conducts themselves in public and wearing speedos and thongs as a dare is completely out of order. If you get your rocks off by wearing speedos there is nothing wrong with that-but there are limits to the time of courtesy that we all owe society!

[Byron]

OK - in my concientious dedication to the cause of the speedo (sorry - mens swim suit) forum I went in search of some skimpy suits and lewd behaviour in the Sydney Mardi Gras Parade - but none could I find.

I picked up on Peter Madden and last year's Christian Democrat Party's demand for it to be banned (after some thirty years of the annual event) but I saw it being pointed out that his claimed 20000 Christian supporters intended to be protesting along the route would be well outnumbered by 100000 coming to watch the parade and join in the fun.

I even endured his video in the call of duty, in expectation of some speedos at the end - but no, disappointed again - it seems to be just a repeat of all that religious fundamentalism already preached a thousand times in the USA. Anyway, this is the blog: http://www.samesame.com.au/news/loca...Mardi-Gras.htm

Having nodded off and needing some light relief I discovered instead Sydney's only gay and lesbian water polo club and that was much more entertaining. The mens' Red Team of the Sydney Stingers is shown here
posing for a pic in their rather nice team suits - custom-made as usual no doubt but who has good pic enlargement on his computer to discern the
logo at the right hip ? (my wild guess is Ducko or Turbo).
Anyway, enjoy: http://www.sydneystingers.org.au/