Why Americans do not men wear speedo ?

[LeanHunk]

People like to blame the media for controlling society's attitudes and actions, but this blame isn't entirely justified. Although the media's influence is strong, they still depend on people to buy into their ideas. The reason why Miley Cyrus and other female celebrities are able to get away with such antics is because the U.S. is still a male-dominant society in many respects.

And as Byron put it, they want sex.

But at the same time we have a double standard. At least here in the U.S. Women are able to get away with wearing revealing clothing without being called lesbians, but guys can't without others calling them 'gay'. Sounds like a misconception where people assume only men, gay or straight, want to look at the object of their attraction in skimpy clothes. At least, that's what the media thinks we want to hear.

It seems like speedos and briefs are a guilty pleasure in the U.S. I remember in high school a few years back girls would scream with delight when the swim team wore their speedos on stage during our Club/Team Exhibition week, far from the lap pool. The media hasn't quelled those girls' admiration of guys in speedos, at least.

And I won't even mention all the brief style swim/underwear American retailers continue to sell despite what the media says.

[zungaboy]

A lot of people have double-standard about the speedo, some women look very rude when they see guys in the speedo at the beach (like a sample) but also the same woman can look very happy if she can have the control of the situation with other girls (like looking male swimmers in speedo)
About the speedo-phobia we must to analyze not only the "the swimsuit" also we must to keep in mind that "the swimsuit is touching" (male genitalia) ... I think Mr. Freud could talk a lot about it. (why a guy in speedo is ok in a minute and why now the same person hate the speedo guy in other minute)
Is known for many people that many anti-speedo guys when they trip as tourist to other countries they use the speedos were no relatives, friends or coworkers can see.
Are they afraid that because they don’t want that other people know they wear speedos (only know)? or Are they afraid because relatives, friends, business pals could see their bulge? (Only near people)
Maybe a lot of guys are ok about “show the bulge” but maybe a lot think that they could be “censored” (like disgusting) for wear speedos.

[Byron]

There is little in what you say that has not been said a thousand times already.
The adult male who is content with wearing his speedo today will often be quite sanguine because of memories of regularly doing so as a kid - it being an accepted and unremarkable garment and the norm to wear in his era for the beach and pool - and for any other recreational activity in hot weather for that matter.

The who, what, why, where, and when of a change to disgust and/or shame now seemingly surrounding it all *has never been definitively resolved to my knowledge - though I guess the search for an answer will forever be filling forums such as this (though even Sigmund might remain baffled).


*good point was made earlier that sales continue - new brands continually pop up and the world list on wiki amazed me in its length - so maybe a lot gets seen nowhere beyond the bedroom mirror?

[LeanHunk]

Let's face it: Sebbie has already addressed practically every facet of this question.

[knikon]

Pretty much...

Blaming the media is a sloppy argument because while it is true that they perpetuate certain ideas as social norms, they do it because it works and sells. It is like with the teenage girl body issue that feminists are attacking. If you show a look that is real and easy to acquire why would anybody buy the product? You want them to chase after the impossible because that means the customer will continuously keep coming back to get more in the hopes she may someday become "that".

[Byron]

If only your validation of the media applied solely to silly teenagers - unfortunately the adults fall for it all too.

[knikon]

Very true Byron, very true

[thisweirdthing1985]

nice thread. what really amazes me , as someone wrote above, is why when you go to the beach you never seen guys in speedos, or very short swim suits, but this kind of swimming garments are still being sold in internet, and not only a few. not all the buyers are swimmers. so I have to think, that maybe there are lot of men like me who buy it but have never the chance/ the courage to wear them?
so another question would be: why many americans buy speedos, but you'll never see wearing them?!

[Torchwatch]

Guys are buying speedos, thongs and jockstraps in UK and America at the moment but you never see them wear them in public because they get put in bottom drawers and taken out only for dressing up.
Sports wear is actually better made and more imaginative than the stuff you can buy in sex shops.

For those of us that wear speedos in the pool and bikinis on the beach, taking them into the bedroom to play is no big deal, but for guys that only wear brief stuff in the bedroom actually wearing them in public might seem rather daring, perhaps indecent. What for a team swimmer is just training kit is for someone else their ultimate fantasy and they daren't wear it in public.

[SwimTeamSpeedo]

TW is on point, again. My swimsuit is mostly for my sport of choice. Yes, in the right setting it has a sexual context, but I know where that is. Btw, this American talk... the only place I got scolded for wearing a brief swimsuit was on a three month trip to Australia. In very clear terms I was told that only certain beaches allowed guys in Speedos. Interesting. I kept mine on.