Current Social Acceptability Of Male Shirtlessness In The Usa?

CaptainAmazing999

Legendary Member
Verified
Gold
Cammer
Joined
Jan 4, 2017
Posts
190
Media
16
Likes
1,677
Points
413
Location
United States
Verification
View
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Is it just me or is there an increasing trend in recent years where it has become WAY less socially acceptable for guys to be shirtless in public outdoors? (I'm in Ohio.)

Over the years I've gone on walks on some local trails or on sidewalks in shorts and no shirt and I've had a few incidents of people yelling stuff at me like "Come on man! Put some clothes on!" and even once a "Put a shirt on! What if my daughter saw you?" that really took me aback.

I'm no Olympic athlete but consider myself reasonably fit/don't think my torso is all that horrible or disgusting. (I take the "daughter" comment as a backhanded complement, even.)

I've also heard people in conversations make derisive comments about shirtless guys (even guys in their own yards!).
 
T

T_Lurch

Guest
I've not run into this where I live, but then again, I reside in Florida not far from the beach, where it is extremely common for guys to walk around shirtless, especially outdoors and around the beach itself. Particularly outdoor laborers such as roofers.

If I'm walking to the beach or in the vicinity, I go shirtless (I've not had any remarks or complaints, so far; at least not within earshot).

There are guys of all sizes and shapes going shirtless: elderly men who look like beef jerky; old drunks with distended bellies from fatty liver who are a yellowish tan thanks to cirrhosis; pale, whiter than mayonnaise tourists; dad bods aplenty, and young college students. No one bats an eye.

It's sort of frowned upon to enter businesses shirtless, but even then most don't say anything.

It could be a midwest thing, I suppose, the aversion to men being shirtless.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CaptainAmazing999

Sailingbear

Legendary Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Posts
1,027
Media
6
Likes
2,286
Points
283
Location
Treyburn, North Carolina, United States of America
Verification
View
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I am in NC, and work in yard often without shirt. No one has said a word about it. Beach is 120 miles away so that would have no effect here. I think people are just playing with you, but then I am one of those people who have o problem with women going toppless.
 

AceWilde

Legendary Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Feb 9, 2021
Posts
353
Media
1
Likes
1,315
Points
288
Location
Boston (Massachusetts, United States)
Verification
View
Sexuality
69% Gay, 31% Straight
Gender
Male
Here in Massachusetts we've finally had some warmer weather and I've seen tons of guys out jogging shirtless in crowded areas with no one really saying anything. I do think that in some places you'll find it's frowned upon (where I work out basically has a flat ban on shirtlessness while working out, but let's be real, that's mainly targeted towards men), and I'm sure most places have a no-shirt-no-shoes policy, but just outside I don't think I've ever heard people complain.
 

BulgeGuySD

Worshipped Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Nov 6, 2014
Posts
1,962
Media
703
Likes
15,115
Points
433
Location
San Diego, California, US
Verification
View
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
Is it just me or is there an increasing trend in recent years where it has become WAY less socially acceptable for guys to be shirtless in public outdoors? (I'm in Ohio.)

Over the years I've gone on walks on some local trails or on sidewalks in shorts and no shirt and I've had a few incidents of people yelling stuff at me like "Come on man! Put some clothes on!" and even once a "Put a shirt on! What if my daughter saw you?" that really took me aback.

I'm no Olympic athlete but consider myself reasonably fit/don't think my torso is all that horrible or disgusting. (I take the "daughter" comment as a backhanded complement, even.)

I've also heard people in conversations make derisive comments about shirtless guys (even guys in their own yards!).
Everything is becoming socially execrable in the US, now days with the polarization of the Nation, we are becoming less tolerant of things, like shirked guys, it was never a problem, or big bulges, tight pants, man buns, round bubble butt guy’s asses. just about everting, with people locked up fir a year, no were to go, and sone nothing to do, people becoming, Kevins & Karens. I’m being a target of that intolerance, because the color of my skin, my accent, my grammar, the size of my bulge between my legs, the size of my ass, just about everything the is supposedly wrong with me, I just know is ignorance, and that is scary for some people.
 

ohiorod

Mythical Member
Gold
Platinum Gold
Joined
Jun 12, 2014
Posts
5,583
Media
0
Likes
25,575
Points
483
Location
West Virginia (United States)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
I live just about 2 minutes from Ohio in West Virginia and I have to agree that there do seem to be less shirtless men in recent years, I can’t say with certainty the causes. I have observed that both states have become much more conservative. I am in Ohio a great deal in the bordering counties and I notice a lot of Trump flags still flying and my state is no different. So, conservatism may be one factor. I also have observed that the shirtless guys I see jogging are almost always smooth, so if you still have a fairly hairy body, that could be a factor. In addition, I would think that the waist of your pants or shorts could be a factor if you wear them somewhat low. Finally, for those that speak out and sort of condemn you, it is my observation that the filter on the general public’s mouths are basically non-functioning. People are no longer hesitant to openly criticize and judge others, especially those who are different in thoughts or actions than themselves. I actually commented to my partner last summer that it seemed like a lot less shirtless guys were seen during the summer. I never walked the trails shirtless unless I had been jogging on them, where I often was shirtless. No particular reason for it, but I could have been subconsciously conforming to the new normal.As for being shirtless when working in the yard, I can’t imagine how anyone would find that offensive. I am always shirtless in the summer when working in the yard or just relaxing on my deck. I am almost always shirtless when playing basketball with friends .I’m not sure where you reside in Ohio, as large cities like Columbus, Cincy and Cleveland may be more liberal than the more counties of Ohio that I frequent.
 

Milkdudd

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Mar 17, 2019
Posts
1,523
Media
96
Likes
8,165
Points
408
Location
United States
Verification
View
Sexuality
80% Straight, 20% Gay
Gender
Male
I've seen a lot of people running shirtless, and no ones given them flack. Also, I live in the south, and for so many months of the year it's sweltering outside, its much more acceptable since everyone's sweating their ass off May-September in some places