Speedophobia

[Falcon9]

The Speedo was introduced in the 1930's. It has remained a functioning part of competitive swimming apparel ever since. During the 70's with the most outstanding American win at the 1972 Olympics, with seven gold medals and seven world records broken by American Mark Spitz, coupled with the freedom young people were also experiencing then during the peak years of the Sexual Revolution (under a more liberal Democratic leadership), tight clothes and a shared liberated feeling among both gay and straights were all considered "in." (The introduction of the "Pill" set most of this in motion to begin with.) It continued just until the early ("let's get physical") 1980's. This fashion trend also coincided with scientific advances in Dupont Lycra products and the marketing of these new body hugging fabrics.

But low and behold, a sexual epidemic took hold around the globe. All of a sudden, being "sexual" was questionable, and possibly life-threatening. It was not a matter of "straights" against "gays." After all, many gay men have a powerful influence on men's fashions, from the designers to those that stock the inventory for use by the general public. It was just a matter of time before nightclubs (filled with those gay or straight clothed in tight Spandex, Quiana and other new body-hugging synthetics) lost their energy and eventually the sexual liberation turned into safe-sex awareness. The environment creates a great influence on fashion... the sexual environment as well. Women, in general don't want men to be promiscuous or be seen as looking as such. Biologically, they would prefer one steady partner who is not "advertising his wares" to others and this natural orientation tends to slant the discussion women have of men looking too provocative in something like a tight suit in public. (Some women do not share this conservative view and you can invite me to your pool anytime.) Speedo continues to develop low water resistance sportswear. In the end, you should just wear what you feel comfortable in, but know what the environment is.

 

[cumluvr999]

Slightly off topic.

Hardguard - I didn't think you could get any sexier until I saw the pic of your back and that beautiful speedo tan-line! OMG!!!! :notworthy:

 

[Falcon9]

thanks... I try my best to help promote well-made competitive swimwear... ( I swim a lot and it is part of my routine.)

 

[Clewiston1]

I've observed swimsuit fashion trends in the US for decades. I have always been puzzled why it was considered OK for women to swim in skimpy, clingy v-cut bikinis that covered less far less skin than the bra/panties they normally wore under their clothing. But guys who wore even standard cut speedos were considered perverts and treated as such.

BTW, I agree with SanDiegoBoxerGuy's suggestions. I refuse to ever wear those ridiculously long board shorts. Fashion designers are probably laughing their asses off behind the scenes.

I absolutely agree with you. About 7 years ago, my g/f and I went to a park to get some sun. There was really no one around but us.

I stripped off my shorts and was wearing a thong. She looked embarrassed. I told he that I put a lot of work into my body and wanted to get a great tan. I also told her that I'd probably not wear a thong if there was going to be little kids around.

A couple of hours later, her and I had some loud and sweaty sex back at her place. She didn't seem to mind the tan lines then

But to make a long story short, there is a double standard in that women can wear any kind of revealing swimwear they want but when a guy does, someone that's not right.

 

[Gillette]

When gays were rare and hidden, then all sexual show was for the opposite sex.
When it became clear that they were not so rare and much less hidden, then the defensive barriers went up.

I hate being one of those "yep, what he said" people, but...

Yup. What he said.

You think Speedo's were labeled or identified as a gay thing so now no self-respecting straight guy wants to wear them? Lots of gay guys still wear revealing swimwear.

Where did you see I said that?

As homophobes become more aware of the gay population they avoid showing anything that might attract an other man. A gay man, by contrast, would not be paranoid about drawing another man's attention. Nor would a non homophobic straight guy.

In the foolish "either/or" reasoning of the homophobic mind anyone not attempting to hide their goodies becomes labeled as gay.

I hope I've managed to clarify why I agreed with Rubi's post. If not it's because my eyes are sliding shut. In which case I shall try to do better tomorrow.

 

[LeeEJ]

As homophobes become more aware of the gay population they avoid showing anything that might attract an other man.

That's actually also a reason I gave for partitions between urinals, which was discussed in another thread.

 

[Peter Wood]

I’m 56 y/o, live in the Netherlands and wore all my live ‘speedo-style’ swimwear. For extra comfort I allways take out the inside of the double front. I don’t like my stuff pushed flat that much. My package is above average but not oversized. I’ve had people (men and women) staring over the years, but no one ever said something about it. I’ve planned to were ‘speedo-style’ swimwear the rest of my life too!

Last week I’ve bought a new pair. In the shop I found them in all sizes and colours. There were even more speedo’s than boardshort-style swimwear. In Europe is less speedophobia than in America. I also see young men wearing boardshorts more than speedo’s but in many swimmingpools they are not allowed to wear them.

Swimwear is for use in the water, at the beach and around the pool. Why should you wear more fabric than needed?​

 

[WellHung83]

It's a shame that in Australia, the land of the speedo, that many young guys and even older guys hate to wear the speedo and wear those awful knee length board shorts and the shirt on top. How they can stand the chill of the water against their skin when they get out of the pool or ocean at the beach, and when they dry with a towel their legs will still be sopping wet by those long shorts and defeat the purpose of the drying.
When I go swimming in laps I wear the racing speedo, but outside I wear the squarecut.

 

[Falkor]

I might be off topic, but are there speedos for tall guys with large frames such as myself?

IMHO, tall guys with larger frames (like myself, 6'4"/215) look better in a wider-hip brief with a full back. Usually anything that lists a 3" or 4" hip would be best for us. Squarecuts might "roll over" at the waist (yuck) and 1" with a brazil back just look wrong.

Problem is finding a 3" brief that doesn't try to flatten the package. Personally, I found manufacturer that makes contoured briefs in this size and am VERY happy with the product. (heswimwear.com)

Once I get a good pic wearing mine, I'll get around to posting it. :biggrin1:

 

[sdbg]

That's actually also a reason I gave for partitions between urinals, which was discussed in another thread.

I thought the partitions were to keep piss from splashing onto someone else.
Sorry. I'm fftopic:

 

[TitanicJake]

I own several speedos.
I wear them for waterpolo and doing laps in the pool or ocean.
When camping with my buds I bring my speedos but we usually swim naked because we are all comfortable. I sometimes wear a speedo to the beach but a few times families with small children moved when I was lying on my back. I didn't have an erection.
People at the beach not only stare at men in speedos but it is becoming unacceptable for a man to put sunblock on another man. I was just at the beach with my brothers and he lotioned eachother up on our backs. Women smirked and some men seemed to not like it. The three of us were wearing speedos too.
This country is so sexually repressed it is crazy.
A man with a bulge in public or something toight on his ass is becoming unacceptable. I work out like a fiend and am proud of my body ass & genitals included. I like to show off my body in a tight well fitting speedo. Maybe is't because many men are too ashamed of their bodies (fat or small dicked) to wear one so they resent any man for having the balls to sport one (pun intended).
Jake

 

[earllogjam]

Where did you see I said that?

As homophobes become more aware of the gay population they avoid showing anything that might attract an other man. A gay man, by contrast, would not be paranoid about drawing another man's attention. Nor would a non homophobic straight guy.

In the foolish "either/or" reasoning of the homophobic mind anyone not attempting to hide their goodies becomes labeled as gay.

I hope I've managed to clarify why I agreed with Rubi's post. If not it's because my eyes are sliding shut. In which case I shall try to do better tomorrow.

Nope, never saw it. You were clear. Just offering another possiblity for your comment. I'd kiss your ass but I'm gay.

 

[LeeEJ]

I thought the partitions were to keep piss from splashing onto someone else.
Sorry. I'm fftopic:

Supposedly, sure, and they may even be marketed that way, but I'm not buying that as the main reason. If it were, we would have had just as many partitions thirty years ago, but we didn't.

fftopic: x 2 :wink:

 

[WellHung83]

The thing that is ironic with something as brief as a speedo is that it actually looks better on those guys who are shorter in height and makes them look better as well, where as with those knee length board shorts it only heightens the fact that they have short legs and come off as looking like little boys dressing up in dad's shorts LOL.
Case in point the bloke in my icon Benjamin McKenzie - the guy has such a hot body and would look great in a speedo racer or the squarecuts or even rugby type shorts, but in pics where he is swimming he insists on covering up all that gym work with these long board shorts that also make him look like a kid and really, really short. I mean, he is a short dude to begin with ( around the 5'8 - 5'9 range ) but he really makes it severely noticable with the board shorts.
It just amazes me how sexually oppressed men are in a society that we are supposedly running and making all the rules, but in the process they are so scared of gay and bi men, who are also men first and foremost, and so are placing restrictions on their own brothers because they feel so inadequate about being men themselves.

 

[fliegles]

Maybe. Or maybe they just think some things are gross. Not all aesthetic evaluations are based on "insecurities" - not even in America.

Since I'm not a beach bunny and never hang out at pools, the only place I ever see speedos in real life is in the center of town on some tourists from Quebec. These tourists from Quebec don't make me feel in the slightest way "insecure"; they make me feel mildly grossed out.

1) Hi B.D. saw your reply and thought I'd put my oar in too. I don't really think that it is male insecurity so much as 'herd mentality'. When I was in college in the 1960's it was vitally important to look, act, dress and speak like everyone else. God forbid if you acted differently - you were probably gay! Never strike out on your own, don't do things differently.
2) I'm curious, do overly developed adult women in bikinis gross you out too? I hope so. On the other hand, if you life in a beach town, I would rather expect that you would find people walking around in bathing attire. What is so gross about that? Now if you mean that people so attired are walking into high class restaurants or department stores, you may have a point. On the other hand, if it is people walking from their lodgings to the beach or a snack shop or drug store to buy suntan supplies, I think that you are over-reacting. Specifically a bulging basket is no more gross lewd or anything else than a overly developed or sagging bosom or butt.:smile:

 

[fliegles]

Maybe. Or maybe they just think some things are gross. Not all aesthetic evaluations are based on "insecurities" - not even in America.

Since I'm not a beach bunny and never hang out at pools, the only place I ever see speedos in real life is in the center of town on some tourists from Quebec. These tourists from Quebec don't make me feel in the slightest way "insecure"; they make me feel mildly grossed out.

1) Hi B.D. saw your reply and thought I'd put my oar in too. I don't really think that it is male insecurity so much as 'herd mentality'. When I was in college in the 1960's it was vitally important to look, act, dress and speak like everyone else. God forbid if you acted differently - you were probably gay! Never strike out on your own, don't do things differently.
2) I'm curious, do overly developed adult women in bikinis gross you out too? I hope so. On the other hand, if you life in a beach town, I would rather expect that you would find people walking around in bathing attire. What is so gross about that? Now if you mean that people so attired are walking into high class restaurants or department stores, you may have a point. On the other hand, if it is people walking from their lodgings to the beach or a snack shop or drug store to buy suntan supplies, I think that you are over-reacting. Specifically a bulging basket is no more gross lewd or anything else than a overly developed or sagging bosom or butt.:smile:

 

[fliegles]

You think Speedo's were labeled or identified as a gay thing so now no self-respecting straight guy wants to wear them? Lots of gay guys still wear revealing swimwear.

I guess it's a fate worse than death if you are straight and someone yells out on the beach - "Hey homo with the Speedo!"

If anyone were ever so ignorant or uncouth to say that to me at either a beach or a pool, I would give them the finger!!:biggrin1:

 

[fliegles]

Big dirigible, you have a point.

Maybe. Or maybe they just think some things are gross. Not all aesthetic evaluations are based on "insecurities" - not even in America.

The overweight tourists you alluded to have been the object of ridicule in my home province of Quebec for some time, as have some of the 'Snowbirds'. I agree, if you are fat, you should never wear a speedo.



I might be off topic, but are there speedos for tall guys with large frames such as myself?

Excuse me, but are you sure that you are not confusing speedos (2 and 1/2 to 4 inches over the thigh) with bikinis (one inch at most over the thigh) or thongs? There are differences. As usual, the more sensorious dictators of fashion and correctness have lumped everything together. I can imagine no reason why a tall and/or even slightly portly man could not wear a brief bathing suit with 3 1/2 inches over the thigh and look gross.
In any event, it is much easier to swim in a suit (trunk) which conforms to the body and does not have yards of pointless wide flapping material like board shorts.

 

[LeeEJ]

It just amazes me how sexually oppressed men are in a society that we are supposedly running and making all the rules,

Definitely not true; it's the women (especially overprotective mothers) and the still-too-loudly-braying religious "right" (there I go, bringing politics into it) that make the rules and have labeled any display of male sexuality as perverted and ho-mo-sexshul.

"Like to show off? Then you must be either gay or a child molester -- or both, since that's what gays are, of course."

 

[WellHung83]

It still frustrates me when I see a guy that is obvioulsy quite ace looking and has spent a lot of time on his diet and gym work to get the way he is, to not take advantage and show it off when at the pool or beach by wearing a speedo or squarecut. I mean, it is sort of defeating one of the main purposes of looking after yourself and that is to look good on the outside as well as fit on the inside. It is like building the best house or apartment on the block and then wanting to burn it down the second it is finished or cover it up with huge tarp sheets to sheild it from everyone else's gazing.