speedophobia

[karlos]

I found something the other day while searching for something trying to explain to someone why a guy wearing anything other than a pair of boardshorts to the pool is somehow fair game for abuse...

http://www.out.com/entertainment/2007/0 ... eedophobia

[ricardo871]

Hahaha so funny yet sadly true
Believe it or not it's the same on Aussie beaches now, only really on the 'gay section' of Bondi Beach and a few places can you wear speedos without someone saying something. It's becoming intolerable.
The last person who told me off for wearing speedos, I told to go get fucked, what are they gonna do?

[Texas_swimmer]

The other day I had a discussion with some of my friends girlfriends about speedos. The general consensus from them was that guys should not wear them. They said it looks silly, like you are wearing a diaper and its disturbing to have to look at your junk. They said that if you wear one you are automatically a homosexual.

So I tried to defend the speedo but I got nowhere. I find it ridiculous that women can wear whatever the hell they want and not get the looks that we get. Also the speedos I had they did not like, and those are regular kind, not the disturbingly small kind that some guys like for some weird reason.

[Marcus2315]

I agree with you texas. Generally women seem to wear less and less clothes while men are wearing more and more.

Most people I've spoken to aren't massive speedo fans. People generally don't care when you actually wear them but say they don't like them. Maybe as well there's a social understanding that you're not supposed to like them so people tend to say that rather than if they don't really care or actually like them.

[Snowbrief]

A diaper, that's the first I have associated the speedo too, and do not like and simply fail to understand the connection?

I asked karlos to post this thread because there is so much mentioned in the article that many could relate too on here. We all know what we wear as the most practical swimming gear, as the only thing that should be worn while swimming, be it recreational or for fitness. Me wearing the speedo doing either, have never been considered gay/homosexual by my friends/family/coworkers because I don't carry myself that way.

Tex, glad to hear you had the conversation with the women, more maybe should have the same.

[hpfny]

Hmmm, should a woman in good shape wear a bikini to the beach? There isn't any doubt that the answer should be YES.

Should a woman of any age, in average shape wear a bikini to the beach? All the speedophobic women would say YES and support her and say that she should have confidence in doing so.

Should a man go to the beach (or pool) and slosh around in the water in a pair of trousers? I say NO! However, it's come to that and meanwhile women of all shapes, sizes and ages [including the ones who shouldn't really be at the beach (or pool) at all] are wearing two dots and a dash and say that no guy should wear "speedos" or any type of sensible, practical, comfortable swimsuit. Two thumbs down!

[fbanks]

A diaper, that's the first I have associated the speedo too, and do not like and simply fail to understand the connection?

Only if it is worn too large and baggy and saggy in the back ... otherwise, good-fitting and well filled Speedos are sexy as all hell!

[Amazon]

Hmmm, should a woman in good shape wear a bikini to the beach? There isn't any doubt that the answer should be YES.

Should a woman of any age, in average shape wear a bikini to the beach? All the speedophobic women would say YES and support her and say that she should have confidence in doing so.

Should a man go to the beach (or pool) and slosh around in the water in a pair of trousers? I say NO! However, it's come to that and meanwhile women of all shapes, sizes and ages [including the ones who shouldn't really be at the beach (or pool) at all] are wearing two dots and a dash and say that no guy should wear "speedos" or any type of sensible, practical, comfortable swimsuit. Two thumbs down!

Exactly.

Sensuality is reserved for women. It's mean and nasty.

[Snowbrief]

Also mentioned in the story is the ever becoming lazy American man, and the need to wear something larger to cover what they aren't proud of what they have let themselves become. I would definitely agree with this analogy; however, the claim that gays are healthier and workout more would be an unfounded rational why gays are more accepted to wear a speedo then a straight guy?

The "out" gay guy's I know, and know about, are far too fashion conscious to ever consider being seen in a speedo. They find the speedo outlandish on a beach or a pool, they are just not to be worn! And not that I know a vast amount of "out" gay's (male or female) around my neck of the woods, but I can say they are not anymore healthy then straights.....we are all equally lazy/active males (or females).

[karlos]

Also mentioned in the story is the ever becoming lazy American man, and the need to wear something larger to cover what they aren't proud of what they have let themselves become. I would definitely agree with this analogy; however, the claim that gays are healthier and workout more would be an unfounded rational why gays are more accepted to wear a speedo then a straight guy?

The "out" gay guy's I know, and know about, are far too fashion conscious to ever consider being seen in a speedo. They find the speedo outlandish on a beach or a pool, they are just not to be worn! And not that I know a vast amount of "out" gay's (male or female) around my neck of the woods, but I can say they are not anymore healthy then straights.....we are all equally lazy/active males (or females).

What I have tended to find, is being unhealthy, not going swimming, not going to the gym or doing any exercise whatsoever is fast becoming something to be proud of and far too socially acceptable, hence the need to hide in plus size clothing.

Also from personal experience, as I have tended to only wear jammers apposed to speedos or board shorts to the pool. A lot of the 'lazy' males wouldn't be seen dead wearing anything other than a pair of board shorts, in fear of being accused of being gay by both guys and females.

[swimmy]

I agree with you, Karlos. Obesity is becoming "in the vogue" and the statistics are scary. A few years ago the Ford Motor Company had to redesign auto interiors to more comfortably accommodate huge people, they had become the voice of the consumer. I"m not sure people are happy about it but laziness can override one's intentions to improve themselves. It saddens me. Anyhow, I came to the conclusion that fashion has to follow what the people want, and more and more people want to hide under tents. As I work out and swim daily in a club owned by a hospital and operated as a rehab and weight reduction/health improvement center, I see lots of people I can't stand to look at it. Obesity absolutely disgusts me but I don't want to be mean about it, I encourage people to TRY and DO all the things that make them healthier. One buddy I talk to at the club every evening has lost 180 pounds in three years. Wow! He can walk normally, even jog, and ride a bike, and stand up at work, is no longer diabetic even. His example is rare, most of the huge people I've seen there only once, or twice, or maybe every night for a week. Then never again.
What does this have to do with wearing a speedo? NOTHING AT ALL. It might only explain why some people claim to hate them. It is jealousy. Again, I have NEVER had anyone complain about me wearing a speedo at the pool. ANY pool, for that matter.
Now on your second point, Karlos, anyone who associates the speedo with gay has a perfectly valid reason to, but I laugh, they fail to understand that I wouldn't even care if they thought I was gay, which I am not, and they are too stupid to know that we hard core swimmers wear them as a uniform, like a logger wears suspenders and a baker wears an apron. It's just ignorance, don't worry about it. Wear what you want, within reason....

[fbanks]

I wear my Speedo to the pool all the time. I just like to swim and I am a really good swimmer and can go 40 laps non-stop flipping my turns. Doesn't mean I'm gay (although I may have a wicked bi streak in me), and I'm not showing off or flaunting my body (most times, but sometimes, yeah). I really don't care what others wear, although some would be much, much better swimmers if they dump the board shorts. As for the beach, that's a place to undress and enjoy the sun (with proper sunscreen, of course). What people wear is their prerogative. Again, there are individuals that really should not be wearing what they are wearing. Their problem, not mine. I just won't look twice. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

[Norfcountryboy]

Men are getting less and less body confident. I suspect it maybe due to obesity issues but the outcome is that men are no longer comfortable about dressing sexy and it isn't just a speedo's vs sad-bastard shorts thing either.

When I was a teen lycra was the norm for weekend mountainbikers and cyclists. Somewhere in the mid nineties baggies began to take over and now it's almost universally a baggy grey shorts pastime. However it looked like the lycra tide would never set on road cyclists [Ones who have racing bikes]. I remember a mate saying, maybe only three years ago that people with road bikes would always wear lycra because nothing else looked right on a racing bike. Fastforward to the present and there's loads of guys on racing bikes in baggy shorts, or worse still lycra shorts under baggies.

As soon as I was old enough I got myself a motorbike. All self respecting bikers wore full leathers, even learners with a decent bike had the full kit. Now leather bikers are a real minority, wherever you park up on a Sunday afternoon a good 60-70% of the men will be in fabric riding gear.

Even builders and workmen have stopped going bare chested. Before college I did groundworks and as soon as the sun came out all of us on site would get our tops off. It didn't matter how cold it was, it was instinctive.

[Snowbrief]

When I was a teen lycra was the norm for weekend mountainbikers and cyclists. Somewhere in the mid nineties baggies began to take over and now it's almost universally a baggy grey shorts pastime. However it looked like the lycra tide would never set on road cyclists [Ones who have racing bikes]. I remember a mate saying, maybe only three years ago that people with road bikes would always wear lycra because nothing else looked right on a racing bike. Fastforward to the present and there's loads of guys on racing bikes in baggy shorts, or worse still lycra shorts under baggies.

As soon as I was old enough I got myself a motorbike. All self respecting bikers wore full leathers, even learners with a decent bike had the full kit. Now leather bikers are a real minority, wherever you park up on a Sunday afternoon a good 60-70% of the men will be in fabric riding gear.

Even builders and workmen have stopped going bare chested. Before college I did groundworks and as soon as the sun came out all of us on site would get our tops off. It didn't matter how cold it was, it was instinctive.

Norf, I can proudly say, this has not become the norm in my neck of the woods in northern Minnesota. 99.9% of the cyclist on the road I live on wear full lycra gear who are out for exercise; the only one's that don't, are the kids riding from their friends house, wearing basketball shorts, but who knows what could be underneath....

What is interesting, is that there is this park on the road where many mountain bikers like to go, and when I see them in the lot, they are wearing lycra tops, and baggy shorts. Then the other day when I was at the sport store, I bought a radically fantastic pair of mountain bike shorts, that had a compression padded inner lining....you may see them wearing baggy shorts, but hiding the lycra they don't want you to see.

Regarding the workmen not showing there good works when the sun came out; here in the states, that was primarily an OSHA rule requiring people to cover up from sunburn claims.

[ExBex]

Change is slow, but I see signs that some men are getting more confident about revealing their bodies, that the pendulum might be swinging back toward visible masculine sensuality. Look how fast companies like 2XU and Under Armour have grown. Look at the move in pro sports, like the NBA, toward form-fitting uniforms (especially for upper body). When cloaked in athleticism and sports, and when skin-tight spandex clothes are called "compression" layers, then men are onboard with it. They can claim it is about performance, a manly trait, and not about vanity. In some circles, expensive gear like 2XU (and the gym body that goes with it) are like status symbols.

But yeah, it seems like two competing worldviews out there right now... the gym/fitness hard-body ideal (with more blatant objectification of the muscled male body in mainstream shows like Teen Wolf) vs. the "dad-bod" (with a more care-free celebration of the anti-gym body). I sorta think the "dad-bod" trend goes along with what others have said about obesity now being ok and even pandered to (as with the car design comment). I still see it as a sign of unhealthy habits and laziness, not a source of pride at all.

Neither is particularly speedo-friendly yet, but weirdly, both trends share an element of acceptance (and celebration) of the male body. That could be a step toward wider acceptance that the bulge is also part of being a man.

[_su_]

Just got back from shark tooth hunting on the beach for about 3 hours in my speedo. Not a single other one to be seen. But I didn't notice anyone minding me in my speedo. Found a lot of shark teeth though.

I hate to agree that the laziness is getting pandered to. My real issue is the "everyone gets a trophy" attitude our society seems to have now, where its no longer politically correct for the losers to go home empty handed. And because of that, those who worked hard for what they have are supposed to feel shame for showing off sometimes. So when it comes to speedos, I don't agree that "just because you won't, means I shouldn't".

[karlos]

Not that I needed any proof that obesity is being pandered to and accepted as the norm, this advert witch is currently showing on uk telly seams wrong on so many levels.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/25/the-new-m ... e-5312878/

[Norfcountryboy]

Not that I needed any proof that obesity is being pandered to and accepted as the norm, this advert witch is currently showing on uk telly seams wrong on so many levels.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/25/the-new-m ... e-5312878/

Yeah it mings and why do they have a wrecking ball FFS when they are doing construction??

[karlos]

Not that I needed any proof that obesity is being pandered to and accepted as the norm, this advert witch is currently showing on uk telly seams wrong on so many levels.
http://metro.co.uk/2015/07/25/the-new-m ... e-5312878/

Yeah it mings and why do they have a wrecking ball FFS when they are doing construction??

Probably copying a scene from that music video miley cyrus of a few years ago.

[johnc]

Most of my speedo wearing is done for lap swimming. But I went to Mexico for Christmas with my family and wore speedos to the beach everyday. There were a few other guys but we were the minority. I didn't experience any negativity, actually it was all a really positive experience for me. I don't really believe the idea that girls don't like them - well, it helps to stay fit.

I usually plan my vacations around where I would fit in best, for example, Miami Beach - nobody cares what you wear.

If you want to fit in, I've found the best place to go is to a busy lap swimming pool - the best way to wear them is to become a swimmer.

On the plus side, I noticed lots of runners this summer, and their shorts are not much more than speedos with some loose fabric.

I've probably lost hope for the general public and speedos becoming normal for the majority as beachwear. But the percentage can still grow from where it is now.