the younger generation

[California Dolphin]

I don't get the connection that wearing a brief style suit for swimming is somehow "Gay".

As a practical matter, swimming is done best while wearing a minimum of clothing and that's why briefs were the standard for decades.

More coverage in the water (boardies and jammers) just gives me the annoying "Taking a bath with your clothes on" sensation.

[Byron]

The age old problem - it is not the facts that count but what are generally perceived to be the facts.
Any marketing and/or advertising practitioner will tell you this is used to their advantage on occasions and politicians are quite happy also to leave a misconception in place if it serves their cause.
I may be misquoting Hitler or Goebbels here but "The bigger the lie the more it will be believed".

[shaulis]

Thank You Bryon and Drenalin for helping clarify my position.

[Byron]

You're welcome, as Louis might say (and maybe we had better think of casting a new speedo medal if Drenalin succeeds in his conversions)

[Torchwatch]

Most gay men claim to be str8 acting, this means that when they are not on the cruise they will blend in with the str8 community. So the majority of gay men will be wearing board shorts on the beach. Therefore board shorts are being worn by gay men pretending to be str8, because str8 men wear them.

Meanwhile homophobes who are actually repressed gay men in denial are being attracted to and denouncing anyone wearing speedos.

If you aren't a gay man pretending to be str8, or any man who cannot take being denounced by homophobes then it is time to go to the beach and wear speedos.

Life is complicated .......

[Drenalin]

Originally Posted by Byron

You're welcome, as Louis might say (and maybe we had better think of casting a new speedo medal if Drenalin succeeds in his conversions)

I was sold on speedos quite easily and I was raised with a down home, country mindset. Modestly conservative but blended with a healthy dose of redneck blood. I wore boots and jeans all through high school which produced the whitest legs you've ever seen. Of course this was practical for after school I hit the fields and barns for farm work. A pair of shorts wouldn't cut it while putting in hay or cuttin tobacco.
So if my mind can be changed so easily than others shouldn't be that difficult to change either. If course, everyone has they're personal preferences. I just want people in the US to have a more open state of mind and, even if they consider something not to be their cup of tea, respect those with different preferences and stop the damn stereotyping.

[Byron]

Yes, and the sad part is the last sentence of Torchwatch's first paragraph - that remains so despite all the legislative progress against discrimination in recent years.

[shaulis]

Thanks to Torchwater, Drenalin and Bryon for their comments. With so many misconceptions no wonder it has taken this many years to start to unravel the lies.