Why Americans do not men wear speedo ?

[Byron]

The piece is as written by Sebbie - see his post#3 of thread "speedos and sexual orientation"

[sebbie]

In the 50s through the early 80s, men were comfortable wearing not only briefs, but non-brief shorts were shorter, and closer fitting. Take a look at what the typical high school or college basketball team wore from the 1950s through the 1970s. In the early 80s a few key profesional basketball players and NBA teams starter wearling longer shorts that came down to the knees. These were not only longer, but they contained a lot more cloth to look almost skirt-like (not very masculine-looking at all). These also were similar to what popular rappers of the period were usually wearing. Surfers also started wearing more clothing, that is board shorts, (the board in board shorts is a surfboard!) that in many ways looked very similar to what the pro basketball players were wearing. (Of course the pro surfers nowadays have all abandoned board shorts when surfing in favor of wet suits, but that is another story)


Meanwhile you have a whole series of other things going on...for example gay pride parades in which guys wear tiny briefs that look very different from what the (presumably straight) basketball players and surfers are wearing, and soon brief-style swimwear was being associated with determining sexual orientation however silly that might be.

Teen males used to be quite comfortable wandering around boys' high school locker rooms naked or nearly so, say wearing only a strap. But now parents are increasingly concerned about sexual abuse, and teens are very much warned about the issues. That means staying as fully clothed as possible, even if that means not even taking a shower after PE. A lot of this has gotten pretty crazy in terms of concerns, but that is how it is nowadays. A teen male wearing only a strap or a brief bathing suit might be seen as something an "invitation" for sexual abuse or perhaps a cause for teasing and bullying relating to being gay, so the shorts keep getting fuller and fuller, and the teen males spend more and more effort making certain that the clothing choice conforms with being similar to what "all the other guys are wearing." The only place where a teen guy can be comfortable in a brief swimsuit is with other guys on the school swim team who are "required" by the coach to wear the same style.

If lot of this seemingly makes no sense at all, I guess I am not surprised.

Sebbie

[Torchwatch]

In 1985 Grundy Television in Australia launched Neighbors in Australia and sold it worldwide. These were the days of Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, they were young and they were active. They went to the beach and the pool and swam. At first they swam in speedos, then gradually in squarecuts and later in longer and longer shorts.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...9CE29F811E45B1

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...956252D943C026

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...ED38D7E3C3EE63

The actors were required to appear to be doing an activity and then have "normal" conversations to one another while wearing the appropriate clothes. The show was a success with girls and young women, the show started leading fashion and the male actors seemed to always be trying to wear longer and longer swimwear (to hide their bodies on set) and fashion followed.

The Neighbors boys were seen in loose boxer shorts instead of briefs and a generation of boys in America and Britain followed suit.

[zungaboy]

Thanks friends for their stories in a way confirms that the media have a lot to do with how the "fear" is transmitted to wear speedos. I remember the TV series named "Miami Vice" which rarely sees a speedo in the series but impossible, but who has gone to Miami beach knows at least 10 years ago the speedos were very frequent. For me it was very rare to see the beginnings of the TV serie "Baywatch" that lifeguard wear shorts and NO speedo, I am sure that in many Latin American countries began using the lifeguard shorts imitating the TV series as they had historically always used speedo by regulation.

[Byron]

You hit on the lie which we all seem to accept like a lot of mindless sheep.

Whenever there is protest about something "outrageous" the media always responds with "don't blame us - we give the public what they demand".

So, where is this "demand" exactly ? - are we all out on the streets everywhere telling
interviewers with clipboards that a lot more porn is required on our tv screens
and we want to know far more in our newspapers about who slept with who last night ? (when the paparazzi were well focussed on someone creeping out of the door of an apartment in the early hours of the morning - or even the President of France disguising himself in a motor bike helmet) ( which really didn't fit very well).

The media leads, not follows - their influence is far too strong - but it is all down to viewing and readership figures at the end of the day.

[zungaboy]

I am researching; I came here not to put labels to people. Neither I came here to look "guilty" I ask questions waiting for answers and share my little knowledge with anyone who wants to hear them. I do not want to hurt the love for the country of each person. And I thank all who have responded to me with more passion in their answers or objective responses, all is ok for me and I thank you a lot.

[Byron]

Suitable for Mormons? http://25.media.tumblr.com/769183f52...q6oo1_1280.jpg