American Homophobia towards Speedos
One sign of homophobia in America is in men’s clothing options. While certainly America is not the most homophobic country (think Middle East and countries where homosexuality is considered a crime!), there are little red flags here and there.
I never took to the grunge look that started around 1990. I also dislike the rap scene style of baggy pants and shirts 3 times the guy’s size. How would men react if women started dressing in big baggy pants and you you could not really see what their body looked like?
The low crotch baggy pants make young guys look BAD. Sloppy, out of shape. Sorry guys: women also want to see if you have a nice butt 
Believe me, I am not advocating the skintight pants of the 70’s. Ouch, poor nuts!
Fitter pants make a man look a lot nicer. European men know exactly what to wear. Just go to any European capital you will know what I am talking about. SOme young artists and actors (think Zac Efron) have started to bring the fitted look back.
As for speedos….I am a huge speedo lover. The way Americans blast speedos, especially the new generation who did not live the 70’s and the 80’s, is amusing. They equate speedos and fitted pants (again, not tight pants!) to being gay!! Hello, then the entire male population of Brazil and Europe would be gay!! And what’s wrong with being gay anyway?
Speedos make for better comfort, better tanning and better swimming. I cringe when I see these poor fellas at the beach in America with those large floppy shorts below their knees….it’s like swimming with your clothes on! If you want to wear shorts, at least wear some shorter shorts to swim and lie on the beach!
So what that older men have bellies and speedos show them off? We will see the bellies anyway with the big shorts! And as with women, it’s practically impossible to look perfect wearing any swimsuit over the ages of 40, 50. Very few people manage that, excepting the dietaholics and the gymaholics.
So I am for a speedo comeback. I especially like the ones that are square looking, more like briefs. See Daniel Craig’s pic above. Never in a million years I am talking about g-strings, which do not flatter men or women alike.
When I was in Rio last December, it was nice seeing men comfortably wearing their speedos everywhere. In no way I am offended by the shape of men’s genitals; I know they have balls, so what? We are not offended by the zillion (enhanced) breasts we see popping out of their tiny triangles in swimming pools and beaches either ! Men who are too vehemently against speedos may be SO scared of being seen as gay, or maybe fear that if men wear speedos they might feel attracted to them? Or are they really insecure about their bodies and don’t want competition? So it is only ok for women to see naked women everywhere, magazines, advertisement, movies?
I did like the fact the SATC movie showed a man’s penis briefly. It’s time for homophobia to leave movies and TV as well. What’s so horrible about showing a man’s penis in a movie with a sex scene? We see women’s frontals and naked breasts all the time. Are men in America so scared that they will feel attracted to other men?
Viva the Speedo Revolution!
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About
The Brazilian viewpoint in the US. This blog is a channel for Americans trying to learn about Brazilians and Brazil.
About me: Sociologist, MBA degree, living in the Washington D.C. suburbs, married, adult children.
I call myself a Democrat, and I am an activist atheist. I strongly support the Constitution’s mandates on the separation of Church and State.
I support the decriminalization, legalization and taxation of marijuana (although I have never used the drug and I think it’s a bad habit). Less money spent with enforcement, jail time and more with education.
I also suport gay marriage-same rights to all couples-and I hope we can one day have universal healthcare in the US for those who can’t pay for private care. So, I support all the things that piss off the conservatives so much
Interested in culture, relationships, politics, current events and health issues.
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Two years ago, I went to Nice, France. On its beaches were men and women who wore different kinds of bathing suits. No one seemed to notice or care.
You do have a good point about fat men with bellies in speedos or big shorts. Their bellies will still show.
Depending on where I am, I like wearing the square legged cut because it is sleak, stylish, and not too revealing. I may suggest this style to American men at first.
Let’s me blame Michael Jordan for the baggy shorts fad. He’s retired; let’s retire his shorts.
Good on you Robert!! Maybe speedos (not male g-strings or “Borat” suits please, but decently cut speedos) will make a comeback thanks to us
I now officially launch the U.S. Speedo Revolution!
Thanks for the reply.
Waterslides: the sleeker the suits, the faster the ride.
France: shorts “interdit” at most public pools. C’est vrai.
More on waterslides: a male g-string is something a man wears at the end of a fast waterslide ride. The g-string is also known as a wedgie. It can easily be re-adjusted back to a regular suit–hopefully when in the water.
I was pleasantly surprised to discover and read your article about what I call speedo-phobia in America. Speedo-phobia is homophobic, but more generally it is misandrist because even homophobia is directed against males a lot more than it is against females.
Yours is one of the very few positive opinions about men wearing speedos I’ve read anywhere on the internet. Though I’m glad to have read the piece, but I am not optimistic about the situation here the US now or in the distant future.
I’ve also observed that the driving force behind speedo-phobia comes from females and then embraced by men. Women claim vehemently and repeatedly that speedos on men are “gay,” not manly, disgusting, and that a man who wears one has to be a narcissist and exhibitionistic. Since men apparently live for the approval and acceptance of women we don’t want to wear something they despise. Women repeatedly state how unattractive men’s bodies are and that men should cover up.
As you’ve noted twenty or thirty years ago men didn’t have this aversion to wearing brief swimsuits. This is also true with bicycle shorts and other clothing styles. Bike shorts were mostly worn by men but is now seen as exclusively women’s clothing except for a few athletes.
This article on ‘Speedophobia’ from last year by Mark Simpson, the guy who coined ‘metrosexual’ gives a history and analysis of what he calls America’s ‘phalliban’:
http://out.com/detail.asp?id=22203
I appreciate hearing a woman’s viewpoint similar to mine. There does appear to be double standard. The U.S. generally accepts women wearing swimsuits next to their skin — their genitals, but if a man does the same it is considered gay, indecent, etc. What is the aversion to the male body? Women’s swimsuits are generally particle for swimming. I like to wear speedos because they keep be warmer than trunks because trunks take much longer to dry. I also like to wear speedos because they do not chafe my skin and drag water and air like trunks. I would like women who say that men should never wear speedos wear trunks to swim it. Why the double standard?
Great comments from all. I have to add that I suspect young boys are taught to see speedos as something “ridiculous, obscene and gay”. I can imagine a 15 year old boy’s mom telling him to wear the long shorts on the beach, while turning a blind eye to her daughter’s tiny bikini.
I spent a week at Bethany Beach, Delaware, last month. A very family oriented beach where even women over 30 wear conservative two or one piece suits. I watched little boys, aged 2, wearing long shorts almost to their ankles. I felt sorry for them. Not comfortable! The young mothers probably thought they were doing the right thing. A 2 year old toddler? Please!
Anyway, the way to change this to to change the mentality. All of you who wrote to me need to start wearing your speedos. Don’t mind the looks. You cannot be arrested. And if an actor or two starts bringing them back who knows, it may become more acceptable (again). After all, we must have progressed since the 70’s, right?
I find the whole Speedo bashing situation as huge double standard. I wear a Speedo to the beach. I am 38 years old and I am not gay. I take excellent care of my body. I am not hairy and of normal body weight. I think their is a huge problem with Homophobia in this country. The one comment that men wear Bikinis, speedos, swim briefs in Brazil or Europe is very accurate. Just because you wear a bikini does not mean your gay. I am amazed at how the word “Speedo “is acceptable here in this country. The term Bikini is correct. For some strange reason America likes to call them “Speedos” which is ok. People should be feel comfortable to wear what ever they want as long as it’s legal.
well, i disagree. i don’t want to see str8 men in speedos. gross!
i say leave the speedos to the fit hot gay boys!
i don’t need to see hairy nasty str8 guys in speedos. no thank you!
the US has it right.
” well, i disagree. i don’t want to see str8 men in speedos. gross!
i say leave the speedos to the fit hot gay boys!
i don’t need to see hairy nasty str8 guys in speedos. no thank you!
the US has it right.”
America is supposed to be free – so give me a break. In this regard, Brazil and Europe are much more liberal than backwards intolerant America. My response would be that I wouldn’t want to see a fat unattractive woman in a bikini either. Notwithstanding, if one doesn’t like what the person is wearing, they can look away.
BTW, as an American, I began wearing bikini-style swimsuits by accident in Europe, as that was all they were selling in the 1980s. I think guys with white legs from the knees up to their waistline look like freaks. So, no, the Europeans and Brazilians got it right!
THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCURATE ANALYSIS OF SPEEDO PHOBIA IN THE USA.THAT I HAVE EVER READ.I GREW UP IN THE 70′S AND 80′S AND AT THAT TIME THEY WERE NOT CONSIDERED A GAY THING AT ALL.
I HAVE SEEN WOMEN WEAR BIKINIS SO TIGHT AND SKIMPY THEY MIGHT AS WELL BE.I THINK THE BEST POINT MADE WAS THAT EVEN BOARD SHORTS WILL NOT HIDE A GUT!
Hi, I’m Frank…I live in Mexico City.
Studying for my English classes.
I found it interesting that in the U.S. is frowned upon wear Speedos.
I love swimming and I practice at the competition, is a requirement in my country use this type of clothing.
And that Mexico is very conservative.
Que Pena. For the Spring Breakers something used only …:) Saludos Shorts