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Original poster

To think that girl's and women's swimsuits are sexualised

372 replies

DieselBlue89 · 21/09/2023 20:33

Why should I have to make sure I've tidied my pubic hair before going swimming? None of my other clothes cut so close to my genitalia.
Is it about aerodynamics? (the swim shorts worn by most men definitely aren't)
Or were they designed by men and now we're all just conforming to societal norms?

OP posts:
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14
Ssme92 · 21/09/2023 22:34

I'm not sure I understand the comparison. Some women wear shorts over a swimsuit or bikini, some men wear speedos. If you want everyone to a unisex swimsuit, would it be men's shorts and women go topless? I wouldn't be comfortable in that. I personally feel most comfortable in "cheeky" style swimsuits.

Redavocadoes · 21/09/2023 22:36

20 years ago I was lucky enough to go to Mauritius and stay with a local family. We went swimming in a waterfall. Anyway I had my UK one piece standard black swimsuit on (not low cut or anything) and they wore swimsuits that had shorts legs. It was kindly explained to me that my swimsuit was a bit much.

It was a wake up call as to how revealing and sexualised European swimwear is. We just grew up with it and for many years couldn't buy anything different, so assumed that's what swimwear has to look like.

I wonder who designed and marketed it? 🤔

IslaWinds · 21/09/2023 22:37

Redavocadoes · 21/09/2023 22:36

20 years ago I was lucky enough to go to Mauritius and stay with a local family. We went swimming in a waterfall. Anyway I had my UK one piece standard black swimsuit on (not low cut or anything) and they wore swimsuits that had shorts legs. It was kindly explained to me that my swimsuit was a bit much.

It was a wake up call as to how revealing and sexualised European swimwear is. We just grew up with it and for many years couldn't buy anything different, so assumed that's what swimwear has to look like.

I wonder who designed and marketed it? 🤔

The same people who designed speedos and banana hammock g-strings for men.

MuckyPlucky · 21/09/2023 22:39

Being wearing leg suits for years. Fairly serious swimmer. Hasn’t crossed my mind to shave my pubes or legs for years.

MuckyPlucky · 21/09/2023 22:40

For triathlons I wear a tri-suit with boy-leg. With seamless/clasp-free sports bra underneath to restrain my wild bazookas on the run.

SnuggleBuggleBoo · 21/09/2023 22:40

I wear board shorts and a rash vest. I'm pretty much the only one but I don't care, I don't get stared at or anything.

zurala · 21/09/2023 22:41

YANBU OP.

I've never seen so many bare arses as on beaches this summer. Almost everyone is wearing thongs and then when I saw one woman snorkelling in one, well let's just say I felt very intimately acquainted with her!

It's ridiculous.

theteddypileisgrowing · 21/09/2023 22:43

I wear surf shorts!

Mamai90 · 21/09/2023 22:45

I bought swim leggings and a long sleeve swim top that someone suggested on here. I love swimming but don't go that often because I'm uncomfortable in a swimsuit. I don't want my DD to miss out in swimming because of my insecurities either.

I'm pregnant and not very body confident at the moment so I don't want to be on display wearing little clothing. Even on holiday I wore board shorts and a tankini top this year, I try to stay out of the sun these days anyway so I wasn't worried about tan lines.

BonnieBairn · 21/09/2023 22:47

My younger girls wear swim shorts from the boys section and a rash vest. Their choice. Eldest wears swim shorts that have a swim brief built in and tankini top. I wear a t-shirt over my swimsuit. Husband wears shorts and has a lot more skin on show than any of us girls.

WandaWonder · 21/09/2023 22:48

So basically women have no imagination and only have enough brains to buy bikinis?

No I don't agree with this but there is lots of things to do with women where it is answered away but 'society forces women to sexualise'

If women don't want revealing clothes don't buy them there is lots of options out there

EggInANest · 21/09/2023 22:50

Why ‘sexualised’?
Why is attire suitable for swimming etc , and slight so that it is non restricting, or feels enjoyable in the Aegean ‘ sexualised’ ? Why are our bodies ‘sexualised’ just because they are visible?

Why must I conceal the fact that I have pubic hair?

Bodies are bodies, we all have one, I am not ashamed of mine, nor do I consider it to be an expression of sexual interest unless I specifically communicate that.

sunglassesonthetable · 21/09/2023 22:50

My DS's GF took 5 bikinis on their 3week island hopping hols to Greece this year. She showed me. The whole lot would have fitted into a small paper bag. Good on her I say.

Equally good on me with my zip up long sleeved boy shorts swimmers for sea swimming.

ClemFandango1 · 21/09/2023 22:50

My costume this year has been a t shirt sleeve rash vest and pedal pusher length swim leggings. It's been pretty freeing as my public beard is prodigious.

Waffle78 · 21/09/2023 22:51

This is why I wear tankinis. Much easier going to the toilet as well.

LuckOfTheDrawer · 21/09/2023 22:52

I don't buy the argument that you can get both revealing and non-revealing men's swimwear too, so this isn't an issue.

The vast majority of women's swimwear is revealing, while the vast majority of men's swimwear isn't.

I wonder why that might be.

IslaWinds · 21/09/2023 22:54

LuckOfTheDrawer · 21/09/2023 22:52

I don't buy the argument that you can get both revealing and non-revealing men's swimwear too, so this isn't an issue.

The vast majority of women's swimwear is revealing, while the vast majority of men's swimwear isn't.

I wonder why that might be.

Thats consumer driven though, the vast majority of women choose revealing swimwear and the vast majority of men do not.

IslaWinds · 21/09/2023 22:55

EggInANest · 21/09/2023 22:50

Why ‘sexualised’?
Why is attire suitable for swimming etc , and slight so that it is non restricting, or feels enjoyable in the Aegean ‘ sexualised’ ? Why are our bodies ‘sexualised’ just because they are visible?

Why must I conceal the fact that I have pubic hair?

Bodies are bodies, we all have one, I am not ashamed of mine, nor do I consider it to be an expression of sexual interest unless I specifically communicate that.

I agree. Europe as a whole is less prudish about the human body than the U.K. and other countries/cultures.

sunglassesonthetable · 21/09/2023 22:57

Rest easy @LuckOfTheDrawer

Budgie smugglers are on their way back in . All the rugby players are wearing them now. It's only a matter of time.

And we'll back to the Italian Riviera in the 70s. 😬

spookehtooth · 21/09/2023 22:57

This is a thing is a number of professional sports. Not just the cut of clothing but colours too. There's been push back and complaints by the sportswoman in those sports challenging these details. I've read at least two articles about this in the last year

In some sports and exercise types it's been known to put some women off doing those things

LuckOfTheDrawer · 21/09/2023 23:00

@IslaWinds, I don't think it's as simple as that - every choice that a person makes is affected by all of their experiences up to that point. And girls and women are subject to a very different set of messages and experiences than boys and men.

LuckOfTheDrawer · 21/09/2023 23:01

sunglassesonthetable · 21/09/2023 22:57

Rest easy @LuckOfTheDrawer

Budgie smugglers are on their way back in . All the rugby players are wearing them now. It's only a matter of time.

And we'll back to the Italian Riviera in the 70s. 😬

😄🙈

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 21/09/2023 23:12

Hufflepods · 21/09/2023 20:35

You can wear whatever you want. No one’s forcing you to wear a swimsuit that shows your pubic hair.

Unless you need bra-sized costumes in big cup sizes, in which case you get to wear what Bravissimo will sell you, all of which shows your pubes, or not swim.

IslaWinds · 21/09/2023 23:15

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 21/09/2023 23:12

Unless you need bra-sized costumes in big cup sizes, in which case you get to wear what Bravissimo will sell you, all of which shows your pubes, or not swim.

Show quote history

That’s not true. Many larger cup sized women wear tank tops or swim shirts with swim shorts.

merrymelodies · 21/09/2023 23:15

Boyleg probably because males have to have more material to keep their balls from hanging out.
Although Speedos are a thing... which I think are horrible but 🤷‍♀️