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

[DieselBlue89]

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?

@housethatbuiltme

Next, Amazon, Sport Direct, Speedo all do modest swimwear.

And there were more.

Competitive swimwear is almost knee length, you never see racers in high cut suits. Can just get those? e.g. Speedo Fastskin

So glad there are more places selling more modest swimwear. I don't want to wear a one piece, so hard going to the toilet in wet swimsuit and putting it back on again - although I am sure someone will be along to say you just push the material to the side and I've been doing it all wrong.

I got some knee length swimming leggings and a swimming tshirt like the surfers wear from Amazon. This thread has been great in showing me some other options so thanks for sharing!

Racers already wear kneesuits and have done for years.

This thread would do well on Style & Beauty .

They can find you stuff like no one's business.

Also recommend Joanie Clothing and SeaFancy.co .uk for more covering swimsuits that are not just utilitarian blue or black.

Joanie Clothing does a proper 50s style bum covering swimsuit and also a 2 piece where the bottoms go right to your waist and cover your bum.

Wow, so other women are imperfect and unacceptable in your eyes whatever they do. Lovely.

Hah I'm just happy to spread the joy of having your bits well covered whilst doing the breaststroke

If I win the lottery I'm going to buy myself a swimming pool and get my perfect swimsuit designed and made.

I wear boyleg too. I find it more comfortable and I don’t need to think about more being on show than I intended when I move around.

I am in my late 60s and hadn't been swimming for decades, then I was advised to go as one of the few exercises my arthritis allows me to do. I hadn't got a costume of course so I googled - and as PP have said, the default is the sort of costume I wore as a young woman, the bottoms basically knickers and many of the tops fairly revealing too. Really at my age NOBODY (including me) wants to see my cleavage or the tops of my legs. It seemed unfair when all the default male costumes seemed to be long shorts.

I did consider a burkini, but I wondered if it would be cultural appropriation (!) and anyway I thought the long sleeves might be difficult to get on and off (arthritis).

As other PP have said, in order to restrain the norkage (DD cup) I decided to buy a costume from where I buy my bras, but these were the default costumes. So I bought one, then I bought a pair of swim shorts and a swim tee which I wear on top. I look like a stuffed sausage but at least I am more or less covered from neck to knees, which is what I want.

When I first went I could barely swim three strokes (never was a strong swimmer) but now I can swim several lengths - albeit very slowly.

It's odd that the word 'modest' seems only to be used in relation to women, isn't it? No-one ever says 'men, be modest, don't walk about with your shirt off. Don't wear a vest in the gym and show everyone your underarm hair, exercise some modesty. Be modest, men, don't urinate in the street.' Never heard it.

I would say board shorts are modest and budgie smugglers aren't.

Most men default to the modest and comfortable option but its more commonly available to them so they don't need to google using specific differentiating words.

I CHOOSE myself to cover up, no man made me... In fact most men I know would prefer to get an eyeful of free tit or ass.

'Modest' is the describer word to signpost to muslim appropriate clothing.

Unsurprisingly there's a whole industry of it.
Google Modest Clothing.

Of course there is and has been for a very long time. Large percentage of world population wears non revealing clothes. Not just muslims.

It's not the style of clothing that's oppressive, but who decides and why. A controlling person could favour lots or little coverage depending on their intent.

I don't like the label "modesty" for certain styles. It has negative implications about the intent behind choosing less coverage.
Also potentially negative or shameful implications about those who choose more coverage.

Behaviour of other people that drives choices is a separate question. To avoid any misunderstanding, I don't think anyone should feel obligated to dress a certain way for another person's benefit or made to feel uncomfortable for their choice

Of course there is and has been for a very long time. Large percentage of population wears non revealing clothes. Not just muslims.

Of course.

What I meant it's the industry word now to signify a certain type of garment. Not just modest clothes in general.

I think there is quite a range of swimwear out there, for both men and women.
I have owned a fair few costumes over the years, in a variety of shapes and sizes.
I did wear legsuits for a while, but actually feel better swimming in one of the more 'traditional' shapes - mine are mostly lower cut on the leg and higher cut on the chest mostly quite modest looking, Speedo or the like, though I do have a couple of cool patterned ones too (one from George Asda, one from the M and Co closing down sale - it's a slightly lower cut but not that low). Wear what you are comfortable in.

Edit, to remove the word 'modest' because I find it a fairly judgemental word!

My teen and her mates tend to wear board shorts combined with either a bikini top or swimsuit. Lots of choice at somewhere like decathlon

What I find outrageous is the outfits that many sports women-professional, amateur and even children athletes and gymnasts in particular- wear require the removal of pubic hair. Little girls' gym leotards are ridiculously high cut.

Hi Op. Thanks for starting this thread. I've started swimming regularly again and I was complaining to DH about why women's swim stuff requires constant pube maintenance when men's generally don't (Speedo's aside). I'm inspired to buy one of the one's suggested. Very happy to have a solution 😀

I'd say lots of men 'manscape' as my sons call it.

Especially some professional sportsmen.

"I'd say lots of men 'manscape' as my sons call it."

Yes-but they are not shamed into doing it by societal norms.

I think girls swimsuits are sexualised because they are made to cover up their nipples despite having no more breasts than boys as children . When I was a kid we used bikini bottoms only . As for the pubic hair , well there are lots of nicer like cool swimsuits and bikinis and men , specially in competitions use speedos too ?