Bikinis were made for the male gaze so isn't it about time we stopped wearing them

[Hadmysay]

https://www.tiktok.com/@ddp8792/video/7509271473366830378

They were created for the male gaze.

Telling Women what to wear - how Feminist.
I detest swimming costumes, I struggle to get in and out of them, bikinis are far easier to wear and can be full coverage.

Telling women what to wear is one thing

ackNowlwdging that what we do is shaped by society and often not in a way that is good for us however is what feminism is really aboyt

its not “go girl”

its “ why do we do this and is it really in our best interests”

and if you feel shamed by people asking the questions it’s not the questioners fault

I don’t wear a bikini for a man’s gaze, I wear a bikini to get a tan over more of my body!

im not sure many men would be gazing at my 48yr old body .

Most female clothes are made for the male gaze and I agree with you OP.

Bikinis are more practical than swimming costumes.

Eh? I wear a bikini on the beach so that I can go for a wee easier, so, no thank you

If it wasn't for the male gaze id just wear knickers and get a more even tan tbh!

I don't really think there's much difference between a swimsuit and a bikini in terms of male gaze.

It's more the cut and style which makes a difference. I really don't think the sight of a bit of stomach or back makes much difference V how it sits of breasts.and buttocks

Bikinis dry quicker and are easier to change in and out of.

Bikinis are fab. How do you get your stomach tanned otherwise.
Also…. as crazy as it sounds to some, wanting to look attractive to the opposite sex is an actual thing, always has been, always will, and (gulp), thats not a bad thing.

And getting alternatives is often not easy, because of the awful clothing retailing we have in the UK. Goes back to the days of the Philip Green empire, a man who comes across as very nasty.

Wow I've heard of people desperate for TikTok views but starting a thread about a fucking stupid idea in feminism as a thinly disguised bid for more clicks is really next-level.

So do we wear burqas instead and completely cover up? Or do we have to invent some new rules for what women are allowed to wear to be a feminist?

I wear a bikini, when I was young I wore mini skirts, I am not averse to wearing a low cut top or a see through blouse...why? because I like them.
A man does not enter my thoughts when I dress, what he likes or doesn't like is of no concern to me.

I suspect the majority of women dress with the same mindset.
THAT is liberation.

I think it is for individuals to decide what’s in their best interests and certainly not the op. You don’t get to tell someone why they wear the clothes they do.

so what would we wear if we were on a female only beach/pool (or planet?)
considering all the available options I'd probably still go for something pretty similar to a bikini - in fact I'd probably feel happier about wearing one in a female only space than in a mixed one!

Wouldn't want to go completely naked for hygiene and because I've got big boobs so running/jumping about/wakeboarding etc (which is what I like to do in the beach) would be uncomfortable.

swimsuit, fine, but it's harder to change in and out of, doesn't feel nice to have wet, sandy material all over you when you're sunbathing, etc.

anything more covering (rashvest/swim burka etc)- same disadvantages as a swimsuit but worse!

I think a bikini is probably peak in terms of comfort and practicality tbh.

I've almost exclusively worn bikinis ally like. Yes, I have a swimsuit, but more to change it up rather than any other reason. I love bikinis. Sun on your skin, water lapping around your body, dry quickly, easy to pee in. Nothing worse than peeling off a full swimsuit on a beach.

I am 59, still in bikinis....... With my flabby tummy, big tits, scars and sun damage. Definitely not inviting the male gaze.

I wear a bikini at 51 because they are more comfortable for me.

I get a better tan and often take the top off when laying on my front.

If men want to look at my size 14 body then they can crack on.

Women's clothes are designed to appeal to the target market ie women not men, otherwise they would not sell

I've often wondered what's the point of a tan on the belly, when on return to Blighty it's rainjackets again. 😊

I wouldn't wear a bikini since I'd even scare the whales.

I do hope he's not sitting naked from the waist down getting his sweaty bollocks all over the car seat.

I have a long body and short legs so I find swimsuits don't fit very well, they are too low on the chest and the leg holes are stretched right up. Maybe longer length ones are available but I have never come across one.

Not RTFT but to those who said bikinis are more practical than swimming costumes.
You must be wearing them better than me.

I've had two embarrassing incidents in water parks and diving into a pool. Both times the top flew up and the bottoms down.

Additionally, my body is now falling all over the place. Therefore I find swimsuits far more practical. They keep everything together whereas my old lady/weight loss overhang just drapes over bikini bottoms.

And I have to say women wear what you want. But I find thongs uncomfortable to see. There's nothing wrong with a naked body but I find a full arse inches away from my face a bit eww.

As for the male gaze...I have the 'pleasure' of my male housemates company on holiday sometimes. Along with his creepy friends. The way they look and talk about woman who are wearing 'barely there' bikinis/thongs is vile. Like they're watching a free live strip show

Od course that doesn't mean woman shouldn't wear them.

I find a lot of fashion ( eg very revealing clothes that expose breasts/bollocks) questionable. I hear women say it's not about men or other women , but themselves. But I don't understand how exposing your body to such a degree on a night out is empowering. I'm probably just an old fart but I felt like this in my youth too.

You rarely see men walking around in skimpy clothes (thank god)

Women can wear whatever individual women want to wear.

If that's a bikini that's okay

If it's a burka also okay.

Other people do not get to decide what you wear - not men, not women, not the government, not religious leaders

The only limit in the UK is indecency law - and that doesn't even prohibit nakedness in some circumstances

If you want freedom for yourself - on what you wear, what you say, then you have to tolerate other people's choices, even if you don't like them.

@sparklychair I think I may have just the swimsuit for you. I really wanted to buy it but it looked like it was meant for the torso of a 7ft tall woman! ,

I can’t be the only one but I think I Buck the stereotype here. I never wore a bikini when I was younger as I always felt too fat. Looking back of course I wasn’t but I was never particularly thin (at my smallest I was a toned size 12/14) and it’s how I felt.
About 10 years ago in my late 30’s when my fucks started to disappear I decided to embrace my fat and bought my first bikini and so loved the feeling of the sand and sea on my actual skin that I’ve never looked back.
Now I’m a short, flabby size 16, very nearly 50 and wear a bikini all the time! Deffo not for the male gaze as I’m almost invisible but I do hope i subliminally inspire some women & girls to be a bit more body confident than I was.