MEN'S UNDERWEAR & THE AMERICAN PRUDE
Our only problem it seems is that we’ve spent all of this time trying to cover up that when it comes to showing some skin, or even showing off our underwear, we run for the partition.
Why?
Why does flesh scare us? Is it because it reminds us of sex? Does nudity always equal sex? Why do we keep sexuality and nudity in a box reserved for the bottom drawer. You know that bottom drawer full of porn, sex toys, and God forbid, stylish, skimpy underwear. Our unmentionables. The stuff we keep hidden. The stuff we don’t talk about. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
That seems to be our consensus about sexuality and nudity in general. When we see someone in underwear or in the buff, we either blush, giggle or gasp. Unless, of course, when it’s in context: That hot blind date, Valentine’s Day, the gym locker room, the underwear section of a department store, et cetera.
Our Western counterparts of the world don’t have that problem. In England, you can be reading the morning paper, turn to page three, an there’s a featured topless women staring back at you. In Amsterdam, sex-education courses are taught at a very young age. Mind you, they also have legalized prostitution. In Madrid, Spanish accessories designer, Loewe, featured nude men in her runway show carrying only her handbags. Penises and balls flapping around for all to see. In Italy, there are a plethora of nudist colonies. The list goes on and on.
And then, there’s US.
Here in America, we censor everything. Swear words, suggestive content and nudity. Except of course, violence. We love violence.
Basically, from wardrobe malfunctions to breastfeeding in public; we judge it, we shame it, we ban it. Bottom line.
We at BodyAware have had our own run-ins with the censor police. Just ask Facebook, but I’ll save that rant for another day.
In the meantime, and speaking of flapping genitalia, take a look at the following video and tell us if it offends you or not. Do you agree that we Americans are just a bunch of prudes?
15 comments
I’d like to see the Unicorn String in a Video!
Americans are very uptight. Need to relax. Put on some Body Aware and chill!
Nudity doesn’t bother me at all. Maybe that is why I am interested in this site and in sexy underwear for men. That video didn’t bother me at all. I do think that it is a bit silly. Why would they do that. How did the models not have hard ons? That is the most difficult thing I find about being nude or close to when being a man. That said, I love wearing thongs on the beach and in public! But getting erections are annoying. lol.
Americans need to grow up and relax about Nudity. The video clip I just watched did not offend me at all, the models should have slowed their walk and displayed the handbags more. Cheers. S.
I weigh more now than ever in my life and I feel better about myself now than I ever have. I have always enjoyed nudity at home or in nature. Everyone I know knows this about me and most are shocked and cannot do not understand. Americans are prudish on so many things but especially nudity. My god, the whole uproar about Janet Jackson’s nipple you would have thought she had shot someone. In fact that would have caused less uproar.
Great topic. I’ve been going nude at nude campgrounds all of my adult life. I’m in my 70s now and, with exercise and diet, still get a favorable look or glance. I’ve stayed in condition most of my life mostly because I enjoying looking good, even when I"m the only one looking. Personally I don’t think this has anything to do with vanity but pride in self. I’m amazed at how many American males past 30 don’t seem to give a crap about their health or how they look. I love your site and also want to know what happened to the sheer boxer shorts shown on the front.
I’m 56, 5’10" tall and 170 lbs and not much body fat. I strive to stay in good shape and I enjoy wearing nothing or practically nothing whenever and wherever I can. If a body is in reasonably good shape I enjoy looking, no matter what sex. I have found that most times somebody has said anything negative about my clothing or lack there of, it was either a very over weight person or a guy who caught his partner looking at me and got mad. If you are ashamed of your body then do something about it so you’re not, if you don’t want to see me in what I’m wearing or not wearing, don’t look. Americans in general are stupid when it comes to nudity and I would really like to see that change. That being said, I think parading naked men on the stage to sell handbags is stupid, but sexy sells they say so what do I know.
I applaud those naked guys on the runway…and forget the shopping bags! They should leave them out and just have the naked guys prancing around showing of their sex organs! America is too prude…and hypocritical toward male nudity and no better proof is there than at a rec center or other public pool where you can encounter women showing their bodies off in next to nothing bikinis and yet men are scorned or told to leave the pool area if they wear anything similar! I enjoy wearing tasteful, yet skimpy thongs and g-strings in swimming and for lounging and tanning! I even will occasionally go nude if the opportunity presents itself, but not if there’s some prude around to spoil my fun! Kudos to those naked runway guys…I wish I were one of them!
I don’t find the video offensive I think it’s very tasteful. I’ve been dressing in panties for year and I feel guys should be able to look sexy to without being judged. As I am straight and married and my wife enjoys buying me panties so I can wear them for her. I feel comfortable with it that’s all I wear all the time as my undies. Thanks
I have for years modeled nude for art and photography and in that environment male nudity is treated with respect and dignity…yes there can be a sensual component to it but usually not a sexual one, as that is what separates the artistic display of the human form from the pornographic element.
But, in mainstream American society, male nudity is treated taboo and distasteful, and men should cover up their bodies so as to not offend. A man who is bold enough to wear a skimpy swimsuit at the beach or pool is often ridiculed or shamed, or thought of as gay just because he chooses to display slightly more skin. In nude modeling however, having every inch of skin on display is a tribute to the beauty and Strength of the masculine form, and to some people the tasteful and artistic expression of the nude human form (both male and female) is arguably the most interesting and beautiful thing in the world. In that context, it’s no wonder that few noticed Loewe’s handbags!
Yes! This blog hits the nail right on the head! I’m glad it’s not just me that feels this way about prudish North American society. I roll my eyes when they censor the word shit or ass in a song but then show movies with people getting blown to bits or massacred in horror films.
Then you watch movie like American Pie and the girls are in sexy lace and satin bras and panties and the horny teenage boys are wearing floppy boxers that look like they were sewn together from old table clothes.
And then take a stroll to a beach and see all the guys in board shorts down to their knees and girls in skimpy bikinis! Why the massive imbalance?? Men are told that their bodies are utilitarian and not sexy. Eeew, put that away, no one wants to see that is a common response to male nudity.
I’m glad that short shorts and swim trunks are making a comeback (thank you Daniel Craig in James Bond). I for one, love my Body Aware collection of skimpy, satin, and lace fun. The only thing I don’t like is how it’s not more mainstream. I would love to see more men’s underwear stores like Victoria Secret in shopping malls. The only options we have is buying online. Maybe once America can get over it’s fear of nudity and censoring everything we can actually let loose and be comfortable.
As I said before, I’m a straight man, 100 %. However I didn’t notice the hand bags or anything else because I was transfixed on their perfect bodies! Unless there was a female on stage I wouldn’t have noticed anything else.
I didn’t find the video offensive but it was confusing if the ad was selling the bags they were carrying because I tried to see what each bag looked like. The gratuitous nudity seemed a bit unnecessary unless you’ve never seen flapping male junk.
I love it. I’ve been wearing short shorts n thank tops since I was 21. Wear running shorts as casual wear. I’m 54 now still jog n cycle in short shorts. I constantly get looks at the trail. So one day I decided to wear my speedo with no shirt to jog. You wouldn’t believe the looks and how people moved far away from me. I love showing skin. Let my manhood show anytime I can.
Nope, it doesn’t offend me at all.I don’t know why it should offend anyone. As a straight man I salute those guys for there confidence & ease that they are also showing on stage. It’s not just that they have perfect bodies and the balls & dicks to match!