[description: a man in a swim brief stands in front of an inflatable kayak at the lake]
Apologies if you were expecting something different. ;-p
Apologies if you were expecting something different. ;-p
Aside from pretending it's a bikini bottom in my back yard (and for that it works well, because it's skimpy like a bikini bottom, yet designed to keep my "equipment" contained), this was the first time I'd taken my new ultra low-rise swim brief for a spin out in public. I'll be honest, when I first stepped out of the car, I felt awfully exposed. [And this is an interesting situation, because in an environment where exposure is explicitly encouraged, I would feel perfectly comfortable. But, even being an exhibitionist, I am still affected by community standards. On my own, I'd feel great walking around naked. But the constant anxiety of worrying about the disapproval of others (and especially legal sanction) is a powerful demotivator. And I say that as someone who is not generally susceptible to peer pressure. (After all, look at me!)].
Nevertheless, all I ever have to do to calm myself is just look around at the things women are getting away with wearing (without anybody batting an eyelash). I do this not just because this is what I want to wear, but for the principle of equality of the sexes. Therefore, I feel justified, even if I'm pushing against other people's expectations of what's "normal" or "appropriate". If you think men in swim briefs is indecent, you're entitled to that opinion, but if you don't have as much of a problem with women wearing little triangles connected by strings, then you're a hypocrite, plain and simple. Regardless, they must either both be restricted, or both permitted. (You not liking it isn't justification for restricting the freedom of others to do it). And obviously, I lean toward the more liberated alternative. So until women's bikinis are banned (and Goddess forbid that should ever happen - I don't think I'd want to live in that world), I'm going to keep pushing for equality, whether you like it or not. So either arrest me or leave me alone.
Here's a great little anecdote on that subject: I was actually waved down by a park ranger at one point and grilled for not wearing my life jacket while I was out on my kayak. I was confused, and understandably perturbed by this uncomfortable encounter - as the ranger was being especially strict on me, while other boaters just behind him went about their business without life jackets. I found out later, as it turns out, that the park ranger actually thought I was a child under the age of thirteen (for whom the wearing of life jackets is mandatory), and wanted to "put the fear into me". Can you believe that? I guess it doesn't help that I'm so hairless, and was riding a kid-sized kayak at the time. But he never once asked me my age, or let up even when he got a real close look at me. I was actually more concerned that somebody would glance at me and think I was a topless woman (as I've had that happen before), but a kid?!
Here's the upshot, though: during this entire encounter, the park ranger never said a single thing about my swimsuit. Obviously, he had more important things on his mind (and rightly so - we shouldn't be policing people's wardrobes when there are things like mortal danger to deal with). But like the convention staffer who told me to stuff my Pikachu briefs (but tellingly did not ask me to change into something more covering), I'll take that as tacit approval of what I was wearing!
