Why don Aussie guys shy away from wearing speedos?
The speedo style swimwear (brief-style racing trunks) originated in Australia and, as Australia has a very strong beach- and water-based culture, many Aussie blokes would’ve grown up wearing them, and had their dads and grandads wear them. Until the last few years, few Aussie blokes would’ve thought twice about pulling on a pair of speedos and going out in them to the beach, river, lake or swimming pool. No one gave a stuff about how a bloke would look in a pair and, in fact, speedos were often associated with notions of health, fitness and manliness. However, a growing awareness of gender, sexuality, body image and fashion have led to blokes (often at the insistence of their girlfriends, partners or wives) switching to board shorts or swim shorts because speedos are perceived to be either too revealing (and hence inappropriate) or because they have become visibly associated with gay culture (through various Mardi Gras and gay events in Oz). And while Oz is a warm and friendly place, i
