I’ve always been about normalizing wearing thongs at the local beach, but it’s still kind of a solo effort where I am. I usually set myself up pretty far back on beach to stay in “stealth mode”, but this year I’ve been consciously choosing not to do this. For example, at Nahant I now set up near one of the lifeguard chairs (heh, which almost never actually has a lifeguard in it, but it is a more central location). Most of us are familiar with people doing the occasional double-take, but this year I’m barely getting them. When I go for a swim, people chat with me, just no big deal.
Today I was coming in from a SUP surf session and a pretty mom in her early 40s with two kids (maybe 6 and 9 years old) came up to me to ask me about the surfing, the gear, etc etc. While we were chatting, I smiled and said to the mom “no laughing!” and took off my shortie wetsuit, which left me in an M67 thong, which is what I wear under my wetsuits. She didn’t blink an eye, nor did her children. We all chatted for another 20 minutes about surfing, surfboards, paddles, the waves, the wind, surf lessons for the kids, the drive to Nahant, etc etc; then I helped her pack up her stuff and load up her kids.
I believe I pioneered thongs on MdR beach, south of Venice Beach back in 1999-2001 I consistently thong there two, three times a week from May thr Sep/Oct. It sorta become a spot. In 2008 I moved away and didn’t return for 10 years. I’ve been going on an off once or twice a month and I’ve seen some minor activity but not like in 2008. Someone needs to be there consistently. Not necessarily the same person but a rotating group so as to have one or two on the same beach several times per week. The thing is, who’s willing to commit? I know it can happen because it’s happened before. I’m older and busier but as long as one or two or three can strategically be across the beach on any given day, it will happen.
For example, on day one I saw a particular woman. I saw her again on another day, same stretch of beach. By day three she was wearing a thong. And just like her, dozens of others who on day one were wearing regular bottoms. Men too. On day one. No one else. Three or four weeks later, a few. By the end of the summer, perhaps 15 to 20 over a quarter of a mile stretch of beach. Not many but an improvement. Imagine if there had been a key person(s) summer after summer!
Anyway, keep up the good work; it won’t happen otherwise.
I would be that regular ambassador if I lived near a beach. Unfortunately, I live in a landlocked area in Pennsylvania near a couple state parks with water facilities. However, thongs are not permitted in PA State Parks.
I second this thought. I’ve been attempting to normalize men in thongs for a few years. The best way to do that is to be in an area where you can be seen. For the past few years I have been in the more trafficked area of my local beach. While I am most often the only man wearing something smaller than board shorts, I wear a thong with confidence and joy.
Today I met up with a friend (non thong wearer) and she brought a friend of hers that I never met. I was set up before they arrived. When I saw them pull up I slid a shirt, unbuttoned, over my shoulders and walked up to the car to meet them. I lead them to where I was set up knowing they had a view of my thong. My friend is familiar with my swimwear choice, so it’s no big deal with her. Once we were set up we enjoyed conversation and a couple jumps in the water. Not a word about my swimwear choice was made. No other person on the beach gave us a second look. We had a great day.
Normalize wearing a thong by being friendly, showing confidence and acting like any other beach goer out to enjoy the day.
My opinion is a bit different. Rather than consider it normal, I say “You do what makes you happy” If it’s legal, nobody is physically harmed, my life has far more priorities than be concerned about someone wearing a thong. It’s always good to read stories of positivity.
Agreed with both, do what makes you happy and it becomes normal. I wear briefs and thongs at the beach and pool and no one comments or gives me any looks.
I think this perception is partly shaped by how, beyond just behaving ourselves and fitting in, we actively seek out places where thong swimwear is widely accepted. It’s common enough that most people have formed an opinion. A few communities have enacted bans, and vocal critics still complain, but most people have moved past the initial shock and simply choose to coexist.
I think there’s wisdom in that. I have noticed that the younger generations are completely indifferent to thongs on men or women. As long as you’re not doing something lewd or stupid, there are zero issues. It’s just the body, and the no one cares.
I was at the beach today and had my towel near 3 ladies. I would estimate mid to late 20s.
The two petite ones had on cheeky bottoms. The taller, thicker one had on a high waisted thong bottom that showed it all. When she got up to take a swim, she didn’t hesitate at all and she proudly flaunted her powerful? bum all the way to the waters edge. When she got back to her friends, she didn’t plop down and hide…she stood there, toweled off, chatted and did her thing and whether intentional or not, showed off her a$$ets to everyone nearby.
It made me smile because her confidence instantly made her a 10. It also made me realize that while my body isn’t perfect, the confidence I show when wearing a thong hopefully has a similar effect on others.
You are correct. I’ve seen people watching people and 90+% don’t care after the initial look. For example, this one time, while taking a walk at a rate that I kept about 10 feet from a couple behind me I could easily hear their conversation (I was not wearing a thong). In a distance a man was walking towards us, in a speedo style suit. Maybe about 40ish years old. He walked passed me and then walked passed them. From the corner of my eye I noticed it was a conservative thong, speedo style. As he passed the couple behind me and a few seconds later so as not to be heard by the man wearing the thong I heard the woman said, “that man is totally rocking a thong!” To which the man calmly replied, “yeah, I’ve seen him before” before returning to their previous conversation.
In another overheard conversation, this time while in the water, two women, possibly in their mid 20s were talking as a man began to enter the water. One of them said, “oh, that’s him!” The second woman looked but did not say anything. After a dip he returned to the beach and one of the women said, “see, you should get one!”