Normalize male thongs

[dapotatoman23]

Care what others think and you will always be their prisoner.

This text is on my home page and it gives exactly where your problem is. Why do you care for the opinion of others? As long as it is legal, go for it. And don't watch reactions on the faces of the public. It makes you looking insecure and it radiates the idea that you are doing something pervertly.

Be proud and own the looks. That is the only way to normalize thongs.

I really like this take... the more we stop caring, the more it becomes normal. making a fuss over it just inherently implies that there is something 'remarkable' about it.

[kiyoothong]

This is my take. If women can wear thongs, so can guys. I am usually the only male thonger on the beach, but I still bite the bullet and wear a thong in public. If women can flaunt their ass in public, so can I. This thong wearing rule should be applied to both men and women. If women are allowed to wear thongs, so can guys.

[cs120]

I wear a thong when I go to the beach.  I do get the "looks", but they have to deal with it.  I am fine.  I am next to my wife in a thong.  Nothing wrong with it.  Also, when I go to the gym, I change and don't hide my thong.  Change like everyone else does.  Many have seen it and some ask questions on where to buy.

[zevi]

I would love to see mainstream underwear stores selling thongs. It would help normalize this form of underwear to the public eye.

[RCBlue]

If you have read my earlier post you can see I agree, a selection of tongs in you local brick and mortar stor would go a long way to normalizing thong wearing. Even finding a bikini cut is difficult these days.
It does help to wear a thong confidentially. This past year I was at my local beach at least twice a week I only wore a thong. I didn’t hide at the corners but was out with my friends having a good time and enjoying the day. I know this helped normalize thong wearing for men. They saw that I was just like any other beach goer, only wearing a thong. I had several people talk with me and make positive comment about my swimwear. I had a couple days where there was another man wearing a thong at the beach. One told me he found the courage and confidence to wear a thong after seeing me. I had women with children set up near me and engage in friendly conversation.
In all, the more we act like we belong, snails and be open friendly and approachable, the more we promote the normalization of men wearing thongs.

[cs120]

Kmart used to sell men's thongs.  But kmart is no more.

[dapotatoman23]

The Japanese major lingerie manufacturer, Wacoal, recently introduced a men's line and also included a men's thong. They initially had four colours but it looks like two have sold out, which gives me hope that thongs may be getting more popular, albeit in a more subtle kind of way.

[kiyoothong]

I don't think men's thongs are frowned upon in Japan because Japanese people are used to seeing Fundoshi on guys. That doesn't mean that men's thongs are mainstream in Japan. Hopefully, men's thongs will gain popularity in Japan.

[dapotatoman23]

The shock factor of looking at a man in a thong in Japan is definitely a bit more restraint compared to people in America or other places. As you correctly pointed out, fundoshi is the traditional undergarment for men. Nobody really wears it anymore, but people are still used to seeing it during certain festivals.

[td]

Jockey and Hanes used to sell men's thongs (mostly at K-Mart).  You could also buy them at Target for some time, although, I can't remember the brand.  For some reason, that is no longer a thing.  K-Mart obviously went belly-up and Target no longer offers them.  I think most men don't even know it's an option.  Mainstream media still advertises boxers as the underwear worn by most men and occasionally you'll see a cameo for briefs.  It's sad, but it is what it is I suppose.

I've gotten far less concerned about wearing thongs as I have gotten older.  I still wear thongs or g-strings 99% of the time and if someone notices today, then I'll shrug and brush it off.  A decade ago that was not the case.  I started MTF almost a decade ago because I felt alone.  I was worried I was going to get beat up and shamed in public if it was discovered that I was wearing a thong or g-string.  To-date, I've never had an issue.  I learned from my friends here that it doesn't matter.  I regret having to had to shut down the site 7 years ago, but I am so glad someone brought it back!

I digressed a bit there...  To bring it home, I think that to normalize men's thongs, they need to be made available in brick and mortar shops that aren't just specialty shops (like the only place I can buy thongs in-person in Dallas).  I think mainstream media and TV-shows, movies, etc. need to stop operating under the assumption that all adult men wear boxers...  Boxers suck.  I also think that it's important to showcase that more than just gay men wear "alternative" men's underwear.

Honestly, until those things change or we get really lucky on a random fashion week, we're going to remain the minority.  Thongs were invented by men for men, but that fact seems to have been lost in history...

[irthonger]

Which actions do you think underwear brands should do to normalize male thongs? (with this I don't mean thongs would become in the most worn underwear by men, just not to be considered as a freak if you wear it).
I think they should sell their thongs in physical shops, specially in those shops where youngest potentially wearers buy their clothes and underwear because if they see thongs next to boxer briefs, they would consider thongs as an option more. I think this is important because most of underwear brands offer thongs in their catalogue, but they're only available on the internet and if underwear is usually bought in phisycal shops, only people with special interest is going to buy thongs. Even more, I think the probability to take atention to thongs in a physical shop is higger than in an online shop, specially if thongs are in a different section of the target of buyer.

In my opinion, youngest wearer should have priority for brands because they probably haven't got the same prejudices that people in their 30's or 40's, encore when you're young you do what the group do at that age (the group probably wouldn't have prejudices if they see thongs in shop next to typical male underwear) and thus that market action would be more rentable, which is probaly another reason why it's very difficult to find thongs in a physical shop.

I agree having a physical store would be amazing. But I would say that it would have to be something like a male version of victorias secret. The reason why normal stores rarely stock thongs is because they get stolen very often. I know even I stole them when I was a kid because I was too embarrassed to buy them out right. Although they do have self check out now so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I always think of everything at a walmart level. They would get stolen.

[dapotatoman23]

I agree having a physical store would be amazing. But I would say that it would have to be something like a male version of victorias secret. The reason why normal stores rarely stock thongs is because they get stolen very often. I know even I stole them when I was a kid because I was too embarrassed to buy them out right. Although they do have self check out now so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I always think of everything at a walmart level. They would get stolen.

I agree that a brick-and-mortar store specialising in mens underwear would be amazing. Sadly, most physical stores (outside department stores) selling thongs tend to double as seedy-looking sex shops in run-down buildings and such; frankly such stores would be rather off-putting to me. To be able to purchase them in a nice-looking, upscale shop would be great.

However, I do know for a fact that the Japanese brand TOOT has a physical store in Tokyo.