I'm one who writes to newspapers, TV stations and websites on a variety of issues. The last time I wrote to a major website which represents a long-running TV exercise program I was banned. Unfortunately we're living in an age (here in the U.S.) where people make up their minds before they look at all the information. Damn the facts, personal prejudice fits easier. Facts only get in the way of what we believe it true anyway.

 It's something I've noticed over the last couple years: when I go alone someone is a lot more likely to come and ask me to move or cover up. When I go with a female this has never happened. A few days ago was a perfect example, A lady came up and asked me to please put on something else. I politely said that I'm covered everywhere (wearing a 3/4 back and full front) and I'm at the back of the beach so I think I'm OK. I'm thinking to myself (no need to embarrass the lady because she was super polite about it) "I bet she's not going to talk to the gal 6 feet from us that is wearing a 1/2 to 1/4 back." She didn't. The girl in the smaller bikini doesn't upset the children at the beach in the same way as the guy I suppose. 

I'd like to see an upset child come over and say to us that we're warping their delicate little minds.  It seems to be only the parents that feel that way in reality.  Maybe they should ask their children for their opinion before formulating an opinion for them...

I've found it is usually not even the parents. More likely to be some guy there on his own who won't admit his own intolerance so claims to be protecting the children.

There's always been double standards, probably more often against women. We're in a society where the influencial media loves to criticise, so it isn't going to change anytime soon.

I have been wearing thongs or gstrings for over 30 years. Never have I had a child get upset with what I was wearing. A couple of years back a teenage boy was with his mother and siblings.  They set up almost on top of me at the lake. I was buns up when they did so - so they were very aware I was wearing a thong. The teenage guy kept staring at me. I mean for almost 45 minutes. During this time I turned over on float. As I was leaving he shouted out I should put something on. He was with others who arrived to join them. He was fine when he knew he did not have to worry about him looking at me, but when the others arrived he felt he had to show the others he thought like them.
When I go to the lake or beach, I try to get there early and set up not in a crowded area but I never try to hide either. Almost every time a mother with her small kids set up within 10 feet of me. I can only assume- they think I am gay and they are safe around me and / or they can relax about stripping down to a small bikini or thong, which many do.

I just don't get it!  I see post after post where someone states  that "they assume I must be gay", because I'm wearing a thong.   I don't equate being gay with thongs.   Nor, do I equate board shorts with being straight.  If I went to a gay beach would all guys being wearing thongs?   If I went to a family beach would all men be wearing  board shorts?   I think not.  I would expect to see a mixture of all types of swimwear being worn by both gay and straight guys.  I know straight guys who wear thongs, just as I know gay guys who wear board shorts.   I guess I simply don't understand the thinking of others and how gay = thongs ever got started in the first place.   Maybe someone smarter than myself can shed some light on this? 

 It's simple why some people think a guy wearing a thong is gay. Stupid logic is a whole science as well as an art!  Hey it's very useful to the business world to harness the power of stupidity.  It's imperative in the political world- oh all the work to be done for all those Republican Presidental Candidates!!1. Anything different from the herd must be sign of being gay 2. These people haven't probably known or worked with anyone gay of either sex- or haven't noticed it3. Because the vast majority of thong wearing- on the beach and as underwear is by females instantly some people think they are feminine. (even though we know the front of the suit is more masculine than the board shorts), so anything feminine must mean the guy is gay.4. If a guy happens to be well groomed and takes care of himself, with a well toned body  he must be gay because he'd do that to attract other guys, because we hetero girls don't care ( or let on we care) pass that three pound bag of chips down here before you eat them all honey.5. The whole "gay" or "not gay" thing overlaps with some other people's biases about other groups of people who might not be readily distinguishable ( not talking race- is he black or white?) but is that guy with the nice suit Jewish, is that lady with the long dress a Muslim??

My experience is that it is never the children that notice.  I fully believe they are just playing and focused on what they are doing.  Most kids don't look beyond what is going on right in front of them.  I have not ever had someone come up to me and say cover up or confront me in a negative way about my thong wearing.  I have had a few people shout from their cars as they drive by to cover up but that is just cowardly.  I have no respect for people that comment in that way.  The double standard does unfortunately exist and it is best to accept it.  Just know that as a male thong wearer people are going to judge you more harshly than if you are a female.  With that knowledge be bold and don't be so surprised by rude comments.  I have gotten far more positive comments than rude comments about my thong wearing.  I have even had perfectly normal conversations with people where my swimwear was not even brought up.  

 I think we all just need to get over being concerned about what other people think.  Who really cares if there is a double standard?  It only matters if you are concerned about what other people think of you.  If people think you are gay because you are wearing a thong, so be it.  If you are gay, great, if not, it isn't going to make you gay.  As long as you are behaving in a non-threatening manner and just enjoying he beach, relax and enjoy the experience.

lovemythong:
I just don't get it!  I see post after post where someone states  that "they assume I must be gay", because I'm wearing a thong.   I don't equate being gay with thongs.   Nor, do I equate board shorts with being straight.  If I went to a gay beach would all guys being wearing thongs?   If I went to a family beach would all men be wearing  board shorts?   I think not.  I would expect to see a mixture of all types of swimwear being worn by both gay and straight guys.  I know straight guys who wear thongs, just as I know gay guys who wear board shorts.   I guess I simply don't understand the thinking of others and how gay = thongs ever got started in the first place.   Maybe someone smarter than myself can shed some light on this?

Let me try to give you answer to the question why people paint a wide brush amongst thongers as gay.
For one ever hear the old saying, cover your ass, at work or when troubles may arise? Two things people expect is for a male to cover his package and his butt. Otherwise wear what you want nobody will bother you or expect anything less.

Once the bare buns are uncovered in public you better have a good reason, regardless society can't understand it, asking why? Mainstream public assume only one possibility for someone to show their behind, it is  sexual attraction for another human being. We all know woman flaunt their body to attract a mate wearing tight fitted clothes showing their shape, hips, thighs, breasts etc., regardless of how big or skinny she may look. It is considered normal code of dress for a woman to follow, fitted  skirts, pantyhose, lingerie, string bikini's.. 
Saying all that what does it got to do with guys being called gay wearing a thong. First off people don't expect a male to show off his butt so boldly, so shocking and puzzling trying to figure reasoning why. I can give excuses for why, but none will believe it, bodybuilding needing a overall tan without going nude, working as a stripper to get that nice tan woman see him in a thong at work etc..... We all can recognize that most thongers don't fit in those categories so people assume your trying to attract woman. Usually it's females commentary and voices are heard saying, yuk, disgusting, giggling with laughter.. Are you serious i would never date a man wearing a thong in public..   After this initial shaming goes on by females announcing their disgust others shear it to their brain... NO WOMAN FINDS A MALE IN A THONG PUBLICLY ATTRACTIVE! So it leaves only one other genders opinion and that is guys. While many straight guys offer little support for another males body or compliments him at all. While the small minority of 20% gay population of entire  male gender  that might consider a thonger mildly attractive, supports his right to thong. While it is misunderstood that they prefer a male thonger to more masculine man it gets labeled as gay.It's sort of the dumb and dumber analogy of school boys of we can't understand your choice of swimwear so give you the negative homophobic label of gay. Woman love hearing that because it stops straight guys wearing thongs out of fear being labeled gay.

Often you hear guys making it as a joke on many topics such as: See what Bob did to his car yah the rims look so gay.. So whenever a male attracts attention to himself be it the color of his car, his shirt, how tight fitted he wears it, people automatically attack him as looking Gay! In order for him to stop doing what he is doing.  So that they can't be observing something that they don't want to look upon but have trouble ignoring... Otherwise if a male ignores the Gay! label then it sticks, making him sort of an outsider none wants him around (homophobes). Also straight males don't want to look upon another males bare butt no matter how good it may look. This invites a straight male believing thoughts of questioning his sexuality which no hetro-male wants to do. So best to cover-up or accept the consequences. While a female wears a thong men applaud her and feel it is sign she is slutty and maybe ready to party. If a female finds a male cute in a thong then she is belittled or convinced the male is gay and has no interest in her..
So that's the best i can explain the point you so readily wanted answer to. 
 

M sorry but if I'm at the beach and someone asked.me to change or cover up I would tell them they can move if they don't like what I'm wearing. It's a BEACH, dammit and a thong on a male or female is perfectly acceptable. A pool is another matter but if no thongs apply to just men I would take it to the Supreme court! I also think that women should have the right to go topless wherever they like. Time for equality and the eradication of Victorian prudishness! 

 TJ -- right on. As one who wears a G-string or less, I am visible to folks. I love that the tolerant folks (with kids) will camp out by me. If I get flack, I go with TJ's thoughts -- go somewhere else. I am not giving up my few square feet of sand because a late comer wants my real estate. Hang tough.
/f

Damn right thong_jockand miamifred50! I think we all need to relax and not care about dumb labels small minded people want to give us. The gay label I find particularly stupid as I have some gay mates and they are AWESOME people. I think the world is shifting to a more tolerant, label free state of mind so lets all just keep doing what we do and be a force of positive, open mindedness in the world. I like to sun my bunz. I have had 98% positive feedback every time I have v's the 2% negative feedback which has always been from young guys who are self conscious, uncertain of themselves and still trying to work out who they are in the world. They don't know how to react to something that they see as being outside the norm. The other 98% who are positive includes other guys, girls, families with kids - ie EVERYONE else. Thong on!

Happy_Thonger,

Just to clarify, are 98% of people around where you thong positive (how do you tell?) or are 98% of those who actually give you feedback positive? Or do you consider those who treat you like any other traditionally clothed beach goer, be it just having a chat or simply ignoring you, to be giving positve feedback?

Why I ask is that I find the vast majority treat me exactly as they would if I was wearing board shorts. For instance, last Wednesday when wearing a g-string, I recently had a lovely conversation with a fully clothed lady at an ocean rock pool. What I was wearing didn't come into it as far as I could tell. This was definitely a positive experience, but I'm not sure I would classify it as feedback.

Of the very few people who actually bother to comment,  I'd expect, and have found, the positive responses to be a lot lower than 98%.

Hi Grabeach - Both :) Let me explain... 98% of people treat me no different to any other beach goer. Of those that comment, 98% are in a positive, supportive way. E.g "Hey man, cool thong!" or "Nice thong" or "Nice bunz!" or "Good on you - were did you get that? where do you buy thong swimwear?", or just smiles and the law of attraction being played out. Ie girls in thongs and skimpy cheeky bathers seeing me bunz up and choosing to set up next to me rather than spread out or go far away. That and the girls around me tending to then take off their tops. I think a show of confidence and skin tends to encourage other like minded people who want to do the same get over that little hesitation and do so also. 
The 2% accounts for the very few snickers from young pre-pubescent boys who dont know how to handle it. I've actually never had anyone tell me to cover up, or put something on, or anything really. Sometime my thonging attracts more attention because people notice. But they also notice a hot girl in a thong and would rubber neck probably even more.
Thats been my experience anyway here in Perth, in Noosa on the gold coast (East coast of Australia for those in other countries) in Thailand and in Bali. Both in pools (at my apartment building as well as at resorts) and at beaches.
I try and stay in shape and in summer keep the body hair groomed so that I look reasonably good. I think all that helps. I apply the same logic as if I were a girl :) No woman would go to the beach in a skimpy suit ungroomed and/or grossly out of shape. If she did people would be disgusted and likely react negatively. The same rules apply to us guys. 
Thats been my experience.

When I go to a nude park/beach, I'm in the majority being nude and it's so easy to talk to anyone. At my local lake, I have been the minority of one, as being the guy who did not cover their knees practically. It's very uncomfortable to be in the extreme minority, so currently I don't even stay on the not so great beach, but instead I lay out on a small wood platform, probably put there for fishing, as there are a handful. Both male and female runners/walkers pass by, but it's still about 10 meters to me at the closest point. I only notice guys do not look, women at some point usually will smile. Should I wave to the better looking women?(Due to peepers or sunglasses, no one can be sure I see them). As there's no kids circling the lake at the hours I tan, the women would never have any reason to complain. The guys are alone, so they don't have the group to get the approval of, so it's much more of a pleasant experience. Plus no smokers, and no sun tents to worry about blowing away and impaling me due to the high winds at times. So I feel at peace in any thong and the park crew is very courteous to me as well.

Staying in my home area and riding north cycling, I get the questionable shouts and honks for cycling in really short shorts. On a hot sunny day a female shouted, "Put on some pants!". So are people in general now confusing anything shorter than board shorts as underwear? Is that why this double standard exists? Any length of tight padded bike shorts(short!) get a free pass, short jean shorts and other short shorts do not. Also on the beach when I tucked my small bikini between my cheeks, I'd hear stories of kids always wanting to be nude, or even trying to take off their swimsuit in the lake. I hope no one is considering thongs as a childish thing for guys to do.

Men swimming, I thought, was mainly nude before the Victorian era, we need to get back to that. No need for clothing on a beach or swimming. When I don't exclude myself from the main area somewhere, I will get questioned by gays/bi guys at least five times for one girl/friend of a girl, so I don't think anyone finds my body unpleasant.

Solorone:
Nice to hear your story and don't give it an extra thought riding in short shorts. When temperatures get hotter i'm no stranger wearing short shorts biking to the nude beach. Expression from woman they smile maybe find it impressive looking at my smooth tan legs. At the end of the day who really knows but i enjoy regardless what they say or giggle about.
As for visiting a nude beach i can say it is a lot different atmosphere or vibe than a family textile beach. While i try to always appear the minority i sometimes strive for that position be it at the nude beach or wherever. 

This July 4th weekend observed a lot of people at the nude beach and found many woman afraid not having the courage  to wear thongs or being nude. While many clothed woman didn't have a problem settling camp nearby seeing me in a thong or nude all afternoon. When i left prematurely many got upset but when i stayed laying on my towel overheard many enjoyed belittling me, for looking different. 
Yet only seen four woman in thongs or g-strings all weekend at the beach while in comparison seeing five guys in thongs not including myself.
 For whatever reason once i put my thong on late afternoon after being nude most of the day at the beach. Woman became more bold or upset for various reasons. Some were not sure about me once i put on the thong they presumed voicing i'm probably "some sort of gay" their words not mine. One female thonger got the courage hiding alone with her girlfriend away in the dunes. While i was easily noticed the shy thonger walked towards the water right pass me while i wasn't aware of her detour targeting me. Although i noticed she was little nervous wearing her g-string bikini top accompanied with a full bikini wearing girlfriend. Later as i left the  beach i was completely nude changing at the entrance of the beach near the dunes of the previous thonging woman hiding beyond. She directly watched me standing ten feet away putting on my clothes. Meanwhile i was about to tell her, she was beautiful in her g-string and didn't need to hide from the rest of the crowd at the beach. Yet she noticed my stare and quickly hid beyond the dunes like a wild animal.
 During the afternoon i showered at the beach entrance in my muscleskins poser 1/8 inch side thong outside the nude area. The reactions from some woman were amusing, even some guys gave me same shocked blank stunned observations. Had a conversation with a guy wanting some tips of his exercise regime complimenting me to no end before and during when i showered. As i showered i noticed everyone standing around watching me their expressions were to funny for me comprehend. 
My thoughts of everyones observations of me from the July 4th weekend. Think some groups of females felt jealous seeing a guy like myself look confident and surprising good in a thong. All afternoon laying on my towel woman presumed i was shy afraid to walk in the water. Had a cute thonger female camped on top of me with her friends topless. Only her friends watched with glee joining me in the water observing my every move. While the thonging female got upset once i attired my thong standing over their group late in the afternoon. Believe my exhibitionist tendency of  getting a lot of attention from anyone watching upset the cute thonger envied my confidence and spotlight she might want yet laid alone never getting up with her friends.


Just this past Friday i was in the gym parking lot putting my exercise bag into the trunk ready to leave. Noticed before i got closer to my car seen a Pilates instructor chatting with a woman in a car. She got out making her way towards my direction where her car was parked ahead of mine. While i was wearing some short faded cutoff female rag & bone denim shorts, thought i look terrific seeing woman noticing me. So this Pilates instructor seen me lot of times before but never talks or ever says hello, suppose she ain't a fan of my crop leggings. So after i shut the trunk i seen the blonde female instructor walking my way. So i backtracked opening my trunk seeing if i forgot something. In truth, i wanted to be noticed by the Pilates instructor seeing my coconut oiled tan smooth waxed legs. After bending over deep into my trunk i thought the instructor had to see me for sure. As i approached my drivers door i seen her stand next to her car door pausing looking upon me smiling with big grin. Get this never heard her say hello but she acknowledged me seemingly enjoying what her eyes just noticed.  So she smiled with widest expression i ever seen from her saying, Hello! Couldn't believe it she isn't a woman to give compliments or care what someone wears or looks like. Apparently something gotten to her whatever it was it was positive experience wearing daisy duke shorts....

http://shoptula.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/r/a/rag_and_bone-_the_boyfriend_short_1_of_1_.jpg
http://www.denimblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Doutzen-Kroes-Rag-Bone-Mila-Shorts-Moss-1.jpg

 I posted something last a little while ago about someone at my lap pool upset about my Joe Snyder Kinny.   Only a couple days before I was out there there was a woman in a thong doing laps.  And there are plenty of scrunchie butt bikinis around the pool.

 A few years ago, I was waiting at the beach for another thonger I knew.  Being a little shy at the time (and not wanting to get hit on) I had kept my jean-shorts on, so nobody knew I was in a thong.  A family came down to use a picnic table near me.  A little later my friend came down.  He was being a bit bold -- wearing his thong from the car, across the grass, and to the beach.  This whole time, his front was to the beach, and his buns were pointing at the parking lot.  As he passed the shelter building, he did a 180 and stopped for a minute or two to talk to someone he knew who was eating there.  This friend knew my friend and his family didn't seem to mind his thong at all.  From the beach, we could all see his thong as he chatted, and that is when the conspiracy started.

The father in the group eating near me first went to another family group further from me.  I didn't hear what was said but from the pointing and gestures, I assume they were talking about my friend in a thong.  He then returned and "explained" to his daughter -- about 8 maybe -- that the man wearing the women's swimsuit bottom should make her feel uncomfortable and if anyone ask she should tell them that she didn't like seeing the man's "bottom" and she wanted him to go away.

When my frined came down to the beach, the man who had been coaxing his daughter came over and started to criticize my friend's exposed buns.  He said "If we were all adults, I guess it would be okay, but you have to think of the children."  He ask Mark to leave (which he did not do) and then he tried to get the man down the beach to come over and complain too -- but that man did not seem upset and did nothing. 

The man then came back -- dragging his daughter with him, and ask her how she felt about his swimsuit.  She said she didn't like it, and wanted the man wearing it (Mark) to leave.  The man then ask her why she didn't like it and she obviously was stumped for a moment, but then blurted out "because I don't like the color?" more as a question to her dad than a reason not to like the thong. 
The dad then corrected her "no, it's because you don't want to see his 'bottom' --  remember?"   "Oh that's right," she said, "I don't like the color and I don't want to see his bottom sticking out." 

The man then sent his daughter back to the family and Mark said that he was legal and got out a cell phone and offered to call the Ranger and let the man talk to him, but the man didn't want to talk to the Ranger.  In about 5 minutes the man had his family packed up and they were heading back to their car. 

We thought the whole thing was funny -- the man trying to get his daughter to put down Mark, and then complaining about the color of his swimsuit by mistake -- but with a few more rehearsals, the girl may get her lines right and then watch out.  This kid will learn that lying can give her power that she does not have when telling the truth.  She is the type who will wind up crying "wolf" anytime something upsets her.  If her parents continue to support this behavior, she will be faking injuries to get sick leave, complaining about employees short changing her, or worse, crying "rape" when nothing happened.

I have laid out with Mark on and off for a couple of years.  Usually he gets there first and I am always surprised that it is the young moms who set up practically on top of him and sneak glances at his bare buns.  They don't mind, I don't think the kids really mind, but more often than not, it is the man (or father) who minds.

 Thanks Mary, that was well told. - "because I don't like the color?"  - Classic !!

 Randy, my husband and I have thong for many years.  I have written many posts about him and his thongs, but this was one of the most unusual experiences we have had to one of his swimsuits.  We were once at a beach were a little girl got upset when Randy shed his shorts to get some sun and water in his thong.  I think it was red.  Anyway, the situation was completely different than Mary's post.  

The parents apologized for her behavior and tried to find out what was bothering her.  They said they never had her act like this before.  Randy, who at the time was teaching swimming and diving at the "Y" ask if he could talk to her, and the father said "sure".  Randy had (and still has) a way with kids, and can talk with them and get them to say things they wouldn't even tell their own mom or dad.  Pretty soon the little girl admitted that his thong bothered her because it looked a lot like the swimsuit a man who drowned wore the week before.  We later found out that the man had on a red Speedo/athletic type swimsuit.  I guess they dragged his body up on the sand less than 50 feet from the girl and her family and tried to revive him -- then put his body in a body bag and put it on a stretcher and took his body away in the ambulance.  Randy had on a Speedo thong or something quite similar, and from the front there was a lot of similarities.  

He ask the girl if he changed into a swimsuit that was a different color if the girl would feel better.  She said she would,   He explained that it was similar to the suit he had on and he would be showing off his behind, but she said that didn't bother her -- "Everyone has a behind" she said.  Since he always had a few extra thongs in the car, it was no big deal to him.  he got one and changed.  When he got back, he ask the girl if this suit was better and she said it was.  We spent the rest of the day next to this family, and nobody had realized how traumatic the drowning had been for the girl until the swimsuit color incident.  We (meaning Randy mostly) played with the girl and her mom and dad in the sand and later in the water.  This is the only time I know of that a child had a real problem with Randy's swimsuit -- and it wasn't because it was a thong style.  It was because of the color.

From what Mary said, I think maybe children notice swimsuit color before they notice details -- like is it a Speedo or thong.
Traci

Great post traci - just shows that acting normal and having appropriate interaction with others is the way to have a good day.   So good that Randy was able to help this little girl and her family.

 Mary's story is totally crazy, but it doesn't surprise me in the least.  Several years ago I was at Caesar's Creek (OH), and in the process of leaving when a ranger drove up and specifically approached me.  He was quite unfriendly and belligerent, and said that a woman had called and said there was a naked man walking around, and had given him a description which pretty much matched me.  He did acknowledge that because the woman had already left there was nothing he could do, but implied he would have done something had she still been there.  The next day I did file a complaint with Columbus, but never got any response....So the bottom line is that if you don't have a kid around you can brainwash, like the man in Mary's story, you just start making up stuff to see if you can get the thonger in trouble.  Obviously the charges would never have stuck in court, but that's not the point; the point is that the Ranger had no business taking her word over mine, which he implied he would have done.

More than once over the years, I have had people (who obviously were not pleased by my swimwear) make issues.  Often, they attempt to correct the problem by calling the ranger or someone on their cell phone.  I have overheard their side of several of these phone conversations.  They often go something like this "There is something wrong here at the beach, there is a naked man laying out in the sun."  There is a pause, and then they respond something like "Well, I guess he does have on some type of clothing, but his buns are exposed."  another pause and then "So there is nothing you can do about it?  I can't use the beach if he is here." there is another pause, they hang up their phones and then drive away.

Again and again, I hear people use the term "naked" even when a person is wearing an obvious thong.  I am not talking about a swimmer who is wearing a tiny, practically unnoticeable flesh covered thong, but a swimmer in a bright contrasting color thong with prominent sides and back is called "naked", and unless challenged, the term sticks.  I have also had people -- both men and women -- some apparently interested in thonging, calling it a nude beach as in "I didn't know this was a nude beach" or "do you come here and lay out in the nude a lot?"

In many movies and TV shows, a father figure will complain when his daughter heads out for a date dressed slutty/provocatively.  Often the father character will say "you can't go out naked like that" or something along these lines.  I have even been at someone's house when they used this line on their own daughter, who was wearing a sports bra with an open-side t-shirt and short short (almost too short) cutoffs.  

In your case, Davy, I wonder if the person calling in just called and said "there is a naked man on the beach," then hung up before clarifications were made, or if whoever answered the phones didn't ask the questions.  Unfortunately, they can't ignore this call -- unless they establish that it is bogus first.  What would happen to the rangers if someone called to complain about nudity and they did nothing, and then it turned out to be true and there was a scandal about it.  I believe that Caesar's Creek participates with the regional 911 answer center, and they may have simply logged the complaint and notified the ranger without interrogation or any type of follow up.

The ranger is also a human being and while he or she is not supposed to react this way, he might if this was the 10th call about a nude man he had to answer that day.  At the same time, I have seen rangers simply ask nude beach goers to cover up.  I think this happens if they stumble across the nude person themselves and are willing to give that person a second chance.  They may also just as soon not have to to fill out paper work, have to go to court, etc., while other rangers may enjoy showing off in a court room.

CC seams to have an unusually high number of rangers with chips on their shoulders regarding men in thongs or women who go topfree, especially since they are known nationally as a thong friendly beach.  I sometimes wonder if this is dictated from Columbus in an effort to limit thong users.  Vermont youth a few years ago wandered the streets of a small town naked without getting arrested (since it was not against the law at the time) and the national publicity tempted many more from out-of-state to show up later in this same town naked.  Does Ohio not want this type of tourism?

Under Ohio State Park Rules, the rangers are rotated periodically from one park to another.  Like a Catholic Priest, they have little or no say in where they go.  Often the parks are as different as night and day -- one mostly lake activities, the next trees and wild plants, but not even a stream of water.  This changing of jobs is supposed to round out their training and make them better rangers, but a ranger who does not want to work at a beach park and gets stuck there might not be as fair or understanding as one who likes the beach, water, boats, sun, etc.

OhioThonger:  
. . . 
Well, obvously I don't know how the conversation between the woman and whomever she spoke to went.  All I know is that the ranger said she had complained that there was a naked guy walking on the beach.  Obviously if anyone attempted to ask her any clarifying questions, it was not theranger that confronted me, but some third party, like a call center as you suggest, because the ranger didn't use any clarifying language when talking to me.  So maybe she hung up before anyone could ask her any clarifying questions, but I think its way more likely that whomever answered the phone simply took what she said at face value, and never attempted to clarify anything.  And that is what really annoys me, and what I made a big deal about in my complaint to Columbus.  Namely that everyone was 100% willing to take what she said at face value, as the absolute truth, without questioning her or attempting to clarify the situation in any manner.  Of course, I don't know for a fact this is how it happened, but I strongly suspect it was.
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Had she hung up right away (clearly a possibility as you suggest), then what the ranger should have said to me was that they had gotten a complaint about a naked man, etc. etc., but the complainant had hung up before they could get any details or further clarification.  Had he approached it like that, and not been belligerent, I surely never would have complained to Columbus, or even bothered to post anything regarding it on this board.
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Of course if they had attempted to question her further and she had refused to talk to them and hung up right away, then it would not be at all unreasonable for them to have ignored the complaint entirely.

 OK here we go again- Justin Bieber instagraming  himself naked outdoors headed out skinny dipping in a lake ( well without showing his schlong)...maybe his generation will get into outdoor/beach nudity more than generations before!!  note to Justin- next time show off your lineless tan!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3514682/Bette-Midler-pokes-fun-Justin-Bieber-s-naked-photo-feuding-Kim-Kardashian-nude-selfie.html

No double standard here. Bette likes to have a go at both sexes.

 Yeah, I don't see that she made a deragatory comment about his nudity, just a funny comment.  She's only called out his dad in previous tweets.

 Last season I got an inflatable kayak and the launch point I use is in a county park. It is near a popular nude venue, "Hippie Hollow" on Lake Travis, TX. But this park is _not_ nude.So a thong was in order, and probably the best choice anyhow. I was busy inflating the boat with a foot-pump when the Ranger, who is a LEO, stopped by. I expected some stern warning or threat of citation. I was sweating heavily and the fabric had gone a bit see-through and was as very revealing. Nope - he wanted to know what I thought of the boat. There had been numerous folks using the inflatables and he was interested in my opinion. Whew!We wound up having an extended conversation about kayaking and the "smaller" watercraft in general. He bid me a safe day and then departed. So it appears that the thong is accepted by that agency.

 I've been harassed in Santa Cruz by the cops for wearing a thong on beach by the boardwalk when 20 feet away there is a woman wearing the same thing.  No ticket but "please cover up".   While they completely ignore the women.  

Same goes for the gym.  Young swim instructor wears the little scrunchie suit with 3/4 of her buns showing but the old instructor gets on my case for wearing a Joe Snyder kini suit.

 Be great if people would just get over it.   For God's sake who hasn't seen the human body?

I think we could get more people on our side if we make the issue more about gender stereotypes in general. And how we should eradicate those gender stereotypes. People can get behind something like that: the idea that people should be free to present themselves as they choose, without harassment, without having to adhere to rigid gender stereotypes.

 I just don't understand why we can't wear the same styles without having to worry about being criticized or being at the mercy of the law. There's no real equality there is it?

Strangely enough, I had a reverse experience on a cruise ship.  Despite being 63 and 300+ lbs, I was wearing a string bikini at the pool bar.  There was a scavenger hunt going on at the pool, so naturally, when the object to be hunted was "a man wearing a Speedo", I got dragged in front of the crowd.  On returning to the bar, several of the ladies commented on my suit, and I replied that it was much larger than my usual.  They then insisted that I return to my cabin and put on the G-string.  I did so, and went back to the pool bar.  Everyone loved it (or at least the ladies did), and there were no complaints from any parents or crew.  Almost universally, the ladies comments were that they wished to see more men dressing that way.

As a matter of fact, I have never had a negative comment from a female, period.  At beaches, no one ever says anything about it to me, and in other public venues, it is strictly the men who complain.  The younger ones usually just giggle and point.  It is mostly middle aged guys who are really nasty about it.  Can't help but wonder if it is some expression of homophobia.

Interesting how in this news release the side view of the man's butt gets pixelated but not the side view of the woman's butt & breast. Double standard anyone?

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pa-haunted-house-drops-nude-option-article-1.1470536

I thought maybe they blurred the photo because the guy was hung like an elephant. However the unblurred version http://www.cultofweird.com/blog/naked-scared-haunted-house/  shows this not to be the case. Classic example of a double standard. Ridiculous!

 i hear you about this double standard thing, i think that if a chubby girls can wear a bikini and nothing is said them men wearing a bikini brief, rio or thong should be allowed. i go to erieau all the time in minimal swimwear and never had any negative remarks or been told to change. maybe its where your from or the attitudes of people today. ill keep on wearing my minimal swimwear because its comfortable and makes me feel good about how my body.

Some cartoons on the subject of double standards https://www.demilked.com/double-standards-illustrations/

Ran across this article recently when I searched for "male thong". Certainly does paint a picture (in my mind anyway) of macho guys who have to continually assert their masculinity, maybe out of insecurity. http://bacheloruncut.com/why-men-shouldnt-wear-thongs/

So stupid. Shaving your body and self-tanning is masculine but a thong isn't? "Thong is just wrong," "they're for girls, they just are"... no critical thinking or perhaps any thinking going on there.

What double standard? When I am out there, I have the confidence. So, I am the standard.

My recent paddle-boarding partner was talking about the double standard. She was quite annoyed. Said it was not fair. My thong got all the cheers and honks from passing boats, and she just got a few woof whistles.

JM_Runs, That's funny that you got more cheers than your friend. Unlike the '90s at my favorite Lake Erie beach, I seem to be the only one wearing a thong or g-string these days. Back then, there were almost as many guys wearing them as women! Cleveland had quite a few thongs back in the day, contrary to what many would guess. I get a kick out of the younger gals taking good looks at me. They probably don't even know that thongs were once popular with men too. Maybe a guy not wearing board shorts is a novelty to them. One young woman was walking past today and actually stared, even though she was with her S.O. And she took another long look when they came back down the beach. She had on a cheeky suit herself, but I guess she didn't ever think she'd see a guy wearing a g-string. She had on mirror lens sunglasses and apparently doesn't realize that the person she looks at can tell from the reflection who she's looking at. There are more girls and women wearing cheeky "almost thong" suits, so I guess I'm a "rare bird" and get more attention than you'd think I would.

DA6772 -- The part of your post where you mention than people don't even know that thongs were more popular (especially on men) in the past is so true. From a strictly year-old analysis, if there was a major popularity of thongs centered around 1990 or so, then you can see part of the reason why. A kid of maybe 5 or so may not even have been aware of all the thongs around, and the more accepting attitudes of people in the general population would have made memorable complaints less likely. So a kid born in 1985 or so would have few if any stand-out memories of thongers at the places they might have visited. After 1990 or so, thongs in many areas were quickly shunned due to local regulations, peer pressure, or pressure from various religious and or political groups. So by 1995 or so, thongs were getting much more unusual on both men or women. Of course, the ages, dates, and locations where memories might have been made are variable. So most people born "around" 1985 plus or minus five years of so probably had few if any personnel memories of thongers during the "golden age of thongs". I was born about 10 years earlier, and my dad was a confirmed thonger and so I actually noticed the way thongs were removed from our beaches and pools. When I was smaller and in middle school, both my male and female friends often wore thongs but most quit when their popularity diminished. Point two is that during this period of time, with a few exceptions (Crocodile Dundee and My Father the Hero for example) thongs were almost never seen in the mainstream, Hollywood movies or on TV shows. When they were shown, they often were shown in a comic way, so thonging attitudes were never reinforced by the movies. The stores stopped selling thong swimwear, often selling out their entire male collection and minimizing their female collection over a few years. There actually was a time when a woman had trouble finding a thong in stores, with even beach shops only offering a few styles hidden in a corner. Around 1988 I remember going into a Macy's with a couple of boyfriends who bought Speedo Thongs right off the rack. They also sold several other brands, including thongs from other major swimwear companies like Jantzen. Magazines in the 80s often had their own versions of the Sports Illustrated swimwear issues, and most featured both male and female swimwear. While not every swimsuit on a guy was a thong, they certainly were not unusual at that time. Even swimwear which appeared to be a men's bikini sometimes turned out to be thongs when you looked at the "where to get" comments, and it said "Blueberry thong from Catalina Swimwear" or whatever. But few of these magazines exist any more since who saves magazines? So the popularity of thongs was at a peak sometime in the 1980 to 1990 period. Some guys wore them earlier, apparently with little resistance based on other areas in this message board. Some guys wore them later, apparently often being harassed except in a few places and times. These few men who risk ridicule and harassment even from police and park officials should be applauded today since they probably have something to do with the much more common acceptance of thongs, especially on men, today.

ithongit, You're right about the younger "kids", but I imagine even the 40-somethings wouldn't remember. Board shorts started becoming popular a couple of years after I started thonging in '93 and are still hanging on. I wish I had known about thong swimwear earlier, but the first time I saw anyone wearing one was 1991 at the nearby state park. One guy at the Lake Erie beach would ride/walk his bike along the beach and talk to all sorts of people. He told me that the rangers stopped giving citations for thongs in late '87. (The courts were probably tired of having so many "thong" cases clog up the system!) If you get a chance to look on your computer during the days, this webcam shows the beach I go to on Lake Erie. No one's identifiable because the camera shows a wide view, but you can probably guess at least some of the people wearing very cheeky suits. Here's the link: https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/parks/visit/parks/lakefront-reservation/edgewater-beach (The beach cam is handy to find if the weather forecast was accurate!) I do remember one day in 1995(?) when a local news crew was out talking with people for a common "middle of summer" fluff piece. My friend didn't want the camera to show us together, lest her boyfriend see us on the news. Anyhow, I watched the newscast because she wasn't even going to turn on the TV that night. The announcer said, "You wouldn't believe what they're wearing at Edgewater!" There were quite a number of people in thongs that day, including two couples that I had talked to earlier. They must have shown me four times; walking toward the trash can, leaning on my elbow and talking to the lady with me, etc. Very news-worthy sights! The funny thing is that they blurred out everybody's bums, after making such a fuss. I wanted to watch a replay carried on the UHF religious station, but they cut out the entire story from their replay of the newscast! I told my lady friend that I didn't see her on the newscast and told her about the blurred out butts. She laughed. Well, I've definitely gone way off topic to JM_Runs' last comment! I guess your Canadian friends won't be able to visit you and Randy this year. They would have loved the hot weather we recently had in this state. -Da6772

Da6772 -- I remember the early days in the 1990s when some men were still wearing thongs. There were "hot spots" where thonging men were more acceptable, and other "cold spots"(?) where thonging men were highly criticized. Part of this was due to a few efforts by people in the Ohio legislature who passed anti-thong rules, but that the Governor did not sign. There also was at least one person who challenged anti-thong ticketing and the case was overturned. Perhaps it was going topfree, but since there were no laws against is, it was legal to do. Randy has been on TV three times in his thong, and for some reason these three reports they did not use those little blurry squares to hide his buns. One was when he put in 2000 hours of volunteer work at the local "Y" swimming pool. This time was split between lifeguard duties and swimming and diving instruction. At the time, and even today, the pool permitted the lifeguards to wear thongs as long as they were red and they had a lifeguard patch attached to them. The TV news came in, did a story about his work, showed him from the front, back and every other position in his thong. The anchor lady said something to the other anchor like "I guess that is one pool I will have to check out." Randy got a plaque and some dignitaries were there too. Nobody said a word about his thong during the presentation or afterward. The TV station got no complaints. Another time, he was at Ceaser's Creek and three men tried to swim across the lake. This is probably at least a two-mile swim. In any event, they got tired, got cramps, and almost drowned. There were two official lifeguards on the beach, but they knew that Randy was a lifeguard trainer, so when the situation came up, they ask Randy to help them. The three men eventually recovered, but were on the sand for probably a half-hour waiting until it would be safe to transport them in an ambulance. A news crew, that was in the area doing some sort of story about antique stores, rushed over in time so see the three men and three lifeguards arriving at the beach edge in boats. Randy was wearing a thong as usual and the news media again did not bother with the blurry boxes. The third time was in the late 1990s when there was a lot of controversy about men in thongs. Randy was a "pro thong" person. The camera showed other men and women in thongs, but again when it came to Randy, they showed his entire back-side whenever they cut to the newsman asking a question. No blobs were used on Randy's ass, but others they did hide. They ask if Randy would mind if they showed his but and he told them it didn't make any difference to him. In any event, we tried to figure out why his buns were off-limits to the blob guy. We always assumed that in the first two incidences that since the story was about a good deed, they chose not to make his buns appear hidden-like he was ashamed of what he was showing. In the last incident, he was speaking for the thonging community, and again, the station didn't want to make his buns appear "wrong" while he was talking about how "right" thongs should be. Someone suggested that perhaps it just had to do with not having enough time to blur things before the newscast started at the TV station.

I always set up next to a female thonger because I have this hope that a female thonger will help me out should I run into problems. It's funny how most people stare at me even though there is a female thonger next to me. One time, I was on a textile beach, and I set camp next to these chicks. One of them was in a white thong, and she was even topless. These girls even had music on and were smoking weed. And I was there all quiet and somehow all the by-passers were giving me funny looks. The girls next to me were loud, but somehow I was getting more attention because of my swimsuit.