 
Balletlover - Balletmania
written by Ronnie on 01.08. at 07:28:06 Hey! Another guy on your side here! I, too, wear lycra for running and exercising, including tights, shirts, unitards, wrestlers, hot shorts and leo's/bodysuits. I even go running in full-body hooded/footed Bal-Togs suits in the fall and winter! I don't *try* to do the ballet-guy-look when I dress to run, bicycle, or work out, but I *do* love to wear brightly-colored, tightly-fitting lycra! I *truly* see and feel the benefit of wearing supportive, non-bulky performance clothing to help me do my best! Bright coloration helps me to be safely seen as I run or bicycle along the highway! I use and wear lycra for real and legitimate reasons! I completely agree with those in the dance community that understand and appreciate the benefit of performance dance clothing. (I am also a ballroom-dancer with seven years of training ... not much by professional standards, but enough to speak with authority here ...) I wear *carefully* chosen lycra all over the place. What's wrong with wearing (lycra) running clothing if you just want to go buy a gallon of skim milk at the convenience store, for example? I agree that male society is definitely shifting away from lycra, sorry to say. I have reasons ... what does everyone think ... ? : 1) Male *casual* fashion is dictated by what 16-year-olds wear (Whether we all like it or not!). 16-year-olds *think* that they like *rap* music. Rap music fashion almost always includes dumb-looking, unattractive, baggy male clothing which is terribly incorrectly-sized, with underwear waistbands showing. Look at virtually all music-videos released these days! (***Cool*** male undies is a whole other subject ... but I sure don't think showing off an underwear waistband is "cute" ... let's talk a nice lycra thong or brief, or bodysuit ...) 2) Those males who don't like rap music usually fall into a category that directly connects to the T-Shirt/flannel shirt/khaki jeans/hiking boot combination ... oh, come on, guys ... can't we do better than *that*?????? That whole "outdoors guy with t-shirt and mountain bike" cliche' has really worn out its welcome!!! (Hey ... I can say that with authority ... I ride road and mountain bicycles regularly, and put in about 140 miles a week average running and cycling combined! I also appreciate and enjoy nature as a seasoned birder and hawk-watcher!) 3) An increasing number of males are ***OUT OF SHAPE AND OVERWEIGHT*** (too much Monday Night Football and potato chips!), and can't pull off the "spandex look." Hey, let's face it, tights and leo's show everything, so it had better be (at least) good! Too many guys anymore think it's cool to be fat, loud, and obnoxious! Lycra doesn't fit into that scene ... ... ... Well, 'nuf said for now. I've also become frustrated by the negative stereotypes associated with guys in lycra. I'm tired of it, and I just finally decided to voice my frustration here. I'm normally not this angry and agressive in print, but this has to be said! A post-script: I have been sickened by all of the pics out there on the 'net uploaded by guys posing by themselves in their own little lonely worlds in front of their digital cameras wearing their "fetish outfits" ... they look fat and ugly and embarassing ... but they get their jollies out of posting their garbage on the 'net. No wonder lycra for males has gained a bad rap! These fat hairy men posting very unflattering pictures of themselves on newsgroups and email lists do a terrible disservice to the acceptance of lycra clothing for guys! The fetish-junk has *got* to go!!! Sorry ... I'm up on my "soap-box", but I had to say what I feel ... Wear and enjoy lycra if you have the ability to "pull it off," and if you have a *real* reason* to wear it! Look good ... feel great ... but for the *right* reasons!!! --- Ronnie >It seems that it takes a real MAN to wear tights these days. >I say this because there seems to be so much disapproval of any guy who >would wear tights. There seemed to be a period when tights on men seemed to>becoming mainstream. I remember wearing tights for all sort of aerobic and>athletic pursuits such as mountain biking, crosscountry skiing & rollerblading,>long distance running and of course dance aerobics. But somehow someway things>have seemed to have gone backwards as far as social acceptance of men with great >bodies displaying them in tights. >For instance I remember early in the popularity of figure skating, that all of >the male figure skaters were wearing tights. But I believe the figure skating>association actually BANNED them around 1992. It seems that all that display>of male curves and musculature was putting off the middle class women who are >the primary viewers of figure skating. >Now in the late 90's we have taken a full reversal of the idea of tights on men>and it seems only for BALLET dancers. Women continue to wear tights everywhere..>including shopping malls and grocery stores. But men are now limited to >Ballet dancers just like in the 50's. >I believe it has to do with a form of sexual repression of males...it is no longer>acceptable for men with excellent bodies to display them in form fitting clothing>such as tights or leotards. >Does anyone have any thoughts on this ? Answers to this message: |
