Where are you talking about? And where did you read it?

I have been to pools in 6 different countries in Europe always worn swim trunks, not a speedo. It is common for men to wear speedos, although I've noticed that younger men and boys are wearing them less then older men lately.

Yes, some do. For example, the big swimming pool in the Woluwe St. Pierre commune in Brussels absolutely requires Speedo type suits for all male swimmers, even boys younger than 10. The pools at some (not all, thankfully) health clubs have similar rules.

If you have a specific pool in mind, check its rules.

Why would boys under 10 be less likely or less inclined to wear speedos? They, rather than older men, seem the cohort best suited to wear them!

Speedos didn't exist when I was 10 but we boys -- and most everyone else under age 40 -- wore fairly abbreviated swimsuits then (of a thick, ugly, satiny fabric). None of us was scarred by the experience.

There are many European men who wear speedos and shouldn't. OTOH, the NA style, super-long and super-baggy quasi-trousers ALSO look terrible on many people. And on 10 year olds they merely look comical. Like a clown's baggy pants.

RE what Belgian pools require: When I was a 10 year-old (and I'm talking 1960s here) I was sent to take swimming lessons at the YMCA, here in Canada's capital. The Y in those days prohibited ALL bathing suits in its pool.

Yes, we had to take our swimming classes naked. I even remember the instructor peeling off his suit before he could dive into the pool. I would have been VERY glad of a speedo, I can assure you!

Poster guy for why NOT to wear a speedo

http://tinyurl.com/ytfpjz

Yes it is required in Paris in swimming pools.

laartista: Very funny photo!

However:

Would wearing baggy surfer trunks make him MORE attractive to you???

"Unsightly quads and kneecaps" is not his MAIN problem, surely.

Please, forgive my ignorance, but can someone explain the rationale for requiring men/boys to wear Speedos?

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/01/magazine/01funny_humor.html

LMAO- No! But it would make him easier to look at for more than a second without my eyes burning.

OMG- Cig that is freakin hysterical! Thanks for the chuckle.

laartista, that picture is too much LOL. Interesting article Cigale.

Tedgale, I'd be concerned about what type of men were running the Y back in the 1960s. They wouldn't get away with it today.

As for Speedos, in Australia they are referred to as "budgie smugglers". Is that a term used in other countries??

If you're unfamiliar with a budgie..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budgerigar

I think one of the reasons for such rules is to prevent people from wearing cargo shorts or other regular clothing as swim trunks.

Oh Speckles
I am unfamiliar with the term ' budgie smugglers' here in Canada, but I have had a couple of budgies over the years. Your post makes me want to call the rcspca

ROTFLMAO about the "Budgie Smuggler" image that Speckles threw into the conversation. At least he didn't throw in any derogatory asides about "canary smuggler" males from other non-Australian countries.

Speckles is absolutely correc that men's lycra swimmers are referred to as budgie smugglers. I'm fascinated to see that everyone on this post has referred to "Speedo" which is a brand of swimmers. What a great example of successful branding of a product. Can't help with Susanh's original question though. (Would ad a smiley face here but I can't remember how to do that!!)

Speedos a requirement? Who knew!

Here all this time I just figured that hairy, big bellied men who insist on squeezing their cheeks into teenie weenie drawers were just suffering from poor taste.

We had this issue at aquaventure in Paris, the indoor water park. For my son , then 10, we found bike short style bathing trunks at Decathalon, the equivelent of Modells or Sports Authority. These were fine.

We used to call the speedo style, bun huggers. The only beach in Southern California where they were worn (I am pretty sure) was Laguna Beach.

Oh and Muscle Beach in Long Beach, where the body builders showed their wares.

Speedos are very funny, so popular in Europe, so unpopular at home.

Loved the picture and article. We have had more than a few chuckles watching the speedo brigades. Some beaches are filled with them ( although many beaches are also packed with an interesting combo of naked, half naked and dressed).

Some pools also make you wear little caps ( for everyone) but they wear cotton ones here as well as your typical bathing caps.

This is an area where you can definitely often see a big cultural difference.

>>>>
Please, forgive my ignorance, but can someone explain the rationale for requiring men/boys to wear Speedos?
>>>>

a strange paranoia about hygene is the reason.

All public swimming pools in France and, as far as I know, Belgium, require men to wear swimming trunks as opposed to baggy shorts, cutoffs etc. Most require all swimmers to wear swimming caps too. The pool I used to go to in Spain had a swimming cap rule too, though I don't remember if it had rules about men's swimwear.

Anyway, I believe both rules are for hygiene reasons - paranoid or otherwise. (I can understand the swimming cap rule, incidentally).

The reason is I believe that many men/boys try to go swimming in the baggies/cutoffs they have been wearing all day, rather than changing into swimming shorts/trunks.
In the Netherlands cutoffs are not allowed but long baggy swimming shorts are. Most kids favour those, the men preferring shorter swimming shorts.
Flip-flops are a good idea at a pool anyway, to help reduce the risk of slipping or picking up verruccas.

It strikes me as odd that when this topic comes up here, as it so regularly does, that people do not comment on what type of garment is best for swimming in. I don't go to a pool to look at people or be looked at (especially not the latter!); I go to swim.

So true, Padraig -- who are all of these people who think that going to the swimming pool is some sort of fashion show and/or spend all of their time checking out the other swimmers?

Funny...Mine's a "condor smuggler."

Even so, Padraig, I bet you look HOT in that Speedo of yours!

This is true Padraig, but if you normally swim in shorts and find yourself banned from a pool in France as a result you will be pretty annoyed. I can understand people wanting to know if shorts are Ok or if they must buy a pair of trunks.

God, OTOH complaining about some stud filling out a Speedo and on the other complaining about a husband who can't get it up!

Can a codpiece be substituted for a Speedo?

Cimbrone, you made me laugh out loud, very clever.

Some of my biggest laughs have been at the expense of a few men in Speedos.

Well, you are tempting me to write about an odd incident in Cannes. I was sitting on the beach and a man walked down to the sand near me. He was wearing sandals and a speedo but the odd part was he had two "budgies" in his speedos.

Hmmmm, I tried not to notice, really.

Then he plucked one of them out, it was a coin purse.

He put it carefully down next to his sunglasses and then walked into the sea.

I thought maybe he forgot and put 2 socks in.

Well, there's one coin purse that's safe from pickpocketers! Ugh!

Some funny stuff here. I must wonder if there's a corollary to this rule that requires men to shave their derrieres and 'intertriginous' areas before donning their Speedos in public. Of course, maybe that's already a common practice in Europe. Can't say that I know the answer.

The majority of Europeans are not uncomfortable with their bodies, even when they are far from perfect at a later age. This is perhaps the big difference with the youth/perfection cult in the U.S.

So when these speedo suits are required, does that mean other less revealing bathing suits (like that box-cut 50's style suit) are not allowed? How rigid is this rule?

The only time my Swiss husband felt uncomfortable wearing his speedos was during a US visit.

I think that the most important thing is that the swimsuit be close fitting and nothing that you could possibly have worn outside. The rules are for hygiene, not voyeurism.

At swimming pools here in Spain men can wear every swimsuit a swimmer would use at a competition. And you should have a shower before and after swimming.

Most swimming pools in Europe want everyone to take a naked shower before using the pool and they don't want you to wear a bathing suit that has a pair of dirty (or clean) underware inside the suit.

They also want you to remove your suit in the shower and towel off before walking to your locker so there isn't water all over the floor of the locker room.

If you have a problem with this, consider taking up badmitton.

I remember going swimming in Iceland a few years ago in a large outdoor swimming pool where the outdoor temperature was 32 F and the water temperature was 95 F. They had a sign in the shower room that even told people where to soap up naked. One must understand that there are no chemicals in this outdoor pool and it is important to not cause the spread of bacteria.

In Helsinki, Finland a sign that said no baggies was present and it did help bring out only the serious swimmers.

So, when in Rome . . .

This reminds me of a joke I heard a long time ago.

Two guys were laying on the beach and the one guy said to his buddy, "Look at that girl over there. What can I do to get her to notice me?"

His friend said, "Why don't you try putting a rock in your bathing suit."

All of a sudden the girl walked away, shaking her head quite upset.

The guy had put the rock in the back of his bathing suit.

Thanks to all who answered my questions. I appreciate the reasoning and now I can explain to the 10-yr old and not pack his usual swim trunks. Question has nothing to do w/body "shame" or fashion, etc.. since family is quite comfortable w/ourselves; I just never thought of the hygiene side of it! Thanks, again!

BTW, when I was in Pisa, Italy, I stayed at a campground that had a swimming pool. They required everyone to wear a bathing cap. They sold them there for about 5 Euros. Personally, I thought it was a rip-off, but once again, When in Rome. . .

At my local Cannons Healthclub I once saw a guy who'd forgotton his trunks swimming in his pants instead (white y-fronts, complete with piping). They, of course, became totally transparent immediately on contact with water.

Either he didn't realise this, or (more likely) he was somewhat of an exhibitionist, because he kept getting out of the water over and over again to do violent stretching exercises right by the poolside.

Yukky !!!!!!!!!!

Sounds like it's just a matter of time before cleansing enemas are required before entering the pool. Think I'll stick with golf.

OMG! This has got to be one of the funniest posts, even though I know it's a serious subject.

Susanh, you don't tell us where you're going. Or if you did so in a previous post, this poster has not gone to research where you're going.

In any case, you got some great advice.

Wally, I heard a similar joke, but it involved potatoes instead of rocks. Still funny.

Cimbone: you're hilarious!

SeaUrchin: ew on the guy with the 2 budgies/coinpurse. Who needs a fanny pack!

When in Europe, you can check out the sporting goods department of one of the major stores.
You will find a wide variety of swimmers, including boxer shorts-type swimmers. The latter are also made from lycra or similar.

In Germany, you can have problems with regular "streetwear" shorts, but when it's real swimwear, I never seen anyone getting kicked out of the pool.
You don't need flip-flops. All pools I know, have desinfecting spray dispensers against the athlete's foot.

Thanks, again, to all. I can't travel w/o checking here!