Clothing design is very much entrenched in the gender binary, but more and more, people aren’t. Trans, gender queer, intersex — these are all words that nobody used until relatively recently.
Now that our understanding of gender fluidity is becoming more evolved, will the market follow?
Designers Abby Sugar and Sylvie Lardeux seem to think so. They’ve created what’s being billed as the “world’s first gender neutral underwear collection” called Play Out, and they’re hoping that men, woman and everyone in between will feel comfortable in their playful skivvies.
“Most underwear on the market for women is extremely feminine, with flowers, pastel colors, and lace,” said Sugar and Lardeux. “Or, if it’s cut in a ‘boyshort’ it tends to be boring solid colors. We wanted to bring the design aesthetic of men’s underwear – the bold colors, fun graphics and the shape, including the wide waistband — to a style that would fit and flatter a woman’s body.”
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Check out some more of the undies below:
h/t Buzzfeed
VampDC
No thanks. I’m a man. Love being a man. And love buying underwear made for my package.
aliengod
Gender neutral undies? Have we regressed to the point that it’s no longer “PC” to be male or female? Ridiculous!
Kieru
This is complete nonsense. Their underwear line still divides itself by a biological gender binary. They simply refuse to identify the underwear not specifically for men as “Women’s” underwear.
In the end this statement they are making is meaningless because underwear isn’t about gender identity, it’s about gender biology. If you have a penis you tend to buy a product that is designed to accommodate your penis. If you do not have a penis you avoid those products because the fit is wrong.
I applaud them for trying to further promote gender identity; but really there are more sensible avenues to pursue such a promotion.
I'm Black, and HIV-Positive.
Uh huh. Yeah. Got that. And what for again exactly? Sounds like a war being waged against men again.
These underwear designs actually aren’t even “gender neutral”. You meant to say that it’s merely a line of underwear made for women, but using standard men’s underwear design styles. Or in other words: Clothes for women made like you would men’s clothing — which is only the oldest trick in the book (duh) while you’re trying to act like you have a gay men’s fashion story here. Yeah right. And men who are into men would find any of this appealing because?
I think men who wear women’s clothes (which usually turn out to be straight men) would rather wear women’s underwear if it were even more feminine, so what you really have here is a line of underwear made for lesbians. You know it’s okay to just to say that in your headline. You don’t have to use so much trickery; we’re all friends here!
I mean, what a double-standard. How about you make a “gender neutral” brand of shirt that makes it impossible to distinguish that you’re actually looking at a female’s chest area? Ha ha ha! Because then you would have women crying “Bloody Murder!”. Yeah. How about gender neutrality that takes away a woman’s femininity since you think this man-hating trend isn’t a double standard.
@VampDC: You said it brother!
KwisatzHaderach
So this underwear is for FTM transexuals/transgenders/insert-latest-moniker-here who don’t like having the excess fabric up front? I can’t imagine anyone else wearing them. Do they have a line for MTF’s with a “perineal pouch” to accommodate the “tuck”? LMFAO!
Thomathy
These are ‘gender neutral’? For people who don’t have penises or descended testes, or who don’t care if those things are smashed up between their legs.
And if they’re to be gender neutral, why does the language and the design appeal directly to a ‘masculine’ style? This is just bizarre. As if making something that isn’t ‘feminine’ makes it automatically gender neutral? They even use the word ‘women’ and the phrase ‘extremely feminine’!
These aren’t gender neutral at all, they’re playing directly to a particular range on the gender spectrum. It’s difficult to imagine that they aren’t aware of this. If, by chance they are, this is so terribly dishonest.
Call them what they are, underpants for women that aren’t ‘extremely feminine’. Christ.
stlouisguy
This is the dumbest idea I’ve ever seen. I don’t know one man, gay or straight that would wear these.
Every guy I know likes to show his package a bit.
A big ‘Thanks, but no thanks, better luck next time’.
iggy6666
I think instore bulk brand undies beat them to the punch.
Curtispsf
Thanks, but NO thanks. I need a fly so my trouser snake can come out once in a while to pee or what not.
adventuretime
@Curtispsf: You know, you don’t actually need a fly to urinate…or whatever else.
Also, why so much hatred for these undies in these comments? No one’s forcing you to buy/wear it! If you don’t like it, don’t get ’em! No need to come down so harsh on something someone else created and put a lot of work into–you can decide they’re not for you without bashing someone else’s idea.
Be mature–we’re all adults, no? I can’t believe I’m paraphrasing Kim Kardashian (who was quoting someone else here), but part of maturing is knowing when something does not need your commentary.
Billy Budd
No, sorry, no.
I prefer my bulge-enhancing AussieB** underwear.
pressuredrop
Kind of funny how some posters are threatened by this idea or think that it involves hating men.
Like, it’s just underwear, guys.
Although, yes, it seems like mostly only lesbians are going to buy this, if anyone.
Stache99
@I’m Black, and HIV-Positive.: You ever get tired of the misogyny Micheal Mueller aka Jim bryant, etc. You seem to have a real hatred of women.
SteveDenver
Good looking garments, but they don’t look very comfy for men. I now buy underwear with an erection in mind, because it does happen and I don’t want to be miserable when it does. I also don’t have “tidy balls,” mine get warm and “wander.” I long wore briefs, because that is what my mom bought and I got used to them. Then I wore boxer briefs until I bought a pair of KNIT BOXERS in error, and I’ve never looked back at anything else.
jd2222248
why? 🙂
jayj150
How can any product that explicitely exludes people with penises from using it be considered “gender-neutral”?.
musctop
…They’re made like a 2 star hotel–no ballroom.
Saint Law
Feel the his-steria on this thread!
Saint Law
@I’m Black, and HIV-Positive.: Bitch, you’re batshit.
I'm Black, and HIV-Positive.
@Stache99: Because I said this is clearly a war against men? Get a life homophobe!