Divorce rate

[diego501]

I was lucky. My dad was a jock wearer. He had every kind there was. As a kid I stood eye level to his pouch at the men's changing room at the town pool while he tucked everything in the way he wanted it. I had so much pride in him and I wanted to be like him. I thought my tiny little boy's dick was just as fantastic as his.

At age 11 he was happy that I wanted a jock. I got the only kind they sold in our town. A wide waist band BIKE on a skinny kid! I loved that it showed above my swim trunks!!!! My dad showed me how to wear it. He eventually took me to a town where they sold a dozen kinds of jocks and we looked at them all with everyone in the store watching.

Our coaches required jocks, but never demonstrated how to wear one. Many guys had coaches show put on a demonstration! Hot!

My dad was 100% straight. I thought I was too. In later life I'm discovering a closeness with men.

As an adult I went to my dad's YMCA gym with him and he was proud of me and my fit body. He called me to walk all around the workout room and meet all his friends, when I was only wearing a jock. It was an intimate father-son bonding experience. Back home my dad had me try on all his jocks, one at a time, to see how the different brands fit on my body. And he had me try putting my cock in different positions in each pouch. It took about 45 minutes.

I think this was a very special moment that he would do something like this, because when I mentioned it years later, he denied that we had ever done that. Because dominant society says we're not supposed to share things that intimate.

I think that deep down inside a lot of men would like to share that experience, with a son or a buddy, and for some reason he allowed himself at that time. It was a great bonding moment for me, sharing the pride of our male equipment and jocks that take care of it. The best part of being a man, and we got to share it. I will never forget it.

For those who never had that experience, we kind of get to do that on this site.

Yes. One of the many reasons I love this site! I can ask ALL of the questions I never had the chance to and never found an answer too. Also the male bonding experiences are great!

 

[strapped wrangler]

Yes. One of the many reasons I love this site! I can ask ALL of the questions I never had the chance to and never found an answer too. Also the male bonding experiences are great!

I'm sorry you didn't get the father-son experiences that I did. By me sharing them I hope it helps you to feel that what you wanted, which some other men got, is normal. I hope it helps you feel like your instincts are validated.

My dad was an alpha male. I don't want you to think I had a perfect dad; I didn't. The bigger picture is that he was a critical asshole. He did a lot of damage to all of us, as his dad did to him.

I forgive him and focus on the good things. He stood for the dignity of all people. He even accepted my gay brother without challenging him. He had buddies in school and they all wore the same jocks. He was a leader. His buddies all wore the same kind of jock that he wore. Jock bonding was one of the things he did right. One of several positive things he shared with me.

 

[diego501]

I'm sorry you didn't get the father-son experiences that I did. By me sharing them I hope it helps you to feel that what you wanted, which some other men got, is normal. I hope it helps you feel like your instincts are validated.

My dad was an alpha male. I don't want you to think I had a perfect dad; I didn't. The bigger picture is that he was a critical asshole. He did a lot of damage to all of us, as his dad did to him.

I forgive him and focus on the good things. He stood for the dignity of all people. He even accepted my gay brother without challenging him. He had buddies in school and they all wore the same jocks. He was a leader. His buddies all wore the same kind of jock that he wore. Jock bonding was one of the things he did right. One of several positive things he shared with me.

Same here. He had his pros and he had his cons. I love hearing the stories. It’s not about what i missed. I create my own experiences. I enjoy the bonding for me. I enjoy the comraderie. Part of that is enjoying each others experiences. I have my own. Supposed to go help a dude fulfill his fantasy by dressing up in jocks and dress suits and tag teaming him. My first Master was straight but taught me all about my body, sexuality and safety. I’ve had my experiences. Here I learn about jocks. Wednesday nights I got to the bar where we all sit in our jocks, drink beer and talk about our week. My point was that if our athletic dads didn’t teach us stuff it’s okay, happened to several of us.

 

[billTO]

I'm sorry you didn't get the father-son experiences that I did. By me sharing them I hope it helps you to feel that what you wanted, which some other men got, is normal. I hope it helps you feel like your instincts are validated.

My dad was an alpha male. I don't want you to think I had a perfect dad; I didn't. The bigger picture is that he was a critical asshole. He did a lot of damage to all of us, as his dad did to him.

I forgive him and focus on the good things. He stood for the dignity of all people. He even accepted my gay brother without challenging him. He had buddies in school and they all wore the same jocks. He was a leader. His buddies all wore the same kind of jock that he wore. Jock bonding was one of the things he did right. One of several positive things he shared with me.

SW, one of the tasks of ageing is that you slowly come to understand your parents, and as necessary forgive them for their imperfections. My dad was a cerebral introvert, gentle, kind-hearted, generous man, a wonderful story-teller with a wicked dry sense of humour which I share.

The one thing he was not was athletic, and he had zero interest in sports. Of course, I inevitably "imprinted" on him and am now proud to be like him in so many ways. The sports angle is fulfilled here and in my fantasies. I also suspect he was bi, but will never know if he ever "did" anything.

 

[Timothy]

I was lucky. My dad was a jock wearer. He had every kind there was. As a kid I stood eye level to his pouch at the men's changing room at the town pool while he tucked everything in the way he wanted it. I had so much pride in him and I wanted to be like him. I thought my tiny little boy's dick was just as fantastic as his.

At age 11 he was happy that I wanted a jock. I got the only kind they sold in our town. A wide waist band BIKE on a skinny kid! I loved that it showed above my swim trunks!!!! My dad showed me how to wear it. He eventually took me to a town where they sold a dozen kinds of jocks and we looked at them all with everyone in the store watching.

Our coaches required jocks, but never demonstrated how to wear one. Many guys had coaches show put on a demonstration! Hot!

My dad was 100% straight. I thought I was too. In later life I'm discovering a closeness with men.

As an adult I went to my dad's YMCA gym with him and he was proud of me and my fit body. He called me to walk all around the workout room and meet all his friends, when I was only wearing a jock. It was an intimate father-son bonding experience. Back home my dad had me try on all his jocks, one at a time, to see how the different brands fit on my body. And he had me try putting my cock in different positions in each pouch. It took about 45 minutes.

I think this was a very special moment that he would do something like this, because when I mentioned it years later, he denied that we had ever done that. Because dominant society says we're not supposed to share things that intimate.

I think that deep down inside a lot of men would like to share that experience, with a son or a buddy, and for some reason he allowed himself at that time. It was a great bonding moment for me, sharing the pride of our male equipment and jocks that take care of it. The best part of being a man, and we got to share it. I will never forget it.

For those who never had that experience, we kind of get to do that on this site.

Beautiful father/son moment! Makes my cock tingle and my testicles tighten a bit…. thanks for sharing and making my morning great!!

 

[strapped wrangler]

Wednesday nights I got to the bar where we all sit in our jocks, drink beer and talk about our week.

It looks like you found some good companionship! I'm envious! There is not much diversity in my small western town. I have great friends. They are all straight, or they think they are. I've got a few cuddle buddies. That's worth a lot.

 

[Timothy]

SW, one of the tasks of ageing is that you slowly come to understand your parents, and as necessary forgive them for their imperfections. My dad was a cerebral introvert, gentle, kind-hearted, generous man, a wonderful story-teller with a wicked dry sense of humour which I share.

The one thing he was not was athletic, and he had zero interest in sports. Of course, I inevitably "imprinted" on him and am now proud to be like him in so many ways. The sports angle is fulfilled here and in my fantasies. I also suspect he was bi, but will never know if he ever "did" anything.

Well said!!

 

[Timothy]

Well said!!

Yeah the jock and athletic camaraderie here is wonderful. And sharing all the stories, and enjoying all of them, I feel like I am walking around in the locker room altogether in our jocks just shooting the breeze about our lives and experiences. Good times

 

[RyanMI]

Correlation is not causation. It’s a ridiculous assertion to pin low jockstrap sales on single moms, and it’s sexist too.

 

[strapped wrangler]

Correlation is not causation. It’s a ridiculous assertion to pin low jockstrap sales on single moms, and it’s sexist too.

I strongly disagree with you. It is not "ridiculous" nor "sexist" to observe that a boy raised by a single mother might be less likely to get a jockstrap than a boy raised with a father. Your language is unnecessarily strong and accusatory....overkill.

It's not anything against women to say that they don't understand jockstraps as well as men. And it's not "sexist" to observe that.

In today's world if you say anything that could be slightly construed to be "sexist" the person is chastised, no matter how true it is. There is too much hyper woke, easily offended, victim Olympics. This angry oversensitivity of some minorities is turning people against trans, gays, minority races, and against anyone looking to retaliate for their perceived "victimhood".

A boy without a dad to bond with and copy is going to be a very different person than he would be with a dad to hug and love and teach him guy's things. It is reasonable to think that single mothers are often not going to be able to explain jockstraps, erections, wet dreams, masturbation or any male stuff as well as a man can. Likewise, a single father cannot help his daughter with her menstrual cycles.

As I already discussed, I think that BIKE's representative was ignorant in blaming the loss of sales on divorce. So I agree with you somewhat on that. I think it is a factor, but the huge social changes which I discussed are the larger reasons for the decline in jock sales.

I like the web sites you offer. Thanks! And your personal photo gallery is HOT! You are very creative and have a lot of fun trying differentthings! You would make a fun buddy! You're a good looking guy too!

 

[Timothy]

I strongly disagree with you. It is not "ridiculous" nor "sexist" to observe that a boy raised by a single mother might be less likely to get a jockstrap than a boy raised with a father. Your language is unnecessarily strong and accusatory....overkill.

It's not anything against women to say that they don't understand jockstraps as well as men. And it's not "sexist" to observe that.

In today's world if you say anything that could be slightly construed to be "sexist" the person is chastised, no matter how true it is. There is too much hyper yoke easily offended victim Olympics. This angry oversensitivity of some minorities is turning people against trans, gays, minority races, and against anyone looking to retaliate for their perceived "victimhood".

A boy without a dad to bond with and copy is going to be a very different person than he would be with a dad to hug and love and teach him guy's things. It is reasonable to think that single mothers are often not going to be able to explain jockstraps, erections, wet dreams, masturbation or any male stuff as well as a man can. Likewise, a single father cannot help his daughter with her menstrual cycles.

As I already discussed, I think that BIKE's representative was ignorant in blaming the loss of sales on divorce. So I agree with you somewhat on that. I think it is a factor, but the huge social changes which I discussed are the larger reasons for the decline in jock sales.

I like the web sites you offer. Thanks! And your personal photo gallery is HOT! You are very creative and have a lot of fun trying differentthings! You would make a fun buddy! You're a good looking guy too!

Strapped wrangler, you are so right! And thank you for your eloquent wording. I, so agree with you I don’t think the context of this “room” was totally taken out of place. Thank you for stepping out to the place and your wonderful way of positively sharing your feedback again, I fully agree with you, as I have been a victim (?) As described above.

 

[Timothy]

Correlation is not causation. It’s a ridiculous assertion to pin low jockstrap sales on single moms, and it’s sexist too.

I’d love to fly out and fuck you in our sweaty JOFA hardcups together… implant my sperm in you to get you to think outside the box and also suck you off and swallow you.

 

[Deleted member 1943]

I strongly disagree with you. It is not "ridiculous" nor "sexist" to observe that a boy raised by a single mother might be less likely to get a jockstrap than a boy raised with a father. Your language is unnecessarily strong and accusatory....overkill.

It's not anything against women to say that they don't understand jockstraps as well as men. And it's not "sexist" to observe that.

In today's world if you say anything that could be slightly construed to be "sexist" the person is chastised, no matter how true it is. There is too much hyper woke, easily offended, victim Olympics. This angry oversensitivity of some minorities is turning people against trans, gays, minority races, and against anyone looking to retaliate for their perceived "victimhood".

A boy without a dad to bond with and copy is going to be a very different person than he would be with a dad to hug and love and teach him guy's things. It is reasonable to think that single mothers are often not going to be able to explain jockstraps, erections, wet dreams, masturbation or any male stuff as well as a man can. Likewise, a single father cannot help his daughter with her menstrual cycles.

As I already discussed, I think that BIKE's representative was ignorant in blaming the loss of sales on divorce. So I agree with you somewhat on that. I think it is a factor, but the huge social changes which I discussed are the larger reasons for the decline in jock sales.

I like the web sites you offer. Thanks! And your personal photo gallery is HOT! You are very creative and have a lot of fun trying differentthings! You would make a fun buddy! You're a good looking guy too!

I am right there with you on this. I can give a little perspective. When I was growing up there were a multitude of things that my dad taught me that have served me well all of my life. Things like good study habits, how to manage money, a code of ethics, how to choose a good bottle of wine, and on and on. There were however other topics that you mentioned above that he was less comfortable discussing with me. Lucky for me he had a buddy that filled that gap and was complementary in many ways to what my dad taught me. Our families spent so much time together through the years that he was more like an uncle to me. I’ll call him Jack.

My dad travelled a lot when he was working, so Jack filled in quite a bit when my dad was away. Jack had all girls, so I think he enjoyed having me around. I remember him telling me he liked having someone else around who stood when they peed. He was the one who bought my first jockstrap for me. He explained why and when I should wear a jock, and showed me how to put it on. I remember this as being a genuine right of passage, proudly hanging my swim trunks and jockstrap next to Jack’s when I had joined he and his family on vacation one summer. He was the one who talked with me about masturbation, erections, and “male stuff” as you put it. He told me (before it happened) what to expect when I had my first ejaculation. Although I was initially uncomfortable having these conversations, he had a way of making it easy for me.

I remember when I was about to go to high school, and I told him how anxious I was about the prospect of using gang showers. At that time, there was no such thing as stall showers like you see at the gym now. He reassured me that it was no big deal and that it would be something I’d encounter a lot from that point on. For high school gym, in college dorms, in the service, etc. Then one day he gave me the “jump into the deep end” treatment. We were at the beach for the day and used a public changing room when we arrived. When we went to change towards the end of the day he told me to jump in the shower before I put my clothes on for the ride home (about an hour away). The tone of his voice and expression on his face conveyed that it was not optional, so next thing I knew I was confronting that fear. And of course as with many things at that age it wasn’t as bad as you anticipated it would be.

He was also the one that I talked to about anything and everything related to sex. He instructed me how to use a condom correctly, and gave me some to practice with. One day he took me to a drug store and had me buy them myself so I was comfortable doing that. I consider myself lucky to have had someone to talk to who was older than myself who had been “doing it” for a while instead of figuring it out myself or asking my buddies who could be just as clueless as myself.

My point, to put it coarsely, is that there are some things that you just have to have a dick in order to comprehend. This does not diminish the role of mothers in their son’s lives. I really can’t fathom how single moms handle these things with boys, but I have tremendous respect for those that find themselves in that situation.

 

[strapped wrangler]

I’d love to fly out and fuck you in our sweaty JOFA hardcups together… implant my sperm in you to get you to think outside the box and also suck you off and swallow you.

Strapped Wrangler comments on Timothy's love talk to RyanMI:

Such sweet words, guys! I wish someone would talk to me like that.

I am right there with you on this. I can give a little perspective. When I was growing up there were a multitude of things that my dad taught me that have served me well all of my life. Things like good study habits, how to manage money, a code of ethics, how to choose a good bottle wine, and on and on. There were however other topics that you mentioned above that he was less comfortable discussing with me. Lucky for me he had a buddy that filled that gap and was complementary in many ways to what my dad taught me. Our families spent so much time together through the years that he was more like an uncle to me. I’ll call him Jack.

My dad travelled a lot when he was working, so Jack filled in quite a bit when my dad was away. Jack had all girls, so I think he enjoyed having me around. I remember him telling me he liked having someone else around who stood when they peed. He was the one who bought my first jockstrap for me. He explained why and when I should wear a jock, and showed me how to put it on. I remember this as being a genuine right of passage, proudly hanging my swim trunks and jockstrap next to Jack’s when I had joined he and his family on vacation one summer. He was the one who talked with me about masturbation, erections, and “male stuff” as you put it. He told me (before it happened) what to expect when I had my first ejaculation. Although I was initially uncomfortable having these conversations, he had a way of making it easy for me.

I remember when I was about to go to high school, and I told him how anxious I was about the prospect of using gang showers. At that time, there was no such thing as stall showers like you see at the gym now. He reassured me that it was no big deal and that it would be something I’d encounter a lot from that point on. For high school gym, in college dorms, in the service, etc. Then one day he gave me the “jump into the deep end” treatment. We were at the beach for the day and used a public changing room when we arrived. When we went to change towards the end of the day he told me to jump in the shower before I put my clothes on for the ride home (about an hour away). The tone of his voice and expression on his face conveyed that it was not optional, so next thing I knew I was confronting that fear. And of course as with many things at that age it wasn’t as bad as you anticipated it would be.

He was also the one that I talked to about anything and everything related to sex. He instructed me how to use a condom correctly, and gave me some to practice with. One day he took me to a drug store and had me buy them myself so I was comfortable doing that. I consider myself lucky to have had someone to talk to who was older than myself who had been “doing it” for a while instead of figuring it out myself or asking my buddies who could be just as clueless as myself.

My point, to put it coarsely, is that there are some things that you just have to have a dick to comprehend. This does not diminish the role of mothers in their son’s lives. I really can’t fathom how single moms handle these things with boys, but I have tremendous respect for those that find themselves in that situation.

That was a beautiful story about your dad's buddy stepping-up to fill in for your dad. It made me happy to know that there are men like that. You lucked-out! You should put that story where others will find it. I also wonder if I wasted a few hours putting so much information on a chat that no one is going to visit. But I don't know how to work this website well.

I feel very confident that your "uncle", having only daughters, felt fulfilled having a boy and young man to help with all the important stuff, which many boys never get helped with because our society is afraid to talk about that stuff. You probably fulfilled a need that he felt. I'm glad that he "TOLD" you to strip and stand in the gang showers.

That was cool that you hung your jockstrap and swim trunks next to his. You were bonding with a man! Those landmark moments help cement your identity!

I think that when jockstraps went out of style that single mothers were a fraction of the reason. But today, very few mothers or fathers are buying their boys jockstraps. The era has passed. I too respect single mothers trying to raise boys. I support them and sometimes help them. 50% of kids graduate from high school with ever knowing their fathers. It's often not the woman's fault.

However, there is a movement among many women that says, "I can do a better job without that jerk around". Some feminists have no clue what a healthy man can contribute to raising children and they think that a boy "will be a better human being without a man around". I have held men in my arms in men's groups who had that story, while they cried in my arms for having no connection with men in their upbringing. I wish we had a video to show women who think like that.

Thanks for sharing your fantastic story! It shows where many good fathers fall short, and it shows what you needed that your "uncle" provided. I wish every parent in the world could read it.

 

[Timothy]

I am right there with you on this. I can give a little perspective. When I was growing up there were a multitude of things that my dad taught me that have served me well all of my life. Things like good study habits, how to manage money, a code of ethics, how to choose a good bottle wine, and on and on. There were however other topics that you mentioned above that he was less comfortable discussing with me. Lucky for me he had a buddy that filled that gap and was complementary in many ways to what my dad taught me. Our families spent so much time together through the years that he was more like an uncle to me. I’ll call him Jack.

My dad travelled a lot when he was working, so Jack filled in quite a bit when my dad was away. Jack had all girls, so I think he enjoyed having me around. I remember him telling me he liked having someone else around who stood when they peed. He was the one who bought my first jockstrap for me. He explained why and when I should wear a jock, and showed me how to put it on. I remember this as being a genuine right of passage, proudly hanging my swim trunks and jockstrap next to Jack’s when I had joined he and his family on vacation one summer. He was the one who talked with me about masturbation, erections, and “male stuff” as you put it. He told me (before it happened) what to expect when I had my first ejaculation. Although I was initially uncomfortable having these conversations, he had a way of making it easy for me.

I remember when I was about to go to high school, and I told him how anxious I was about the prospect of using gang showers. At that time, there was no such thing as stall showers like you see at the gym now. He reassured me that it was no big deal and that it would be something I’d encounter a lot from that point on. For high school gym, in college dorms, in the service, etc. Then one day he gave me the “jump into the deep end” treatment. We were at the beach for the day and used a public changing room when we arrived. When we went to change towards the end of the day he told me to jump in the shower before I put my clothes on for the ride home (about an hour away). The tone of his voice and expression on his face conveyed that it was not optional, so next thing I knew I was confronting that fear. And of course as with many things at that age it wasn’t as bad as you anticipated it would be.

He was also the one that I talked to about anything and everything related to sex. He instructed me how to use a condom correctly, and gave me some to practice with. One day he took me to a drug store and had me buy them myself so I was comfortable doing that. I consider myself lucky to have had someone to talk to who was older than myself who had been “doing it” for a while instead of figuring it out myself or asking my buddies who could be just as clueless as myself.

My point, to put it coarsely, is that there are some things that you just have to have a dick to comprehend. This does not diminish the role of mothers in their son’s lives. I really can’t fathom how single moms handle these things with boys, but I have tremendous respect for those that find themselves in that situation.

Love EVERYTHING you’ve shared- and you really shared from the heart no less! I applaud you and would take my favorite jock off and present it to you…were you here! REALLY!

 

[RyanMI]

The underlying assumption of the article is still sexist, and is not backed up with credible data. What I’m seeing are anecdotes and inference — that’s the beginning of a study, not the conclusion. I’d like to see someone test those assumptions and reach a meaningful conclusion.

“Single moms” are not a monolith. Lots of women play sports. Lots of women work in health and medicine. Lots of women work with or for sports teams, sporting goods stores. The list goes on. There’s no reasonable cause to believe a mom wouldn’t realize a son would require different equipment, that she wouldn’t talk to a gym teacher, coach, male friend, etc.

Do single dads miss things with daughters? Sure. But no doubt they look out for the health and safety of them with the same diligence as moms would. Girls in martial arts need groin protectors just like boys do.

The assumptions in the article that single moms are ignorant of the needs of boys or won’t proactively work for their safety is what is sexist.

Pinning those assumptions to jockstrap sales is just ludicrous.

 

[strapped wrangler]

The underlying assumption of the article is still sexist, and is not backed up with credible data. What I’m seeing are anecdotes and inference — that’s the beginning of a study, not the conclusion. I’d like to see someone test those assumptions and reach a meaningful conclusion.

“Single moms” are not a monolith. Lots of women play sports. Lots of women work in health and medicine. Lots of women work with or for sports teams, sporting goods stores. The list goes on. There’s no reasonable cause to believe a mom wouldn’t realize a son would require different equipment, that she wouldn’t talk to a gym teacher, coach, male friend, etc.

Do single dads miss things with daughters? Sure. But no doubt they look out for the health and safety of them with the same diligence as moms would. Girls in martial arts need groin protectors just like boys do.

The assumptions in the article that single moms are ignorant of the needs of boys or won’t proactively work for their safety is what is sexist.

Pinning those assumptions to jockstrap sales is just ludicrous.

I see that you are holding your ground! I think that this discussion has produced some healthy, balanced exchanges. Read JockAndRolls first contribution. His father failed him on the "guy talk". (So, not all men do what is needed by their sons.)

It is beautiful how his father's best buddy stepped in and told him the "guy things" that every boy longs to hear from a man who bonds with him. I think all men should do that for each other. In fact, that is what this web site is doing. We are sharing the male bonding that we got, or did not get, and we are feeling supported by hearing each other's stories. We are filling in the blanks in our lives with this brotherhood bonding. You are invited to feel the love.

We all agree that BIKE, in blaming single mothers, greatly overstated that case. We all agree with that. I spent a lot of time researching and listing the real reasons why jock sales died. I think it would be fair for you to say something positive about my efforts to identify the real reasons, instead of spending all your energy attacking the fact that the single mother issue can be a legitimate but a minor factor.

You use the word ludicrous (absurdity that incites scorn). That is a strong word. (I have only heard that word used by highly educated gay males, and only when they were feeling vindictive. I don't like that attack word.) Does this discussion have to be so black-and-white?

FAMILY STORIES

Different women have different feelings about jockstraps. My mother did not like us to wear them. She didn't like her skinny 11 year old son showing a huge jockstrap waist band above my swim trunks. My Dad thought it was great! She though males looked better in boxers that "didn't show so much graphic detail". We had 4 boys in the house and with a dad, there were jockstraps all over the place. Not my mother's dreams.

They got divorced in later years and my youngest brother, raised by my mother, has a deep hatred for men. He is not gay, but he looks for affection with men (and will sometimes accept sex) to compensate for the hunger in his heart. He is a bitter psychological mess. His own son is a worse emotionally crippled mess.

I have heard countless women complain that men are always "itching" themselves down there, especially baseball players on TV as they get up to bat. They don't understand that we are not "itching". We are adjusting. Balls and cocks can get in uncomfortable positions, sometimes all day long if your underwear aren't helping. Women don't figure it out because they don't have balls themselves. And the baseball player up to bat doesn't want to have a maladjusted cup when the takes a power swing.

On the other hand, my daughter suggested her son wear a jock, even though the other guys in school did not. She knew to suggest jocks because she had a father (me) to teach her about men. How many women know to do that?

Her son did not take her advice. He wanted to be like the other boys. Something went wrong with one of his balls playing soccer. She was the one who took caution and got him immediately to the doctor. His dad might not have. It turns out that he came close to losing one of his balls due to testicular trauma, strangulation of the chords. He had to have immediate surgery. It saved his nut.

So, I do not have stereotypes for women. But there was a grandpa behind the scenes in this story, who hopes to have great grandchildren someday.

I think that in general, men (biological "ball carriers") understand men's bodies better than women do. Saying this is not being sexists. It's just my experience.

MENTORS AND BUDDIES

After WW2 many men did not come home. The men of the community made sure that they included the fatherless boy in guys events because people used to think that every boy needed a man to love him. Today 50% of boys are fatherless, and it has become common. Becoming common does not mean that there are not unfulfilled needs. If you want to go far back in human history women who got pregnant with no husband were stoned, because a fatherless boy was seen as a useless drain on the tribe. Historically, you are going to have trouble documenting the uselessness of a father's parenting.

I have been involved in programs for the Boy Scouts of America and had the opportunity to show love and guidance for many boys with no fathers, or with fathers who didn't provide all their needs. I received a national award for my influence in the program. So, my ideas have been well received on a large scale.

I have been in many adult (straight) men's groups, where we talk deeply about our inner feelings and needs. Do you speak from experience too? Have you ever held a man in your arms until 2:00 in the morning while he sobbed and cried because he never had a father to love him and teach him? There are plenty of them out there.

As a side note, I took local boys on vigorous outdoor and athletic experiences. The boys with single mothers were less likely to wear jocks than the boys with dads or brothers. In these cases, I was the mentor to tell them the benefits of jocks and to find the courage to tell their mothers that they want to try a jockstrap. And that they might have to try several brands before they find the brand they like. It was often difficult and embarrassing for them to bring this up with their mothers. I'm asking you to show respect for my experience and not call it ludicrous.

If you have a dad, or a male mentor, to tell you to stand tall in the gang shower room when you have the shortest cock in site, you will never forget his instructions to be proud. You will honor him when the temptation to feel insecure arises. You have that bonding moment to stand on for the rest of your life. I cannot believe that many single mothers understand all the things that a guy needs to hear. There are lots of things that a guy needs to hear from a man.

Many men had an older brother, a cousin, or an older teen who they admired tell them the wisdom of wearing a jock. And so the guy wears jocks the rest of his life. Nothing can measure up to the advice from an admired mentor who accepts you and invites you to participate in what the cool guys do.

Rites of passage, that cements your identity for your life, is being initiated by another. It's not something you can chose for yourself. You have to be invited. A mother can raise a son with strong character traits. But a mother cannot initiate the boy into the world of men, in the thousand ways that a boy with a father gets it.

Boys show love by teasing their best buddies, even insulting each other. This strengthens you. To be able to take ridicule from your buddies who love you and accept your differences. Then when the bullies insult your differences, you do not have thin skin and you don't crumble.

I never met a woman who you could tease like men enjoy teasing each other. You will lose your wife if you tease her the way you treat your buddies. There are different cultures between women and men, and in general, one cannot teach what the other can.

Men teach challenge, and how to handle challenge. Women are nurturing. It is not sexist to acknowledge the differences between the genders, nor to suggest that in an ideal society children would somehow get nurtured by both.

Again, we all agree with you that BIKE was wrong in placing all the blame for their loss of sales on single mothers. But, instead of using your strong accusatory words against us for saying that most single mothers usually do not know how to do what a father can do, I think it would be for your own good to join the group and enjoy the male-exclusive support that the brothers are sharing with each other in this conversation.

It is a beautiful thing for men to love each other deeply, gay or straight. It doesn't matter. I'm not seeing any of that from you. You are invited.

You could be joining us in the sharing of male virtues, instead of rejecting us because we are talking about things that we did not get from women.

I would like to hear you say something joyous about JockAndRoll's story, if you cannot give some credit to mine. You are invited to participate in and benefit from what men can uniquely do for other men.

 

[RyanMI]

to be clear, no one here is being attacked. The article is coming under rightful scrutiny because it makes a baseless assertion, and one that is rooted in making assumptions about a whole group’s abilities based on their sex. That’s the definition of sexism.

I’m going to stick to talking about the article and not respond to anyone’s projections about me.

 

[strapped wrangler]

to be clear, no one here is being attacked. The article is coming under rightful scrutiny because it makes a baseless assertion, and one that is rooted in making assumptions about a whole group’s abilities based on their sex. That’s the definition of sexism.

I’m going to stick to talking about the article and not respond to anyone’s projections about me.

OK. I don't think that neither BIKE nor anyone in this discussion is saying "a whole group's abilities are based on their sex". I didn't hear anyone doing that. The article was only (exaggeratively) claiming that there were enough single moms to affect the drop in jockstrap sales. Nobody was wholesale bashing single mothers. We are sharing our experiences that men can share things with boys that many women often don't. We are not anybody's enemy. I was hoping that you might enjoy hearing some of the unique ways that men (gay or straight) can show love to men, in ways that women can't.

I just added FAMILY STORIES to my comments since you read it. You might find my personal experience interesting.

 

[RyanMI]

Correct, no one here is saying that.

Back to the article: it’s a mess. It makes a broad assumption about single moms (who are, generally women). “Single moms” are a favorite punching bag for conservative talking heads — a known dog whistle for sexism. It exhibits a strong whiff of classism too, before it goes completely off the rails into the 900 numbers bit.

Lastly, it makes no real effort to back up its claim about jockstraps. It does a drive-by innuendo before descending into gibberish.

 

[Jockstrapguy]

Correct, no one here is saying that.

Back to the article: it’s a mess. It makes a broad assumption about single moms (who are, generally women). “Single moms” are a favorite punching bag for conservative talking heads — a known dog whistle for sexism. It exhibits a strong whiff of classism too, before it goes completely off the rails into the 900 numbers bit.

Lastly, it makes no real effort to back up its claim about jockstraps. It does a drive-by innuendo before descending into gibberish.

The article is a mess - but seems like a database error loading two articles into one. I think the actual article is meant to be short and sweet and a bit of newspaper filler. The article should end at:

"The Bike Athletic Co. is known as the jockstrap originator. It started the tradition in 1874, making the straps for bicyclists."

Then it goes into another article with the headline:

"Heed 900-number tips"

And everything beyond that is another article.

There's no way you can blame one thing on the demise of jockstrap wearing of youths in sports, I think it was a multitude of reasons. Attitude changes, perception, the "cool" factor, hygiene, better alternatives for other supportive gear, lack of choice as sports jockstraps options disappeared. just to name a few things at the top of my head.

Anyway, this is certainly an interesting discussion going on. Just keep it civil and respectful guys! I'm going back to programming.

Cheers,

John.

 

[strapped wrangler]

The article is a mess - but seems like a database error loading two articles into one. I think the actual article is meant to be short and sweet and a bit of newspaper filler. The article should end at:

"The Bike Athletic Co. is known as the jockstrap originator. It started the tradition in 1874, making the straps for bicyclists."

Then it goes into another article with the headline:

"Heed 900-number tips"

And everything beyond that is another article.

There's no way you can blame one thing on the demise of jockstrap wearing of youths in sports, I think it was a multitude of reasons. Attitude changes, perception, the "cool" factor, hygiene, better alternatives for other supportive gear, lack of choice as sports jockstraps options disappeared. just to name a few things at the top of my head.

Anyway, this is certainly an interesting discussion going on. Just keep it civil and respectful guys! I'm going back to programming.

Cheers,

John.

I think one of the best parts of this conversation is when JockAndRoll's "uncle" told him to strip and go stand in the gang showers. "The tone of his voice and expression on his face conveyed that it was not optional."

I am willing to bet those loving instructions, on how to be a man, stayed with him all his life, and over-rode any potential fear-based insecurities.

The other man-to-boy coaching that RockAndRoll told of are examples of the treasures I find on this all-male site. The guys who like jockstraps are here to acknowledge and affirm male confidence and culture.

 

[Deleted member 1943]

I think one of the best parts of this conversation is when JockAndRoll's "uncle" told him to strip and go stand in the gang showers. "The tone of his voice and expression on his face conveyed that it was not optional."

I am willing to bet those loving instructions, on how to be a man, stayed with him all his life, and over-rode any potential fear-based insecurities.

The other man-to-boy coaching that RockAndRoll told of are examples of the treasures I find on this all-male site. The guys who like jockstraps are here to acknowledge and affirm male confidence and culture.

I recall that when Jack told me to go get in the shower my first instinct was to counter with something like “but I’ve been swimming so I don’t need to shower”. I don’t think I got the first word out of my mouth. He saw me hesitate and in an instant told me to get my butt in the shower pronto.
You are absolutely correct that the occasion is something that left a lasting positive impression on me. I think this is why the details are still so vivid. Jack gave me the course correction I needed in that moment. That day I got over my anxiety about gang showers. In the bigger scheme of things it made me realize that baseless fear of anything could be paralyzing and keep me from moving forward. I didn’t get that part of it right away, but at some point I realized that Jack unquestionably knew this and in his way passed it on to me.

 

[strapped wrangler]

I recall that when Jack told me to go get in the shower my first instinct was to counter with something like “but I’ve been swimming so I don’t need to shower”. I don’t think I got the first word out of my mouth. He saw me hesitate and in an instant told me to get my butt in the shower pronto.
You are absolutely correct that the occasion is something that left a lasting positive impression on me. I think this is why the details are still so vivid. Jack gave me the course correction I needed in that moment. That day I got over my anxiety about gang showers. In the bigger scheme of things it made me realize that baseless fear of anything could be paralyzing and keep me from moving forward. I didn’t get that part of it right away, but at some point I realized that Jack unquestionably knew this and in his way passed it on to me.

I tell guys that they got their cocks from generations of ancestors who are in heaven. They are looking down at you and saying, "You are carrying it in this generation. Stand tall and proud for us."

 

[strapped wrangler]

DIVORCE

Some people in this conversation agree that the increase of divorces may have been one small factor in the decline in jockstrap wearing. No one in this conversation has been derogatory, nor "sexist" towards single mothers. No one in this conversation has "used single moms as a punching bag". Any decline in jockstrap culture would be due to the absence of fathers in the homes, or because of fathers abandoning their sons.