Oh, dear. Male packages swing low for a reason. They're gonna render themselves infertile!

That "muffin-top control elastic" is working a treat on those models! Their muffin-tops are being transformed into rock-hard abs and obliques! Wow! Where does all the fat go?

This isn't particularly new. There's a fairly good write up on (NSFW) blog Men's Underwear Guy about the different types of support/enhancement available: http://mensunderwearguy.com/2008/03/09/reader-comments--questions-4th-edition.aspx

I think it's funny that 2exist looks so much like sexist...

Finally! I've always wanted codpieces to come back into fashion. Time to party like it's the 1500s. /snark

I do wonder though--are they more comfortable when exercising? I find sports bras to be super comfy for anything that involves running or jumping. I assume dangling manparts are likewise uncomfortable.

I wonder how well they'd work for keeping packers in place, for the trans FTM crowd....

I'm totally getting my husband one of these. Effing awesome.

Random question: Why can't I comment on the Australia Iron Man video?

Is it fair to say that it's the "male gaze" that results in objectification? Many women I've encountered do the same thing, and women commenting on the size of a man's "package" is definitely not that rare...

"That is, it’s the male gaze that results in objectification, not a female body."

spot on, i like the way you put it. :)

Is it bad that I knew this was intended for gay men before I even clicked on the link?

I was telling a friend of mine yesterday that there's no way men can avoid the mass commercialization of their appearance for very much longer. The industry just stands to benefit too much from making guys as concerned about their looks as women are.

Also I have it on good authority that boys in other countries make a game out of all gathering in the locker room and yanking down their pants on the count of 3, for the obvious purpose of comparing sizes. I've never understood the desire to have the kind of equipment better suited to a horse -- you obviously want it to be of an adequate size, but much more than that and many potential partners won't be "compatible" with you.

I suppose it's a constructed ideal, similar to some women's desire for breast implants. I'm just glad penis-lengthening surgery hasn't been "perfected" to the degree that breast implant surgery has, or you'd go out clubbing and find otherwise decent-looking men who'd altered themselves to the tune of an extra seven or eight inches. Ugh.

Everything Old Is New Again. Renaissance fashion has returned...in at least one aspect...now for those tights and jacket tunics.

My man noticed the masterful use of the word 'horseshoe' in the ad to bring the subject of horses to mind. :)

What I want to know is, who are you fooling? Is the point to have random people on the street be impressed by your package? I assume if these sorts of things were worn with intentions to attract a partner, anyone, man or woman, would be pretty unimpressed as soon as your pants came off. And I don't mean they'd be unimpressed with penis size, necessarily—I mean, they'd think you're just sort of desperate and pathetic for wearing padded underwear.

i just can't believe that they used the term "muffin-top"

I love that the part about "adding 1.5 inches" is mentioned twice, just in case the reader missed it the first time.

These totally aren't the first push-up mantie! A company called Aussiebum got a lot of attention a few years back for a product called "The Wonderjock." http://www.google.com/trends?q=wonderjock

Here's a video about the Wonderjock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIzZzNaW8oY

I actually got my husband a pair as a joke, and while I can report that they were indeed quite flattering, he loved them because they were super comfortable for working out and almost like a low-level jockstrap.

You don't need to say you're being sarcastic. It was obvious. Good writers never tell people what they're trying to do. They make it clear.

I think these are great, i am totally going to buy and try them and come on every one no matter str8 or gay men like to compare junk. so i am sure when you wear it in your gym locker room you will see few heads tuning :)

No one finds a "package" that's "pushed to the front" attractive. If it's hard, and sticks out like a codpiece, everyone will know it's fake anyway. The hottest packages are the ones that have the basic shape of the cock and balls, but on either side of the zipper area...man, I miss the 70s! I hope this doesn't start an idiot trend...remember those stupid Caesar cuts you all had a few years back, with your bangs cut to one inch?

Just another fad and a pretty sad one at that. I've never been one to fall for the innane marketing gimmics. When western wear got popular (and expensive) I ditched it and went back to military surplus. When that got popular around here I ditched it and went with simple slacks and shirts. Then that caught on so I decided to get radical and started wearing kilts, even learned to make them. So far nobody else around here has had the courage to copy that. That silly padded underwear sure wouldn't make any difference under a kilt.

This actually serves a legitimate purpose. No more DOP (dick-outta-place) situations and no more females (and shemales) bitching about low-class crackers grabbing their stuff in public.

wait a fucking minute, you people are actually commenting on this? HOW SAD!

As a gay, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see bunches of straight people gaping in slack-jawed amazement by our exotic ways, but really, are you folks that shocked by this?

Hey all,

When I originally sent in the Spanx for Men, I was amused (read: slightly horrified). What was most interesting to me and my students was the construction of gender in the Spanx catalog/website.

Looking at the cartoon image, I thought of Goffman’s hegemonic ideal (i.e., “The young, married, white, urban, northern, heterosexual, Protestant, college education, fully employed, of good complexion, weight, and height, and a recent record in sports,” (Stigma ~ p. 128).

Note the usual masculine symbols:

Language (e.g., Game on, Comfortable/Powerful), the “strong” front-forward stance, Dark colors (red, black), and the “explosion” starburst behind the square-jawed cartoon figure.

Notice, also, that they are marketing this to women to buy for “their” man as it promises to “…forever change the way your favorite man looks and feels in his clothes.” (I see in the front of the catalog that they get though sans of emails pleading for….help for your husbands -- among other crises). Don't get me started on compulsory heterosexuality.

In a minute, I’ll send along some photos of some of the women’s Spanx products including those that offer a new “generation of power.” That's not real, um, say, political power…but “slimming” power.

Also, a new line called “Skinny Britches” -- with the “i” dotted with a heart and pink striped background. They are “Easy to wear, fun to Layer!” And now it's not just "celebrities" who are the "skinny britches." Get it, Britches...bitches...so, so clever. Can you hear my deadpan tone? And, of course, suggests the created (real?) competition between women.

Buyers can “make it your own” by purchasing their favorite colors!

And, of course, purchasing more is better.

“Wear 1 to slim” = “Wow!”
“Layer 2 to Shape” = “Double wow!”
“Add a 3rd to transform = “Work it girl!”

I don’t know about anybody else but having to buy and then put on/take off 3 layers sounds like anything but “fun.”

What's next?

The NYTimes had an article on Spanx for Men at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/fashion/30spanx.html?hpw=&pagewanted=print

My favorite comment: "Some clever semantics may help. Mr. Wooster of Neiman Marcus suggested that one way for men to think of a foundation garment (as he called Spanx) is that it is about “problem solving, and another way of feeling secure and prepared for life.”"