[ 2023 ] New Thong Law. Myrtle Beach, SC

[T_R_Oglodyte]

People in the New York metropolitan region referred to flipflops as "thongs" in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Not just NY. I grew up in Minneapolis in the 1960s, and the same was true there. Might still be true there. When thong underwear arrived, it was called "thong underwear", "thong panties", or some such, to differentiate from thong footwear.

 

[CO skier]

Pure sexism. This "law" is clearly directed at women (and RX8). I hope it goes the way of prohibition.

 

[jwalk03]

Pure sexism. This "law" is clearly directed at women (and RX8). I hope it goes the way of prohibition.

I saw a few men wearing thong briefs in Ft. Lauderdale at Spring Break this year, that would certainly violate the Myrtle Beach law- so not just women!
(Though the part of the law that specifically outlaws the female breast is another story.)

I agree its a dumb law. What others are wearing at the beach does not affect my enjoyment at all.

 

[Brett]

Pure sexism. This "law" is clearly directed at women (and RX8). I hope it goes the way of prohibition.

and if men can go topless why can't everybody - it's about freedom !

 

[am1]

and if men can go topless why can't everybody - it's about freedom !

Some women can go topless as well. Just depends on what parts you were born with and what you now identify as. Crazy world we live in.

 

[Talent312]

Some women can go topless as well. Just depends on what parts you were born with and what you now identify as. Crazy world we live in.

It may also depend on whether you're on a Greek Island or the South of France.

 

[Huskerpaul]

They were thong (sandals) to us in New Orleans, too. I didn’t even know about the bathing suits until many years later and was very confused by disparaging remarks about people wearing thongs!

I grew up on Guam where they were called zoris. Zori - thonged Japanese sandals made of rice straw, cloth, lacquered wood, leather, or rubber. My mother still calls them zoris.

 

[LannyPC]

What I'd like to know is, is there some sort of a standard of measurement that is set? Are there measurements and dimensions on the bottom piece (assuming it's a two-piece bathing suit) that it has to adhere to? At what point does a bottom piece of a two-piece bathing suit qualify as a "thong"? If there is some sort of standard measurement, are the police going to come with tape measures and measure the dimensions on the bathing suit?

For instance, is the law going to say that the distance from the waistline to the bottom of the piece must be at least [...] inches long? For the strap on the side, the waistband must be at least [...] inches thick? The distance from the gluteal fold (the point where the leg hamstring meets the buttocks) to the bottom of the bathing suit cannot be more than [...] inches?

I'm not objecting. It just leaves me with more questions than answers.

 

[CalGalTraveler]

Well...I presume thong-wearers could stage a protest to this law. Then we would see a throng of thongs.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

Well...I presume thong-wearers could stage a protest to this law. Then we would see a throng of thongs.

Might that not lead to a Game of Throngs, in which the ultimate winner would get to sit on the Iron Thong?

 

[Talent312]

What I'd like to know is, is there some sort of a standard of measurement that is set?

Other questions might be:
(1) Who will do the measuring?
(2) What measuring device will be used?
(3) Will it be "hands on" or photographic evidence?
(4) If the latter, will the photos be available online?

 

[artringwald]

To be fair, they should also ban speedos.
.

I hope not. The only swim suit I have is a Speedo. (my swim suit but obviously, not my body )

 

[pedro47]

Why is this not a big issue on the beaches in South America, Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia? Thongs are very popular overseas. IMHO.

 

[Sugarcubesea]

Anyone watching Keri Russell in The Diplomat? Interesting slang for thong underwear.

@The Colorado Kid , I am, my hubby turned me onto it and then I binge watched the first few episodes. I've now watched the last one and I hope more will be made, I'm really enjoying this series and yes interesting slang for thong underwear.

 

[1Melanie]

I grew up in Hawaii, so"flip-flops" (or thongs to you) will always be slippers to me, not to be confused with the fuzzy type worn in the home or spa.

More like “rubbah slippahs”. Very much feared! You knew you were in trouble when someone threatened you with “I’m goin’ get da slippah!”

 

[1Melanie]

Didn't know this was a big ennough problem to create a law against it.

I think not being big enough is the problem!

 

[rapmarks]

More like “rubbah slippahs”. Very much feared! You knew you were in trouble when someone threatened you with “I’m goin’ get da slippah!”

Is it the equivalent of the wooden spoon?

 

[1Melanie]

Is it the equivalent of the wooden spoon?

Exactly!

 

[Jan M.]

Mothers with a flip-flop are deadly. Lol

 

[clifffaith]

More like “rubbah slippahs”. Very much feared! You knew you were in trouble when someone threatened you with “I’m goin’ get da slippah!”

La Chancla! I now wear heavier orthopedic flip flops so that they have proper arch support, but light weight rubber ones (my favorite had a Hawaiian print) could be thrown across the room at offending cats. If the throw went wild (which they often did if I was the one throwing) it wouldn’t break anything. We had a cartoon from the La Cucaracha comic strip pinned to the bulletin board for years which depicted a giant flip flop (chancla in Spanish) on the rampage like Godzilla. It got so all we had to do was take off a flip flop and cats would stop what they were doing.

 

[clifffaith]

Is it the equivalent of the wooden spoon?

Mom used a wooden spoon on us until the day she backed me into a corner and I looked down at her, by then being four inches taller, and told her If she hit me I’d take the spoon from her and hit her back. Spoon never made another appearance.

 

[easyrider]

I was invited to a stag party decades ago and one of the girls told me that she would be there and would be wearing a thong. I actually thought she was wearing flip flops and thought that was odd for her to think anyone would care. Anyway, she was wearing flip flops but was also wearing a revealing bikini which I found out to be a thong, lol.

Bill

 

[isisdave]

In San Diego of the '60s, we used "beachwalkers" "go-aheads" "zoris" (I thought then that was a brand, but now I guess it's a Japanese reference) and thongs. Sometimes all at once, as in "beachwalkergoaheadzorithongs" to be cute, or annoying.

By the way, in reading the text of that ordinance, I don't see how most bikini bottoms or even some Speedos conform. I was imagining there'd be some percentage or square-inch criterion, and wondering who had to do the measuring. Seriously, the difference between a bikini bottom and thong is only one of degree.

Anyway, my thong identifies as baggies. Or is it the other way around?

 

[rapmarks]

I was invited to a stag party decades ago and one of the girls told me that she would be there and would be wearing a thong. I actually thought she was wearing flip flops and thought that was odd for her to think anyone would care. Anyway, she was wearing flip flops but was also wearing a revealing bikini which I found out to be a thong, lol.

Bill

I complained about following a very slow golfer wearing thongs , the pro was quite disappointed when he saw the flip flops

 

[amycurl]

Why is this not a big issue on the beaches in South America, Australia, Africa, Europe and Asia? Thongs are very popular overseas. IMHO.

Because Puritans

And, like most all dress codes in the US, I suspect it will be disproportionately used to police the bodies of women (especially non-white women.) I wonder if they are tracking who they are "dress coding" on the beach? And if that information can be gotten through a FOIA request to the Myrtle Beach PD?