Do men wear Boxers to hide their genitals?

At one time, boxers divided upper class men, young, and old, from the other classes of men. Males had a penis (medical term), cock, dick, piece, package (common terms), until they had junk. A connection? Men wearing briefs displayed their genitals, the tighter, thinner, the stronger the outline. Men, and boys knew that a doctor was going to pull them down, off, up, with, or without their help for the genital exam, hernia check. Before a male physical exam accommodated the reluctance to make them visible. Boxers hide sexual organs: junk. A connection? Peer pressure? Social media? Movies? The Internet? Older brothers? Absent, or present fathers?

Interesting question. The sight of underwear is, however, reserved for private moments (or at the doctor's office, more often in the changing rooms of gyms), but I think there has been the same evolution on beaches with swimsuits. It was sometimes also possible to see if one was circumcised or not.

One hypothesis I haven't verified: has the size of male genitalia decreased over the last few decades? Are men now self-conscious about it?

Another possibility: fashion dictates that everyone should buy the same clothes. Could a teenager wear briefs nowadays without having any comments on this matter? Or worse, malicious assumptions about his sexual orientation? (I remember similar comments 50 years ago regarding an usual color of briefs)

Regarding the evolution of language, I have not observed the same thing in French, the most commonly used word (“bite”) having appeared around 1940. In German as well, the word “Schwanz” (tail) does not have a pejorative connotation.

Not sure if this is quite the question, but certainly in the UK, I understand that the popularity of boxers took off after the Nick Kamen Levis advert of him stripping down to white boxers and white socks in a laundrette. I also read that in the original plan for the advert he was going to be in tightie whites but the advertising regulator vetoed it as too risque.

Certainly as a kid born in the mid 80s I wore briefs when I was young before switching to boxers later on and then boxer briefs in my teens as they took off also.

I altered the name of the topic so that it tells members what it is about.

I cant answer for anyone but myself and as a kid growing up in the 60s white briefs were the only option and they definitely did not hide my genitals once I hit puberty which was kind of embarrassing in the pediatricians office and later in college before gowns became popluar. I did see some guys a little older that had joined the military were wearing boxers at the gym and I bought a few pairs at around 16 or 17, but did not like the way everything was flopping around particularly in the summer time with shorts on so went back to briefs and I don't recall when colored briefs came out but switched to those and then boxer briefs later when they came out I found worked just as well with less restriction.

I don't like boxers because my balls and penis flop down the leg without any support. I prefer regular briefs that give me good support.

I wear both briefs as well as boxers - depends on the mood, the temperature that particular day, etc. Briefs are definitely the best for support. I'm not a fan of boxerbriefs but I know a lot of men are - if I'm putting on boxers that morning I want classic boxer shorts.

Now that it's 2026, I don't believe there's any connotation to sexuality or sexual preference connected to a guy's underwear. Anyway, not in any of the cosmopolitan cities in the USA. In rural areas there may still be prejudices regarding men's underwear styles - I wouldn't be surprised, but really it's very old-fashioned to think that way.

BTW, standard white briefs ("tighty whities") are in the process of making a major comeback. Admittedly this may be because I live in Los Angeles, but standard - even retro - white briefs are considered by a lot of males in various professions as very cool & fun.

@thisismark proof, perhaps, in tightywhities.org the creator of which prefers full size briefs, and, unlike pics of guys in them showing to their packages, rather neutral. He's a country singer, I think.

My father and grandfather always wore boxers and I really think wearing them did the opposite.

When I was young I wore white briefs, even in high school. At one point I bought briefs in a darker color (not as transparent) but I got ribbed changing for PE because most of the guys still wore the white briefs and teased my about my 'sexy' underwear. In college (late 1980s) there was a trend to wear boxers. I bought some because most of the guys walking to and from the showers wore boxers. I lived in a co-ed dorm that alternated male/female rooms so anyone walking to the bathroom was on display.

I could never wear boxer because I felt they were too loose. The fabric provided no support and while walking I would inevitably pop into one of the legs and the rubbing would cause a semi. Later I switched to boxer briefs and have stuck with them - they provide the support I want but do not really hide the bulge.

At secondary school we were not allowed to wear boxers under our PE shorts. Reason being the shorts themselves were very short, boxers showing would be untidy. We certainly shown a bulge.

Likewise the girls often had to do PE wearing only a T-shirt and knickers on their body. The T-shirt went down over most but not all of the knickers, T-shirts were not allowed to be “worn like a dress”.

At my first secondary school everything was done to keep boys and girls apart. At my second it was the opposite, I think they wanted to break the segregation of the past.

At secondary school we were not allowed to wear boxers under our PE shorts.

@JohnTom Was it allowed to wear less visible briefs, or were you not supposed to wear anything under your shorts? If it was the second option, were checks carried out?

Personally, I never liked boxers. Not enough support. I have worn briefs, trunks, and bikini briefs, and boxer briefs (Although I'm not a fan of the latter. Goes too far down on my leg for my comfort under regular clothes, although compression shorts at the gym are OK.) As far as hiding the package, it never really thought about it.

I like the more compressed, closed in feeling from underwear that are tight

@JohnTom Was it allowed to wear less visible briefs, or were you not supposed to wear anything under your shorts? If it was the second option, were checks carried out?

We all wore Y-fronts under our shorts, most wore white. A male PE teacher would often be in the room as we changed.

Wearing nothing would not be an option because the shorts were horrible quality nylon.

You could buy a regular school uniform anywhere, but PE kit had to be bought from the school themselves.

I’ve never been able to wear boxers, my manhood always never fits right in them, sometimes poking through the bottom therefore I only wear bikini briefs which kept me front and centre loaded correctly and comfortably.

Hiding my genitals never crossed my mind. I wore briefs (tighty whities) from the first time my mother first pulled a pair on me until I was in high school when I notice some other boys wearing boxers. I bought some and gave them a try. Immediately I was in love with them. My junk for the first time felt cool and free, not all hot, sweaty, bunched up, and stuck together. I never went back.

Like @JohnTom boxers were not permitted, we had to wear white cotton Y-fronts and wearing nothing under shorts wasn't advisable.

I grew up wearing tighty whiteys because that what my dad wore. Sometime in my late teens I started wearing regular boxers. I find them much more comfortable to wear. I don't like having my ball and dick all squished up together into a tight package. I much more prefer the comfort of hanging loose. It all stays cooler. I am not so hung that I have to worry about falling out of the leg opening. If the opening of the boxers opens while I'm at the doctor or whatever I just ignore it if I become aware of it.