01.EN. Why thongs? Do you wear it?

from 普通人Normal People Hosted by StellaKim98

In the changing room at a indoor cycling studio, I noticed something a little unexpected: it seemed like everyone was wearing a thong underwear. As for whether it’s actually comfortable—I have some firsthand experience with that. But when we started tracing the history of this seemingly ordinary piece of underwear, we discovered that the thong has never been just a piece of fabric. Its story is tied to a much bigger conversation about sexuality, the body, power, popular culture, marketing, and female identity. In this episode, we talk about: How the thong evolved from a design intended to circumvent nudity laws into a common style of modern underwear Why it became associated with male desire, pin-up culture, and the sexualization of the female body How brand marketing, mail-order catalogs, celebrity influence, and popular culture helped make the thong mainstream in the 1990s and early 2000s How changing attitudes toward age, body ideals, and sexuality have shaped people’s choices when it comes to wearing thongs Why some products survive and remain popular not simply because they are comfortable or practical, but because they carry powerful cultural meanings and commercial value And finally, whether you finish this episode deciding to keep wearing thongs, give them up completely, or realizing that you simply don’t care that much about them—we hope whatever choice you make comes from your own body, your own comfort, and your own needs. Intro music Temporary Life - Zerui Quan: https://open.spotify.com/track/2yE1fIUimTxHhCw8BLVNUo?si=c33291141aa5420f