Speedo
Speedo is an informal term used to describe the tighter, brief-shaped swimwear sometimes worn by boys and men, as opposed to long swimming shorts. Speedos take their name from the swimsuit brand Speedo.
Speedos are known in the United Kingdom as swim trunks/swimming trunks. In the United States they are also known as competition briefs, swim briefs, or racing briefs.
The fashionability of speedos varies greatly in different parts of the world. Especially in North America, more modest styles such as boardshorts are common. Speedos are still worn in many areas of Southern Europe by men young and old.
In North America young gay men traditionally wear speedos and often the actual Speedo brand. It is most unusual to see gay men at traditional gay resorts, pools or beaches wearing any other sort of swimwear. At mixed venues, gay men use speedos as a convenient way to identify one another.
