# Men's Underwear **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298 "2000-01-18T05:01:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PrivyQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/85e7bf/32.png) [@PrivyQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrivyQueen)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2000, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/1 "2000-01-18T05:01:00Z")
What I’ve always found silly about men’s underwear are those ridiculous openings on the front of jockey shorts. What are they there for? Really? It is not physically possible to piss with your male ‘unit’ in the shape of the letter Z. - I asked my husband. And the hole isn’t big enough to get more than a couple of fingers in. Who is it made for? Enlighten me! ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2000, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/2 "2000-01-18T05:12:00Z")
I don’t know about your husband but it IS made for just what you think it is? ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2000, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/3 "2000-01-18T05:15:00Z")
This was one of the topics in a classic thread started by our own Nickrz called [Bad Underwear Day](http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/002779.html). * * * We gladly devour those who would subdue us. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2000, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/4 "2000-01-18T05:25:00Z")
Shoot, I don’t know. I’ve often wondered the same thing. I think it started as a way to relieve oneself without undoing belt and pants and such, so that one could merely unzip and poke out to shake the dew off the lily. But as you pointed out, this is impossible if one’s shlong is thicker than a spaghetti noodle. Maybe it is for catheterized para- and quadrapelegics. I guess it’s possible. However, this only happens with the flap type. I have noticed that the button type works great for pissing through one’s pants. I think that this is somewhat akin to the flap on the back of long john’s. * * * “And on the eighth day, God Created beer to prevent the Irish from taking over the Earth.” _~SNOOGANS~_ ---
**Author:** ![PrivyQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/85e7bf/32.png) [@PrivyQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PrivyQueen)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2000, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/5 "2000-01-18T05:31:00Z")
**Alphagene** I read that thread, and several other related ones. The best answer I found is: > [@](#): > > Strainger - These are made for men whose penises are 1/4 inch in diameter and attached to the left side of their groin area. These men are easy to spot - they’re the ones standing with their right elbow pointed toward the urinal. Ummm…not too many guys would admit to being built like that! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![fluffball86](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@fluffball86](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluffball86)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/6 "2004-02-22T00:33:09Z")
What would someone have to do to get Cecil to answer this? Cause I’ve been wondering about it. Thanks in Advance. I haven;t seen anything like this when I searched up “underwear” in the archives so any help getting an answer would be much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/7 "2004-02-22T01:48:24Z")
There seems to be an epidemic of poorly designed briefs or grossly deformed penises. My Y-fronts open to about 4 inches in diameter, which is more than enough to pee through. The fly can be useful with dress slacks. With jeans, it’s more trouble than it’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/8 "2004-02-22T03:08:19Z")
(Is a four-year resurrection a new record?) ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/9 "2004-02-22T04:49:12Z")
It is my contention that it makes it easier to manufacture to fit the male shape and using it to pee thru is just an excuse to do it that way. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/10 "2004-02-22T05:09:38Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > It is my contention that it makes it easier to manufacture No, it is easiest to manufacture the bikini style, with no openings at all in front, just the flat piece of fabric. The fly opening, with 2 layers of fabric overlapping, is much more difficult to manufacture and takes more cloth. It wouldn’t be done that way except that customers want it that way. Coming from Minneapolis, MN, home of Munsingwear, and originators of the one-piece union suit, the forerunner of jockey/briefs style underwear! ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/11 "2004-02-22T05:28:47Z")
This seems ot be a subject of enduring interest. We had a thread on it a couple of weeks ago. I suspect the problem is that some of you get low-cut briefs. Although they have the fly opening, there’s not enough height to make using it practicable. With full-cut briefs, the opening is more than ample, no matter how well enowed you might be. And using it involves just a quick, simple zip and flip. Much easier than unbuckling and unbuttoning, and still easier than dropping the front of the briefs. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/12 "2004-02-23T18:10:16Z")
Am I the first one to notice that someone named “PrivyQueen” is asking about underwear? Guess so… Oh well, off to battle the privy monsters. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/13 "2004-02-24T04:31:34Z")
I can’t use those damn underwear fly things worth a damn. But it’s easy to pull the wasteband down a little. The fly in my jeans works fine. I don’t get it either. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/14 "2004-02-24T04:49:45Z")
Yet another advantage of having a Small Penis. I make heavy use of the dick hole in both boxers and briefs. ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/15 "2004-02-24T07:43:14Z")
Of course the original purpose of the fly in men’s underwear was to facilitate urination without undoing the pants; this is also the purpose of having the fly on pants located where it is, although having the fly in the front middle also makes it easier for a man to use a urinal with the pants undone. But very few men actually use the fly to urinate, especially when wearing briefs. It is much easier to undo the pants and pull down the underwear. So why do even the cheapest discount brands have the layered flap in front? It’s so that men’s underwear don’t look like women’s. We’ve long since arrived at the point where women can freely wear pretty much any and all men’s clothing without repurcussions. It was a fad a few years ago among teenage girls to wear men’s boxers as shorts. Though a little strange for my taste, nobody really considered it deviant. However, we are still a long way away from it being acceptable for men to wear women’s clothing, especially underwear, where the difference is greater than with much outerwear. So one important reason why men’s underwear has a fly is so that it’s easily distiguished from women’s. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/16 "2004-02-24T07:54:35Z")
Perhaps it’s a sort of expansion joint? I imagine briefs would be a lot tighter without the hole. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/17 "2004-02-24T11:13:45Z")
[grounds keeper willy] LITTLE WILLIE NEEDS TO BREATHE MAHN!"[/grounds keeper Willy" ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mens-underwear/6298/18 "2004-02-24T22:50:25Z")
> [@Number Six](#): > > Of course the original purpose of the fly in men’s underwear was to facilitate urination without undoing the pants; No, actually, the original purpose of the fly was to facilitate _rape!_ Developed by the Turkish soldiers, I think. I can’t locate the cite right now, but I’ll keep looking – maybe it was by Cecil himself?