8 notes

“Young women often consider their sexual partners and what they think will embody “sexuality” when on the prowl for a new pair of intimates. There’s certainly pressure placed on us by the dominant narrative of young men who make their desires clear, but this is also perpetuated women who feed into the negative stereotypes about “granny panties” and how truly awful they are. Sure, some individuals claim to like thongs because they find them to be comfortable in their own way. Yet this idea of authentic comfort is complicated when notions of “sexiness” and VPL (visible panty line) are rooted in extensive marketing tactics and cultural norms that determine our underwear fate.

Panties might seem like too small a problem — and a personal one at that — but the politics of underwear is important and relevant. Even the language and rhetoric around “granny panties” is problematic. The underwear I purchase hardly resembles something that my own grandma wears because they contain more material than the average underwear and therefore fall into the same category as old-lady attire.

The truth is, I love my granny panties because they are the exact opposite of awful. Just because a pair of underwear doesn’t fit into the thong category doesn’t mean it can’t be sexy — there are plenty of styles and options that offer sex appeal as much, if not more, than your average thong does. I love my granny panties because they’re comfortable and comfort, I’ve found, can be the sexiest form of self-confidence.”