Jockstraps in gay male culture
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The jockstrap, which originated as utilitarian sports equipment, was reappropriated by gay men starting in the 1950s, especially among fetish subcultures.
Entry into gay male culture (1950s–1960s)
A jockstrap,[a] colloquially called a jock, is an undergarment for protecting the scrotum and penis during contact sports or other vigorous physical activity.
A jockstrap consists of a waistband (usually elastic) with a support pouch for the genitalia and two elastic straps affixed to the base of the pouch and to the left and right sides of the waistband at the hip. The pouch, in some varieties, may be fitted with a pocket to hold an abdominal guard (impact resistant cup, box) to protect the testicles and the penis from injury.
The jillstrap (a.k.a. a "jill") is the female equivalent of the jockstrap, designed to protect the vulva from getting struck.
Some gay men began adopting the jockstrap as erotic attire in the 1950s, coinciding with a broader shift towards hypermasculine aesthetics in queer fashion. Post-World War II leather and biker subcultures, influenced by gay ex-servicemen, embraced BDSM and icons of traditional masculinity (motorcycles, bomber jackets, construction workers).[1] Underground homoerotic media accelerated its fetishisation. The 1950s magazine Physique Pictorial often featured muscular men in white jockstraps and artist Tom of Finland's illustrations also featured and eroticised the garment.[2][3]
Rise in gay nightlife and fetish subcultures (1970s–1980s)
By the 1970s, while jockstraps were not routinely used by athletes, the garment was routinely worn in gay nightlife and fetish scenes, particularly in leather and BDSM communities. It was liked as the garment's design accentuated the crotch while exposing the buttocks, making it desirable for tops and bottoms.[4][5] Jockstrap nights became common at venues worldwide. The garment's use in gay pornography, especially changing room and gym-themed scenes, further entrenched it as a fetish object. At this time, it became associated with an explicitly queer version of the existing jock archetype, as documented in Hal Fischer's 1977 photo series Gay Semiotics, which documented jocks in San Francisco's Castro District, alongside other explicitly masculine gay stereotypes.[2][3]
During the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, jockstraps and leather remained visible symbols of hedonism and community resilience (e.g., sidewalk gatherings outside New York's The Saint nightclub).[2][3]
Contemporary significance (2020s)
The garment became popular among gay men and the wider LGBTQ community in the 2020s. Major designers – including, Calvin Klein, JW Anderson, Gucci, and Rick Owens, alongside other large brands like Adidas, Diesel, and 2(X)IST – and other mainstream brands have featured jockstraps on runways and in Pride collections, including rainbow and pride-themed versions.[3][6][7]
As a fetish
Jockstrap fetishism is the term applied to the sexual arousal from handling, wearing a jockstrap, watching another put one on, or sniffing a jockstrap. To quote on jockstrap sniffing, "jock[strap] sniffing specifically refers to the practice of inhaling odors from unlaundered jockstraps for the purpose of sexual stimulation. Practitioners, (usually male) are known as 'jock sniffers' and acquire unlaundered jockstraps either by swapping such garments with like-minded individuals or by swiping them from locker rooms, lockers or unattended gym bags".[8]
References
- ↑ Also known as a jock (male), jill (female), strap, cup, groin guard, pelvic protector (female), supporter, or athletic supporter.
- ↑ "How The Jockstrap Became Part Of The Gay Male Uniform". inmagazine.ca. 28 February 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
- 1 2 3 Staples, Louis (23 June 2021). "From Sport to Sex: How the Jockstrap Became Part of Gay Culture". AnOther. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Cheves, Alexander. "The jockstrap's 150th birthday is a gay milestone—here's why". Out.com.
- ↑ "A Brief History of the Jockstrap". HOLD NYC. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ↑ Maoui, Zak (25 August 2023). "How the jockstrap took over men's fashion". British GQ. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
- ↑ Criales-Unzueta, Jose (3 June 2022). "With Jockstraps Hitting the Runways, Fashion is Saying Gay Loud and Clear". Vogue. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ↑ Toumazou, Aaron (6 February 2021). "The manifold reasons to invest in a jockstrap". British GQ. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
- ↑ Pronger, Brian (15 May 1992). The arena of masculinity. St. Martin's Griffin. ISBN 978-0312062934.