In the 1930s, thongs were adopted by showgirls to circumvent anti-nudity laws, but by the mid-20th century, the silhouette began appearing in underground homoerotic media like Physique Pictorial (often featuring muscular men in skimpy athletic wear).
Designer Rudi Gernreich , a founding member of the Mattachine Society, created a "unisex" thong in the 1970s to "set bodies free" and challenge sexual taboos. 🎬 Media & Pop Culture Milestones guy in thong gay porn
While the thong is one of the oldest forms of human clothing (originally developed to protect or hide male genitals), its modern place in gay media is more recent. In the 1930s, thongs were adopted by showgirls