Originally shared on my now-suspended Substack on Sep 25, 2025
I think most people are quite aware that swimwear doesn’t perform any of the required functions of clothing. It doesn’t keep you warm, it doesn’t protect you from the elements, and (other than the $$$$s “sharkskin” racing suits, which only aid speed, not buoyancy) it certainly doesn’t help you swim. For guys wearing baggy shorts, or those so-called “modesty” suits with frills and flaps, it’s many times worse! They actively restrict your movement in the water… far from ideal. But have you ever thought about the damage it’s doing to you?
You might know of the physical health issues that swimwear can contribute to. Lingering dampness causes rapid bacteria growth, particularly in warm dark environments. Trapped sand can cause significant chafing on the skin. And you are much more likely to get sunburn at the point where swimwear meets exposed skin, both because you’re less likely to have applied sunscreen there, and because the material reflects the UV rays back to the skin at that focussed point. So, already a bad start.
Environmentally? Most swimwear is made from synthetic fabric, which is degrading directly into the water. It’s carrying residues of nasty chemicals you use for cleaning your clothes but you’d never allow on your skin. So, microplastics and toxic chemicals, great! Then you get out and dry in the sun, and they’re absorbed into your skin too…
Let’s look at some psychological effects now. Swimwear directly causes body shame. It is specifically designed to attract attention to the areas it fails to cover. So instead of protecting your “modesty” (which is a misnomer, as modesty has always meant humility, not coverage) it’s attracting eyes to the “hidden bits”. Even worse with the trend for ultra-skimpy swimwear that makes you see certain body parts as both “special” and “private”, when neither is healthy.
And if you’re a Christian, your spiritual health is being impacted too. We were made perfect in our nakedness, in God’s image, and it was the one part of creation that He said was VERY good. Covering it up in what should really be called a shame suit not a swimsuit, is hiding your true nature. From God, and from your fellow humans. To deliberately misquote The Mandalorian, this is NOT the way!
Far better, on all three counts, to enjoy the beach, pool, lake, wherever you’re able to swim and sunbathe, in your natural state. Your body is protected from unhealthy infections AND unhealthy attitudes, and once you realise that we’re all different, but also all the same, you will learn to embrace who you are, entirely and wholesomely. It’s the only authentic way to be, it’s the Christian way to be, it’s the HUMAN way to be.