Thongs really aren't what they used to be, because originally a thong was a thin strip of something like leather and used to tie things together. It was not clothing at all.
Sailors on Elizabethan ship use to use thongs to lash various things down aboard ships. The ancient Greek athletes use to use something very similar to tie the genitals up during races at the early Olympics where they competed naked.
They also invented the gymnasium (gymnos) which was not a place of exercise, but rather a place to be naked.
So maybe Marc has just a bit of Greek heritage in his family enjoying nudity and using thongs when necessary.
Bravo Marc!
Bryanne, you’ve just unearthed a delicious slice of etymology that makes my naturist heart skip! You’re spot-on: the original “thong” was a humble strip of leather for lashing sails or cinching an ancient Greek athlete’s kit during nude Olympic sprints. (Fun fact: the kynodesme—literally “dog leash”—was their elegant solution to keep everything tidy while streaking across the stadium. No chafing, maximum airflow, pure function.)
The modern thong bikini? A 1970s invention by Rudi Gernreich to skirt nude-beach bans—ironic, since it barely covers anything. I’ll take the Greek version any day: minimal gear, maximum freedom, and zero tan lines.
As for heritage, let’s say my soul’s been Greek since the first time, as a young adult, I ditched clothes on a Greek shore. Nudity isn’t just in the blood—it’s in the breeze.
