[FLP00]

I've wondered about it also. Girls and women walk around beaches and public swimming pools wearing the skimpiest bikinis without feeling concerned about anything. Yet if the wind raise their skirts or somebody pantses them (usually revealing regular underwear) they freak out.

Another aspect of this social phenomena is seeing their recently washed panties when those are hanging from the clothesline. They're like "OMG! Don't look at there!", but if we were talking about their bikinis then it's no big deal.

My personal opinion is that it steems from childhood. For some reason I've never been able to understand fully, we learn since we're little brats that underwear is just funny; women's underwear is all flowerly, lacy and overall girly. So, when exposed in given situations it becomes a source of ridicule. At least this is what I personally think.

On the other hand, why men's underwear is supposedly funny... I cannot really think of an explanation.

So, when some woman has her underwear exposed her subcosncious mind reminds her about those childhood-seated, fixed ideas about underwear.

"My underwear is exposed -> Everyone will find it funny -> They'll laugh -> It's My underwear, so they'll laugh at ME!"

Of course, when one becomes the source of a crowd's laughter, one feels humiliated.