Real men do wear ‘budgie smugglers’

The sight of hundreds of men dashing off on a 5km run wearing only their running shoes and Speedo swimming costumes is bound to raise a few giggles.

That’s because, swimmers aside, few men these days would be seen in public in the much maligned “budgie smuggler”.

The fact that so many are prepared to put aside embarrassment for a good cause – raising awareness of testicular and prostate cancer – is a boost for a culture of openness, which is sorely needed in the macho society of men.

This is the sort of attitude men need if they are not to become prone to diseases such as cancer.

Testicular cancer affects men between 18 and 35 more than any other age – the years when men will be laughing off anything serious to continue being “one of the boys” … an immortal, non-crying cowboy.

ALSO READ: No excuses! Free prostate screenings — Your health matters

Toughing it out against cancer ain’t going to work, boet.

Talking about it and getting checked means the disease can be caught early and treated.

In the case of both cancers, early detection often means a good outcome.

In a broader sense, it’s not a bad thing for society as a whole if men learned to ditch the old stereotypes of their gender.