Grad student plans to ignore housemate's rule about wearing shorts in the house, 'I am in shape.' AITA?

"WIBTA for ignoring my housemates’s rule about wearing shorts in the house?"

So I (23m) am in grad school and I started renting a house with a few other students (all males, some undergrad some grad). When I first moved in, I admittedly didn't know roommate etiquette. I hung out around the house without any clothes. Not naked, but in underwear and sometimes like a tank top or nothing on top.

Before you come to me too hard, I am in shape and it's how I was raised. I don't know if it's a regional thing, but it's something I picked up from my dad and brothers back home (born and grew up in NY but my dad is an Aussie).

Anyway my roommates shut that down pretty fast (within a week of me moving in lol). They said that it was too much and I complied. It admittedly took some getting used to but I sucked it up because it's not the end of the world.

Anyway, one of my roommates likes to hang around in pretty short shorts. Most of us in the house are runners (it's how we met), so that isn't out of the ordinary. But today he has on what was very clearly boxers. Like plaid and everything Imao. I called him out (this guy talked so much smack when I moved in), and he questioned what the big deal was.

Turns out that all the shorts he's been wearing in the house have been boxers, just haven't picked up on it because they've been solid colored. To be fair, he says he did sew the fly closed, but I don't see why he can walk around in his underwear but the rest of us have restrictions. Anyway I brought this up to the rest of the house.

Most of them were against me saying 1. I wear briefs so that's different and 2. If none of us noticed it's clearly not a big deal. I just think the same rule should be applied to everyone. Either we all have to wear shorts or not. One guy agreed with me (we've had conversations about how we don't like the rule).

Before any of you come for me for wanting to wear the v shaped underwear again, we're all runners. I've seen these guys in shorts not much longer than my undies. We go for runs shirtless in compression shorts. I don't see the big deal. AITA for calling this hypocrisy out and WIBTA for just ditching the pants again without waiting for their input?

Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:

Own_Lack_4526 said:

YTA. Clearly his boxers did not scream underwear the way your briefs did, or you or someone else would have noticed by now. If there isn't much difference between his boxers and shorts (particularly since he sews the flies shut), if no one else in the house is bothered...

If everything else in the house is going well, do you want to die on this hill? If you want to be treated equally, go get some boxers that are not distinguishable from shorts, sew the flies shut, and wear them.

Upstairs-Volume-5014 said:

YTA just put on some freaking shorts man it's not hard. It obviously made people uncomfortable, and everyone has the right to feel comfortable in their own home.

cheesecup6 said:

YTA. There's absolutely a difference between briefs and boxers, and also short shorts. Now, if your roommate is wearing those boxers that are skin tight and very nearly briefs (similar to women's boy shorts underwear)...

he could be called out for that. But when it comes to most boxers, they're definitely pretty different than briefs when it comes to being around roommates. So are short shorts. Trying to argue that you should be able to wear briefs around when people are uncomfortable with it is silly.

Also a bit odd of you to a) not be aware that walking around in just briefs with roommates who aren't like, partner or best friend level, might be weird and b) mention that you're in shape, like that'd make any difference with making people you're not super close to uncomfortable by walking around in your underwear.

Jerseygirl2468 said:

YTA boxers with the fly sewn shut are literally just shorts, and different than briefs. What you were doing made them uncomfortable. So just don't.

KaijuAlert said:

YTA - Why are you making a big deal about this? You already KNOW that his boxers don't make anyone else uncomfortable, but your briefs do, now you're being intentionally obtuse. You sound like a hard person to live with.

OooArkAtShe said:

YTA. Board shorts are not the same as budgie smugglers, and boxers are not the same as briefs.

BBQ_Bandit88 said:

YTA. You go for runs shirtless? Jesus, no one cares how in shape you think you are, you show off. Put some clothes on.