Gender equity hits below the belt for Swedish patients

In an attempt to cut down on supply and storage costs, hospitals will later this spring begin offering unisex underwear, newspaper Dagens Medicin reports.

Hospitals currently offer different styles of underwear for men and women.

The Swedish Standards Institute (SIS) recommended making the switch to same-sex drawers and plans to release the new line of undies just in time for the summer season.

“Storing both boxer shorts and panties takes up a lot of space and there has been a move from within the health care sector to rationalize their offering of underwear. In addition, it’s possible to purchase larger quantities of material at a better price,” said Tuula Cammersand, a project leader with SIS.

The new unmentionables seem to be fitting well on patients testing them at a Kristianstad urology clinic.

“They have been quite pleased,” Cammersand said of the patients.