We are all made different, but yet society dictates an unwritten rule as to how we are supposed to behave, how inane. For instance, if a man walked down the street wearing a skirt in north america, he would be stoned to death. Yet, the Greeks, Romans, Scots, Hindi, Afrikana, so many countries, the dress for men is litterally a dress, at least, in some cases, once upon a time. Made more sense, as in battle was require. That is why a Scotsman wears nothing under his kilt, no time to pause in battle if one must go if you know what I mean. Anyway, social norms, were formed very early on in villages mostly to identify if stranger approaching, etc. Eventually, anything out of the norm, was considered a threat. Hence, differences where a warning sign that a danger to that community was approaching. Man has been bred to have these values so deeply instilled in them, that anything that is out of the norm, or familiarity, if viewed as a threat to their own well being. The result, hatred for anything that they are not familiar with. Any man who can feel comfortable in his own skin is a man who is stronger than those who reject his ways
It's up to you what you wear.there is nothing wrong with men wearing panties or any other lingerie
Anything out of the ordinary (that being their small world) they don't understand. A guy wearing panties falls into that category. But that is their problem. Now if they could get over their machismo and try it, wearing a nice fitting pair of panties, it would most likely surprise them how good they felt ... Especially their GF finds out and sees how much they enjoy wearing panties. Now she is in control and your male friends aren't ...
Do we know if that close friend would or would not understand? We assume that they would take on the typical negative attitude in their thinking; if he is true friend however he would either embrace it or simply say "each until his own" indicating that it was not for him but O.K. For you to do your thing.
Because they're men and other men do not wear panties, it's just you pal. Poor old sorry you.