Historically, male penis size has been an object of fascination and delusion. From the very earliest times through to the present, the penis size and supposedly associated masculinity and sex power have all been cultivated as cultural norms. But “bigger is better” is not the craze for penis size, that’s a brand-new concept that evolved over time. In fact, the size of the penis varies widely between people and cultures, and its significance is determined more by custom and opinion than by fact.
Antiquity: They Didn’t Have to Be That Big.
In most ancient societies, men did not value their penis in the same way as their sex did. In ancient Egypt, for instance, the deity Osiris wore a miniature penis, while the deity Min wore an erect one. Both were revered and highly admired, regardless of the size of their penis. Likewise, in ancient Greece, the ideal male was not the penis, but muscle and power. Similarly, the ancient Greeks believed that a small penis represented wisdom and restraint, whereas a large penis symbolised cruelty and insecurity.
Medieval Times: Bigger is Better
As Christianity permeated Europe, the idea of the penis shifted. The size of a man’s penis, in medieval society, signalled masculinity and superiority. The larger the penis, the more masculine and assertive a man was considered to be. The notion derived from the biblical tale of David and Goliath, in which the diminutive David defeated the massive Goliath. This gave rise to the notion that even a smaller man with a bigger penis could be powerful and sexually attractive.
Victorian Era: Shame and Stigma
The Victorians introduced some of the most radical changes to our attitudes toward human sexuality and penis size. Victorian society was deeply subordinate and viewed the body – including genitals – as sinful and humiliating. This meant that men with larger than average penises were considered sexual wretchs and promiscuous. Men with a smaller penis, however, were considered civilised and morally superior.
20th Century: The New Obsession with Size?
The 20th century witnessed an enormous shift in thinking about the size of the penis. In the age of consumerism and the media, the perfect male physique was muscly, muscular and powerful. In part, the media, in particular porn, was responsible for pushing the penis-sized mythos of bigger is better. This sparked a boom in the market for penis-enlargement products and procedures even though they had no scientific backing.
Modern Times: Breaking the Stigma
Over the past few years, people are beginning to push back on the shame and judgment that surrounds penis size. As body positivity and tolerance for body shapes and sizes increase, more and more men are criticising the ridiculous and destructive notions of penis size. Through the #bodypositivity and #dickpicfail hashtags on social media, we’ve realised that the obsession with the size of the penis can lead to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem.
The perception that an average penis is 6 inches is a common misconception. Yet other research has revealed that the typical span is between 4 and 5.5 inches when standing upright. This means that most males do not fall within this supposed “average” proportion. Media and pornography make this assumption all too readily by making large-than-usual penises look normal for males.
This notion that more is more has resulted in what men have dubbed “penis size anxiety”. It’s being afraid or insecure about the size of your penis, which can result in body phobia and low self-esteem. This anxiety can also affect sexual wellbeing and intimacy, causing performance anxiety and sexual dissatisfaction.
Second, the notion that penis size correlates with male sexual performance is both false and damaging. Whether someone has a larger penis or smaller does not affect their masculinity or sexual potential. Sexual performance hinges not only on the size of the penis but on communication, chemistry and technique.
Moreover, keep in mind that penis size is not a defining characteristic. As with any other part of the body, it can vary in size and form from one individual to another. Genetics, hormones and even the environment all contribute to the size of your penis. Not to mention, there’s no link between penis size and race (unlike many stereotypes).
The penis obsession also prompted the emergence of various penis-enhancement products and surgeries. Pills, supplements, pumps, surgeries: they’re often unscientific and potentially dangerous. Indeed, a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine reported that the majority of men who undergo penile enlargement procedures have a normal-sized penis.
We must dispel the notion that bigger is always better when it comes to the size of your penis. The reality is that the size of someone’s penis has very little to do with sexual enjoyment or competence. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that sexual satisfaction has a dual nature and the satisfaction one feels is not simply determined by how big their partner’s penis is.
Besides, this obsession with penis size can also be dangerous to individuals with large-than-average penises. They might be forced to meet unattainable standards and may also be uncomfortable or painful when having sex because of their size.
Conclusion:
The one size for all penises thus represents an update of the way that men and men thought about and defined ‘normal’ or good-enough penis size relative to masculinity and virility. The desire for a big penis as a marker of masculinity and virility has recently been pushed into the ground, and the diversity of human bodies needs to be celebrated. There’s no ‘correct’ sized penis, and we have to stop worrying about how big a penis needs to be and just anticipate body positivity and acceptance.
