Review: "In Search of the Perfect Penis"

By Ruth Martin

Does the perfect penis equal the perfect man? This was the subject of the documentary 'In Search of the Perfect Penis', screened on SBS recently. It was an interesting look into the different perceptions that people have about the penis and what qualifies as being 'adequate' for both their owners and those who are 'entertained' by them.

The age old questions about penises were addressed, of course. Does size really matter? How does it define men? What is 'big' enough in terms of length and girth? Also discussed were the issues of piercing, circumcision and shaving in regards to the appearance of the penis; and of course, the pleasure of owning and playing with the penis.

As one might expect with the issue of size in regards to the penis, men expressed satisfaction with their member on a sliding scale: some didn't feel that they were anywhere near to having a perfect penis, whilst others felt that they were somewhat satisfied with it but thought that their willy could be a lot better in some respects.

A vox pop with both women and men, in which people were asked what they thought was an average size in terms of girth and length for a (presumably erect) penis, resulted in many claiming the average length is somewhere in the vicinity of about 8 inches. In fact, the average seems to be around the 5 and a half inch mark.

This lead to a discussion about how men often feel that their member is inadequate in comparison to that of other men's members. This feeling of inadequacy comes from men comparing themselves to other men in such contexts as the locker room, pornography and sexual experiences with other men. One of the interesting points was that the comparision that was made that led to inadequacy was often made on the flaccid state of the penis rather than on erection. Doctors were quoted saying that the erection is a great equaliser between men.

The subject of the penis could not be discussed without talking about the inadequacies that men feel about their member. Not only are men comparing themselves but there is the notion that bigger is constantly, without question, better when it comes to sex. The expectation on men to live up to this ideal where they have to be bigger and thicker than the next guy based on the unreal notion that bigger and thicker always equates to sexual satisfaction for their partner(s).

One of the most interesting parts of the show was about how pleasure and anxiety mixed when it came to sex. It was noted that men feel under great amount of pressure to be good at sex from the outset. This is based on the notion that men are supposed to know how to please their partners automatically rather than having to learn what each partner likes for themselves.

How do men address the issue of their perceived inadequacy in regards to size and sexual satisfaction? The show noted that men who feel inadequate often seek procedures to shore up their self-confidence. There was an explanation of how surgery can increase length and girth.

However, not all men want to go under the knife to feel better about their member and turn to the razor and/or piercing needle instead. The programme touched on those men who are not completely happy with their willy and have turned to piercing and shaving to improve the look as well as the sensation of the penis as a solution.

And what documentary about the penis would be complete without an exploration of circumcision? The show discussed how some men prefered to be circumcised for asthetic reasons whilst others were in the process of regaining their foreskin after many years of being circumcised. What was interesting was that the number of males getting their penises circumcised at birth is dropping as the status of circumcision as a medical practice to thwart diseases and increase hygene is starting to disappear.

Not only are men expected to measure up size-wise downstairs as well as being a prize winning lover for their partner(s), they have to be able to perform under this pressure. The desire to increase and prolong men's sexual pleasure has lead to drugs such as Viagra. Interestingly, the show noted that as men have sought Viagra to enhance their sex lives, this has led to having to talk with doctors about their sexual health - which has in turn led to diagnoses of sexual and other health problems before they become a serious issue.

I found that this show was lacking in the fact that it did not discuss the penis concerns and pleasures of people who own penises but are not men, or don't identify totally as male. It would seem that this show demonstrated how much emphasis our culture places on genitalia to determine ourselves as one thing or the other: male or female. It seems that the invisibility of people who do not fit neatly into these two categories for various reasons reinforces the notion that this is the way it must be.

Despite the repetition of information that I, and I'm sure many other people, know about the penis and the invisibility of non-male people who own cocks, the show was quite humourous with cartoons penises, a brief vocabulary of various slang names for penises and the demonstration of how the men they interviewed can wiggle their willies in various ways. I would say that this programme was an informative and light hearted introduction to male sexuality.

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