Phallus, Performance And Power: Crisis Of Masculinity

Introduction: Men’s sexual health concerns (SHCs) receive inadequate attention as they are not sexually transmitted. Treatment SHCs in the paradigm of patho-physiology and psycho-pathology reveals limited success. This paper dissects the meanings of SHCs in the framework of culture, economy and masculinity. Methods: In a qualitative study on male sexuality, 50 men, aged 18-55 years, from diverse socio-demographic backgrounds were interviewed. Both manual and software (Atlas-ti) were utilized for data analysis. Results: Male superiority and power over women are proclaimed as ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ in Bangladeshi society. Men’s authoritative relations with women affect sexual acts where ‘real’ men have to be sexually ‘potent’ to demonstrate sexual ‘potency’ and ‘power’ over women through penile erections. Like gender based economic power, men deem ‘sex’ as another agency for demonstrating power, governance and success over women. Men do not see their penis only in terms of pleasure. Rather sexual performance with large sized penis is symbolized as masculine power, and penetration as subsequent male success to win women. The act of ejaculation reflects ‘manly’ achievement and reproductive capacity for acquiring fatherhood. Thus, narrowly focused male sexuality relies on performance, encouraging men towards penetrative sex by ignoring other non-penetrative acts. This destroys the quality of marital sex and equality in relationships. Conclusions: In patriarchal society, the discrepancy of gender based socialization creates an essentialist framework of male sexuality where men’s phallus, performance and power over women are the foundation of men’s SHCs. In this era of modernization, men are technologically productive. Their concerns about the size and shape of the penis are constructed in the local to global context of the market economy and technology. The models of penises are commercially produced publicizing ‘perfect’ sized penises for prolonged intercourse. Thus, SHCs become the product of men’s threatened masculine power.


Conflict of Interest: None disclosed
Financial Support/Funding: None disclosed
Recorded: Sydney, Australia, April 2007