Penises Are Magic! #2
Have You Seen Me?
Penises Are Magic! A Guide to Patriarchy for Everyone Who Didn’t Consent to It is a book-length project that Hanne Blank Boyd is publishing as a subscribers-only serial on Substack. Looking for previous installments? Try the “Penises Are Magic!” heading or the #pam tag.
Have You Seen Me?
If we’re going to talk about penis magic, we should probably start with learning about penises themselves.
You have probably encountered people who have penises. About half of the human species has a penis, so if you don’t happen to have a penis of your own, it’s almost certain that you know or have met someone who does.
Despite knowing and interacting with people who have penises, you may never have actually seen a penis that wasn’t part of a statue… like say Michelangelo’s David. Many people haven’t.
Even if you have seen a penis or two, it is probable that you haven’t seen very many of them. This is even true for people who have a penis of their own.. Many people who have a penis have only ever seen or interacted with their own penis in any depth or detail. For people who don’t have penises, it’s even less likely.
This is partly because under most circumstances, penises are deliberately hidden.
In most of the world, it is customary in virtually all social contexts to cover the penis (or any other genitals a person might have) with clothing. Genitalia are often considered taboo or shameful. Some people refer to genitals as “private parts” due to their connection with normal human body functions like peeing or having sex, which are also often considered taboo or shameful.
There’s no biological or medical reason that people must cover their genitals.1 Not all cultures have made a habit of it, historically or anthropologically speaking. But today in virtually every culture worldwide it’s considered proper and appropriate. This has become so standard a part of our lives that it’s common to keep them covered even in private or when we are alone.
