Op-Ed Sample

Michelle MacDonald

March 7, 2012

PR 190

Professor DiSalvo

Op-Ed Assignment

 

The Male Penis and Its New, Leading Role in American Cinema – A Response to a Vanity Fair, March 2012 Article

For years, the male penis has been a taboo subject. It has been tip-toed around like a dirty affair that is best left in the dark. James Wolcott’s article “The Hung and the Restless,” is a long overdue look at male nudity in mainstream cinema, as well as male nudity in U.S. culture, in general.

 

Although Wolcott accurately points out that there is a rise in male penis presence on the big screen, I completely disagree with his idea that the rising trend is a result of a loss in “American self-confidence.” Contrary to Wolcott’s belief, I believe that the rise in penis presence on the big screen shows that the American culture is finally relaxing and loosening up.

 

The U.S. has long been thought of as a prude and shy country, especially in comparison to European countries, like France, who embrace free sexual expression. That being said, it is about time that the shroud over the male body is lifted. In an era when we are supposed to have reached ultimate equality between the sexes, it is troubling to see the female body flaunted while the male body is more often than not covered by some prop or cloud of steam.

 

Some men argue that there is already equality between female and male nudity in movies. They say that for every topless woman there is a topless man in the movie. To this I say that a topless woman and a topless man are not equal. This is why a woman walking topless down the street is liable to get ticketed for public indecency, while a man can jog down the street topless and no one thinks twice about it.

 

Wolcott points out in his article that when a penis is shown in a movie it used for humor, often enlisting common stereotypes about ethnicity and size.  He says because of this, it reflects how the U.S. has lost its spunk and its swagger. I think using the male penis in a humorous way is just the first step to introducing it  into mainstream cinema. Males seem to be more accepting of a penis on-screen when it is used as comedy relief. This is a step in the right direction, and hopefully one day the male penis will be portrayed in more artful ways, as the female body often is.

 

We, as a society, take things too seriously. It is understandable considering the recent economic crisis, but I think it is also important to lighten up and focus problem-solving energy on more important, global issues. The human body is a natural part of the world and should not have such a shameful stigma, regardless of gender.

 

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has even recognized the recent rise in male nudity. According to an article in Spangle Magazine by Brian Thompson, “As of 2010, the MPAA has added a descriptor of “male nudity” to movies featuring said content.” This further supports that male nudity is not going away anytime soon.

 

One Friday evening, my boyfriend and I ordered a movie, Paul Blart: Mall Cop. It was a slapstick comedy and a D-movie at best. In one scene a heavyset man streaks through the mall. His manhood bounces around in all its glory, and is even showed in slow motion. The scene lasted a relatively long time and was not shy about showcasing the streaker’s manhood.

 

During this scene, my boyfriend made a comment to the effect of, “Geez, why do they have to show his thing so much?” This comment launched us into a full-on discussion about male and female on-screen nudity. Of course, I said it was about time the male body was exposed in movies the same way the female body has been exposed for decades. My boyfriend’s response was that the female body is beautiful and the male body is gross; that’s why things are the way they are.

 

Sadly, I think this perfectly exemplifies how members of our society are raised to believe that the female body is more beautiful than the male body, when they are both true works of art in their own respects. Hopefully this trend towards male nudity on the big screen continues. As I mentioned previously, this trend is not a surrendering of U.S. confidence, but instead is a furthering of U.S. confidence that says we are not afraid to show who we are.