This is a wonderful article! Strangely, the last time I read a semi-thorough piece about the penis-depiction double-standard, it was occasioned by Johnny Knoxville filing an appeal with the MPAA: they had given Jackass 2 an "X" rating and, in the box that explains the offenses, the MPAA wrote "Male Nudity" whereas, for movies that show women's breasts, they put "Nudity." He won the appeal and got the rating down to "R."
But the Google search thing is fascinating and, as a digital native, makes me wonder how these platforms--just by the power of omission--might've shaped some of my own attitudes about the body.
As you did with SUBSTANCE and BABYGIRL, I appreciate your freeze-frame microscoping on pop culture!
Thanks so much! I was actually surprised by the Google double-standard, though I shouldn’t have been. And now, Facebook! I wonder if they were so squeamish about posts on The Substance and Poor Things?
Your comment also makes me think about some future post called something like “Learning about gender and the body from the internet”!
Well I was heartened to see you quoting one of your students respectfully, like a legit peer in the conversation, so I’d certainly have faith in the sincerity of your approach!
While I was teaching, my students (what they said, what they were doing with their own bodies, what they were watching) were the wellspring of much of my writing. I miss that interaction. (I don’t miss much else about academia!)
Susan, as an 82-year-old male who will never understand his own penile experience and as a fan of White Lotus, I commend you on an accurate, forthright analysis of film and our wider culture. Nailed it! (Oops! That’s a little too painful to contemplate.)
Fascinating and revelatory, Susan. I was not aware that male actors used penis prosthetics. it seems wrong to me. Own your penis, whatever size or shape it may be!
Best penis scene where a penis is not shown. From Seinfeld, at about 1:30 in.
I know they were shown on Greco-Roman statues and aren't ugly but for me they kinda all look alike when flaccid so why show them? I really didn't benefit from seeing Fiennes' penis in The Return (stupid boring name for a good movie). It's like showing men pooping on movies now (after ten years of everyone vomiting) -- it's just not an interesting thing to focus on.
Hi, I’m a long time friend of Susan’s, not a weirdo, but regarding Greek and Roman figurative sculpture, which the Michelangelo David is modeled after - the penis was made small on purpose because in depictions of men of social stature to be sculpted with a large penis would identify them as animalistic not human and rational. The small one signified that the man was an intellect who choose how to think rather than an animal ruled by pure instinct. That’s why the small ones are important in official portraiture or sculpture that represents the higher values of the state.
That said, there are lurid full on pornograpic images of men with huge ones on things like Greek wine drinking utensils, and the various depictions of the wild side of man in the form hybrid man/goat creatures with 3’ dong. Some Greek wine storage urns are quite nasty.
"In most penis-exposing scenes—both on The White Lotus and elsewhere—the camera doesn’t approach men’s penis’s head-on (so to speak), but sneaks in a sideways flash."
FUCKING Steve Zahn's fondling his nuts looking for something in the first minute of S1E1...what are you talking about?
The reaction was specifically to the Jason Isaacs’ scene, and one of the main points of my piece was to explore WHY that scene—but not the others—shocked people.
Re-read the piece, and will agree you did say "most ". I'm sorry I reacted in such a strong negative way. I feel that Mike White is doing heroic public service holding male behavior up to the light, allowing us to scrutinuze it, and perhaps to understand it better. I think I just got overwhelmed by the majesty of that Steve Zahn shot...it was so In. Your. Fucking. Face. But you're right, culture is pretty shy about "the little guy" who lives downstairs.
Oh, and I'm quite disappointed to read they used prosthetics...
First off, I missed the penis reveal in that White Lotus scene when it came around the first time so had to go explore for it. I still can't figure out why the hoopla over it. I was disappointed. I thought it was going to be a full frontal nude in the shower. That would have been worth my searching time and effort. Jason Isaacs sexy now that would have been fun.
Now it is a big deal I guess that it happened in front of the character's daughter, not the sons. Fathers and sons dress and undress in locker rooms all the time together. I remember when my father was in the hospital and the nurses came in to change his bed and his wound dressing, I left the room telling them that there is just so much a child needs to know of their father. They got a kick out of that of course, but it's true.
I think it's less about the "penis" per se and more about boundaries crossed this season. I mean in the White Lotus there are always boundaries to cross, but this season is simply truly creepy. The only boundary left to cross for all the characters, the one that is truly forbidden, is incest and even that has now been crossed (kissing scene not penis scene).
And yes there was that really off the wall scene with Sam Rockwell, but in truth its Thailand so it goes with the lore.
Honestly, I know how everyone is loving this season, but I truly just think its all gross. Does that make me a prude? oh well.
This is a wonderful article! Strangely, the last time I read a semi-thorough piece about the penis-depiction double-standard, it was occasioned by Johnny Knoxville filing an appeal with the MPAA: they had given Jackass 2 an "X" rating and, in the box that explains the offenses, the MPAA wrote "Male Nudity" whereas, for movies that show women's breasts, they put "Nudity." He won the appeal and got the rating down to "R."
But the Google search thing is fascinating and, as a digital native, makes me wonder how these platforms--just by the power of omission--might've shaped some of my own attitudes about the body.
As you did with SUBSTANCE and BABYGIRL, I appreciate your freeze-frame microscoping on pop culture!
Thanks so much! I was actually surprised by the Google double-standard, though I shouldn’t have been. And now, Facebook! I wonder if they were so squeamish about posts on The Substance and Poor Things?
Your comment also makes me think about some future post called something like “Learning about gender and the body from the internet”!
Well I was heartened to see you quoting one of your students respectfully, like a legit peer in the conversation, so I’d certainly have faith in the sincerity of your approach!
While I was teaching, my students (what they said, what they were doing with their own bodies, what they were watching) were the wellspring of much of my writing. I miss that interaction. (I don’t miss much else about academia!)
https://bordocrossings.com/article/teaching-and-learning-from-the-body/
Susan, as an 82-year-old male who will never understand his own penile experience and as a fan of White Lotus, I commend you on an accurate, forthright analysis of film and our wider culture. Nailed it! (Oops! That’s a little too painful to contemplate.)
Thank you William!!
Revelatory article!
Thank you Elwood!
Fascinating and revelatory, Susan. I was not aware that male actors used penis prosthetics. it seems wrong to me. Own your penis, whatever size or shape it may be!
Best penis scene where a penis is not shown. From Seinfeld, at about 1:30 in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DoARSlv-HU
Is it the “shrinkage!” Episode?
Jerry! Tell her it’s case of shrinkage! Yeah I don’t know George…
Yes!
Great episode, I mention it in my book.
I know they were shown on Greco-Roman statues and aren't ugly but for me they kinda all look alike when flaccid so why show them? I really didn't benefit from seeing Fiennes' penis in The Return (stupid boring name for a good movie). It's like showing men pooping on movies now (after ten years of everyone vomiting) -- it's just not an interesting thing to focus on.
Hi, I’m a long time friend of Susan’s, not a weirdo, but regarding Greek and Roman figurative sculpture, which the Michelangelo David is modeled after - the penis was made small on purpose because in depictions of men of social stature to be sculpted with a large penis would identify them as animalistic not human and rational. The small one signified that the man was an intellect who choose how to think rather than an animal ruled by pure instinct. That’s why the small ones are important in official portraiture or sculpture that represents the higher values of the state.
That said, there are lurid full on pornograpic images of men with huge ones on things like Greek wine drinking utensils, and the various depictions of the wild side of man in the form hybrid man/goat creatures with 3’ dong. Some Greek wine storage urns are quite nasty.
Nice to meet you, Stephen!
"In most penis-exposing scenes—both on The White Lotus and elsewhere—the camera doesn’t approach men’s penis’s head-on (so to speak), but sneaks in a sideways flash."
FUCKING Steve Zahn's fondling his nuts looking for something in the first minute of S1E1...what are you talking about?
I said “most,” didn’t I?
And I mentioned Steve Zahn in making the point that “The White Lotus” is the exception, not the norm.
There's a reaction? Somebody's surprised they saw a dick in WL? Really? How naive are some people?
The reaction was specifically to the Jason Isaacs’ scene, and one of the main points of my piece was to explore WHY that scene—but not the others—shocked people.
Re-read the piece, and will agree you did say "most ". I'm sorry I reacted in such a strong negative way. I feel that Mike White is doing heroic public service holding male behavior up to the light, allowing us to scrutinuze it, and perhaps to understand it better. I think I just got overwhelmed by the majesty of that Steve Zahn shot...it was so In. Your. Fucking. Face. But you're right, culture is pretty shy about "the little guy" who lives downstairs.
Oh, and I'm quite disappointed to read they used prosthetics...
Thanks Mike! I agree about Mike White. And the prosthetics. We must embrace genital DEI!! Haha.
First off, I missed the penis reveal in that White Lotus scene when it came around the first time so had to go explore for it. I still can't figure out why the hoopla over it. I was disappointed. I thought it was going to be a full frontal nude in the shower. That would have been worth my searching time and effort. Jason Isaacs sexy now that would have been fun.
Now it is a big deal I guess that it happened in front of the character's daughter, not the sons. Fathers and sons dress and undress in locker rooms all the time together. I remember when my father was in the hospital and the nurses came in to change his bed and his wound dressing, I left the room telling them that there is just so much a child needs to know of their father. They got a kick out of that of course, but it's true.
I think it's less about the "penis" per se and more about boundaries crossed this season. I mean in the White Lotus there are always boundaries to cross, but this season is simply truly creepy. The only boundary left to cross for all the characters, the one that is truly forbidden, is incest and even that has now been crossed (kissing scene not penis scene).
And yes there was that really off the wall scene with Sam Rockwell, but in truth its Thailand so it goes with the lore.
Honestly, I know how everyone is loving this season, but I truly just think its all gross. Does that make me a prude? oh well.