‘When there's no underbrush the tree looks taller’: A discourse analytical examination of how men account for genital grooming
Book chapter
Authors | Hall, Matthew |
---|---|
Abstract | It seems many men continue to be obsessed with their penis and especially its size and look. Two thirds of men in a recent UK study (Veale et al., 2013) reported some dissatisfaction with their genitals. Arguably much of this anxiety is perpetuated by the media and marketers, but may also follow more general trends in male body image consciousness (Grogan, 2010; Langridge et al., 2013). Marketers have been quick to offer both surgical and non-surgical remedies to help change the size, shape and image of the penis, especially online. Stepping aside from more traditional scholarly foci on culture (Lehman, 2006), media (Lehman, 2007), social (Davison, 200) and personal relationship issues (Lever et al., 2006), I focus instead on how men account for pubic hair shaving to enhance image. I discursively analyse online electronic talk in response to an advert promoting male groin grooming showing the complex ways in which men discursively negotiate their interest in this non-typical gender practice. The analysis shows charges of vanity are swept under the carpet in favour of heterosexual pleasure, cleanliness, self-respect and individuality. The implications for understanding traditional and contemporary masculinities are also discussed. |
Keywords | gender; sexuality; masculinity; genitals; grooming |
Year | 2019 |
Publisher | Norton |
ISBN | 9780393623581 |
Web address (URL) | http://hdl.handle.net/10545/624369 |
hdl:10545/624369 | |
File | File Access Level Open |
Publication dates | Jan 2019 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 09 Jan 2020, 11:44 |
Accepted | 2018 |
Contributors | Arden University and University of Derby |
https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/941q0/-when-there-s-no-underbrush-the-tree-looks-taller-a-discourse-analytical-examination-of-how-men-account-for-genital-grooming
Download files
75
total views0
total downloads5
views this month0
downloads this month
Export as
Related outputs

“Upskirting,” Homosociality, and Craftmanship: A Thematic Analysis of Perpetrator and Viewer Interactions
Hall, Matthew, Hearn, Jeff and Lewis, Ruth 2021. “Upskirting,” Homosociality, and Craftmanship: A Thematic Analysis of Perpetrator and Viewer Interactions. Violence Against Women. https://doi.org/10778012211008981Being limitless: A discursive analysis of online accounts of modafinil use
Hall, Matthew, Forshaw, Mark and Montgomery, Catharine 2020. Being limitless: A discursive analysis of online accounts of modafinil use. in: Palgrave Macmillan/ Springer.
Chemically modified minds: Substance use for cognitive enhancement
Hall, Matthew, Forshaw, Mark and Montgomery, Catharine 2020. Chemically modified minds: Substance use for cognitive enhancement. Palgrave Macmillan/ Springer.
On-line constructions of metrosexuality and masculinities: A membership categorisation analysis
Hall, Matthew, Gough, Brendan, Hansen, Susan and Seymour-Smith, Sarah 2017. On-line constructions of metrosexuality and masculinities: A membership categorisation analysis. in: Equinox Publishing.
“This is my cheating ex”: gender and sexuality in revenge porn.
Hearn, Jeff and Hall, Matthew 2018. “This is my cheating ex”: gender and sexuality in revenge porn. Sexualities.
Written evidence submitted to the House of Commons select committee: The Women and Equalities Committee 'Sexual harassment of women and girls in public places inquiry'.
Hall, Matthew and Hearn, Jeff 2018. Written evidence submitted to the House of Commons select committee: The Women and Equalities Committee 'Sexual harassment of women and girls in public places inquiry'. Parliament UK.
Posting selfies and body image in young adult women: The selfie paradox.
Grogan, Sarah, Rothery, Leonie, Cole, Jenny and Hall, Matthew 2018. Posting selfies and body image in young adult women: The selfie paradox. The Journal of Social Media in Society.
Revenge pornography and manhood acts: a discourse analysis of perpetrators’ accounts.
Hall, Matthew and Hearn, Jeff 2017. Revenge pornography and manhood acts: a discourse analysis of perpetrators’ accounts. Journal of Gender Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2017.1417117
Research consideration when investigating psychological factors and health-related issues in online contexts
Hall, Matthew and Grogan, Sarah 2017. Research consideration when investigating psychological factors and health-related issues in online contexts. in: Routledge.
‘I’ve got a very dichotomous difference in the way that I perceive myself’: Positive and negative constructions of body image following cancer treatment
Grogan, Sarah, Mechan, Jayne, Persson, Sofia, Finlay, Sive and Hall, Matthew 2017. ‘I’ve got a very dichotomous difference in the way that I perceive myself’: Positive and negative constructions of body image following cancer treatment. Journal of Health Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105317730896
Revenge pornography: Gender, sexuality and motivations
Hall, Matthew and Hearn, Jeff 2017. Revenge pornography: Gender, sexuality and motivations. Routledge.
Looking at men and masculinities through information communication technologies, and vice versa
Hearn, Jeff and Hall, Matthew 2017. Looking at men and masculinities through information communication technologies, and vice versa. in: Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Geschlechterforschung (IZG).
Disability, discourse and desire: Analyzing online talk by people with disabilities
Hall, Matthew 2017. Disability, discourse and desire: Analyzing online talk by people with disabilities. Sexualities. https://doi.org/10.1177/1363460716688675