Visitors to Reykjavik, Iceland, may be surprised to find the Icelandic Phallological Museum, a unique collection boasting the world’s largest array of penises. For around $20 US, visitors can view members of many species, including some human, most of which are preserved in jars. In Lima, Peru, the Museo de Larco houses an impressive collection of pre-Columbian pottery, including a section devoted to “erotic pottery”, some of which predate the Inca and even Christ. Meanwhile, in Bhutan, it is a custom to paint a phallus on the front of one’s home for fertility.
These examples demonstrate the preoccupation with male anatomy that is still prevalent today. This is evidenced by the large amount of money made from Viagra and Cialis in the US, as well as the influx of sexy middle-aged male-focused commercials.
Recently, anti-male-circumcision activists from a group called Intaction, interrupted President Clinton at a Clinton Foundation Millennium Network talk in New York. The group was protesting Clinton’s support for male circumcision in Africa, which has been proven to be an effective tactic in the battle against the AIDS epidemic.
The group’s website features a woman holding a picket sign that reads: “Circumcision removes the most sensitive part of the penis”, a claim that is not supported by any funded or anecdotal studies. The group’s focus on male circumcision has been criticized for being short-sighted when compared to other global issues such as famine, war, disease, poverty, pollution, and exploitation.
The issue of male circumcision has been compared to female genital mutilation and the Jews during WWII, which has been deemed inappropriate and disingenuous. Furthermore, it has been argued that men have more power than women and that it is inappropriate to be a “crybaby” about something so trivial.
Ultimately, it has been suggested that the focus of the Intaction group should be redirected to more pressing global issues, such as the estimated 22 million people with HIV/AIDS in Africa.
