Good news/bad news, guys: Women don't care about penis size — but they do have opinions about your pubic hair

Put down the measuring tape and pick up the clippers—it's time for a "Brozilian" or a "Butt Reynolds"

Published July 22, 2015 8:49PM (EDT)

This just in: women don’t care that much about penis size, according to both a study of 105 women in The Journal of Sexual Medicine and a Cosmopolitan study of 1,100 readers, 96 percent of which were women. The journal study, titled “What is a Good Looking Penis?” (a title which made me think of an X-rated beauty pageant) found that of eight qualities a penis might possess, “general cosmetic appearance” was most important, while penis girth was third, and penis length, sixth. In the Cosmopolitan study, 89 percent of respondents were not concerned with the size of their partner’s penis. I’m not surprised—and not just because I happen to prefer men with smaller penises.

I’m not surprised because while we still have plenty of strict standards when it comes to acceptable weights for men—dad bod, anyone?—I think we are starting to recognize that men can’t control their penis size. Therefore, judging them for it is pretty much a lost cause, unless you’re going to kick someone out of your bedroom you’ve been hot for once they undress because they don’t seem to measure up to a preconceived idea. Judge not, lest ye be judged? Perhaps women are simply being realistic because they’ve realized a bigger penis doesn’t necessarily mean the guy is better in bed, something born out by the Cosmopolitan study.

So, what can we learn from these figures? According to sex educator Reid Mihalko, commenting on the journal study, while cautioning “it’s important to note that grooming preferences may differ from country to country, culture to culture,” he told Salon, “The good news is that a man who pays attention to grooming seems more important to a woman than penis length. Which, in my experience, seems to hold true. Even if you aren’t girthy/thick, you can learn how to use your hips and legs to create variations in angles and motions during sex that can approximate that you’re thicker by generating more sensation around her vaginal walls an...

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By Rachel Kramer Bussel

Rachel Kramer Bussel is the author of "Sex & Cupcakes: A Juicy Collection of Essays" and the editor of more than 70 anthologies, including "The Big Book of Orgasms" and the Best Women's Erotica of the Year series. She teaches erotica writing workshops online and in-person, writes widely about books, culture, sex, dating and herself, and Tweets @raquelita.

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