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By: Ask Emily

I don't know why we're so size driven. Why do cell phones, noses, and sports cars have to be tiny while televisions, SUVs, and penises have to be huge? I suspect there's a lot of ego involved. Mix in some negative influences (like bad sit-coms and neurotic guys in the locker room) and convoluted myths ('she won't enjoy it if you're not huge and pounding her hard') and the result is one heck of a societal inferiority complex.


I'll blame the small cell phones on bitty pockets (those low-rise jeans don't leave much room for technology) and most of the rest on the narcissistic drive to have the best and show it off. But the penis thing has to be addressed.


Here's the good news:

Most (a lot more than half) of all penises are between five and seven inches long when fully erect (that's measuring along the top of the shaft for those of you following along at home). On the contrary, when flaccid (soft), they vary from seemingly inverted to long and dangling. (How's that for scientific terminology?) So, some guys are "showers" and some are "growers." In other words, some start off looking somewhat impressive and others don't. But since *most* wind up in that same average range (5-7" long) some "show" their size even while limp and others "grow" to it from a much more modest state.


There is no benefit to one or the other. Some guys are relieved to be showers so that those ignorant about the potential to grow tremendously will be impressed by their flaccid size, while growers can impress their partners by going from peanut to fire hose in 60 seconds flat (and there's considerably less of a chance of catching it in zippers).


Time for the hard truth:

Some guys' penises are just not that big. They might be as narrow as your pinky finger or as long as your thumb. These guys might be showers or growers anyway, but their resulting erect size doesn't quite make it to the 5-7" average. No, pills don't help. No, there aren't exercises you can do.


The best things you can do if you're concerned about penis size are:
1. Lose weight. A big belly just seems to swallow up a penis. Trim back the fat around it and trust me, it will stand out much more proudly.

2. Increase circulation. Penises get hard because blood flows into them. Some say that increasing blood flow, heart health, and circulation by eating well, engaging in cardiovascular exercises regularly (sure, sex counts), and not smoking may increase blood flow to the penis, helping it get and stay harder and subsequently look larger. (Please get your doctor's advice before changing your diet or exercise regimen.)

3. Realize how much it actually matters to women (read on).


OK, I'm not going to lie to you. Some women really do prefer a very large piece. Sorry- it's true. However, here are your saving graces for modestly sized penises:


- Some women really do prefer a more humble penis profile.

- Very large penises (in length or girth) can actually hurt a woman. Men with exceptionally large members may have issues with condoms breaking or feeling too tight, and they can't always thrust all the way into their partner for fear of hurting her.

- Most of the feeling in a vagina is in the outer 1/3. So you don't have to "hit bottom" to make her day. In fact

- Most women (approximately 75% of us) *require* some form of consistent, direct clitoral stimulation (that means something stimulating the clitoris, not just the vagina, which is the internal part) in order to have an orgasm. For many women, vaginal stimulation is not necessary at all. Though it may be a nice added bonus, it is not the main event.


So the point to take away from all of this is that size just plain doesn't matter as much as you think it does some men prefer very small-breasted women and others want Pamela Anderson-esque knockers. Similarly, women have penis-size preferences, but small is sometimes good, and is often better than *too* large.


It's true what they say- it's not so much how big it is, but what you do with it. Talk to your partner, find out what she likes, focus on her pleasure, and before you know it neither you nor she will care in the least about that roll of quarters in your pants.


- Ask Emily