On the biomedicalisation of the penis: the commodification of function and aesthetics

This paper explores contemporary understandings and representations of the penis. It presents an overview of recent trends which re-frame long-standing penile anxieties within a new hybrid world of health and aesthetics. It explores these apparent changes through the lens of biomedicalisation. By focusing on constructions of masculinities in crisis, changes in the representability of the penis and the effects of Viagra, it suggests that contemporary penile pathologies and anxieties are being constructed and commodified. In the past medical discourse has focused primarily upon the ‘traditional’ functionality of the penis, more recently it has focussed upon pharmaceutical innovations such as Viagra. However, we suggest that now there appears to be the emergence of a new penile discourse, a penile aesthetic that focuses upon penile appearance as much as function. This shift has been facilitated by the Internet, the deregulation of pornography and changes in sexual mores

Culture and Practice: Identifying the Issues

Cultural competency has been a topic of concern within the healthcare community for nearly half a century. Among the issues that present the greatest challenges for practitioners and patients alike is that of sexual healthcare. Yet, few practitioners are prepared for the diversity of beliefs and cultural challenges that arise within the field of sexual health. This chapter focuses on the growing need for cultural competency, detailing the scope of the major issues that arise as populations and nations increase in both their domestic and international diversity, and showing how such issues are likely to negatively impact healthcare. A number of sample illustrations are used to underscore the relevance of cross-cultural sensitivity/understanding to issues related to gender, sexual identity, and sexual healthcare. This chapter concludes with a brief discussion about strategies to develop and sustain cultural sensitivity in ways that both serve the needs of diverse communities and increase their satisfaction with their healthcare experience