Advertising Quote by Naomi Wolf
![“Never," enjoins a women's magazine, "mention the size of his [penis] in public...and never, ever let him know that anyone else knows or you may find it shrivels up and disappears, serving you right." That quotation acknowledges that critical sexual comparison is a direct anaphrodisiac when applied…” quote by Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9af/naomi-wolf-1344_advertising_never-enjoins-a-women-s-magazine-mention_2031183.jpg)
““Never," enjoins a women's magazine, "mention the size of his [penis] in public...and never, ever let him know that anyone else knows or you may find it shrivels up and disappears, serving you right." That quotation acknowledges that critical sexual comparison is a direct anaphrodisiac when applied to men; either we do not yet recognize that it has exactly the same effect on women, or we do not care, or we understand on some level that right now that effect is desirable and appropriate . A man is unlikely to be brought within earshot of women as they judge men's appearance, height, muscle tone, sexual technique, penis size, personal grooming, or taste in clothes--all of which we do. The fact is that women are able to view men just as men view women, as objects for sexual and aesthetic evaluation; we too are effortlessly able to choose the male "ideal" from a lineup and if we could have male beauty as well as everything else, most of us would not say no. But so what? Given all that, women make the choice, by and large, to take men as human beings first.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, 1990
The quote critiques how both genders objectify each other, but especially how women are discouraged from openly comparing men's sexual attributes, reinforcing double standards in sexual evaluation
In simple terms: Women are told not to discuss men's size, revealing a double standard in objectification
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge double standards in sexual objectification
Themes
gender equality
objectification
double standards
sexual politics
media influence
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
provocative
When to use this quote
- dating
- media consumption
- personal relationships
- workplace interactions
Key Concepts
feminist theory
social conditioning
power dynamics
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societal norms shape our judgments of male bodies?
- What can be done to reduce objectification in everyday life?
A Different Perspective
The quote may overgeneralize women's attitudes and ignore cultural variations
![“Where woman do not fit the Iron Maiden [societal expectations/assumptions about women's bodies], we are now being called monstrous, and the Iron Maiden is exactly that which no woman fits, or fits forever. A woman is being asked to feel like a monster now though she is whole and fully physically…” quote by Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bc2/naomi-wolf-1344_advertising_where-woman-do-not-fit-the-iron-maiden-s_891982.jpg)
