How Women Have Genetically Dictated Penis Size

There’s no doubt that penis size is exceptionally important to most men. Whether their members are big, average or small, men are consumed by what women think of their sexual credentials, and believe – mistakenly or not – that women are far more interested in large penises than small ones. Evolution tells us that this belief is certainly credible, but – in the case of men with exceptionally large or small penises – it leaves several unanswered questions.

Men with larger-than-average penises like to believe that, in an otherwise fair contest, women would choose to have sex with them rather than men with average or smaller penises. Averagely endowed men, however, will almost certainly argue that it’s not the size of the organ but how it’s used that’s important to women.

Many women appear to have a clear idea of what they want, but they don’t all agree on what is ideal; some women are self-proclaimed ‘size queens’ who won’t settle for anything less than large penises. Others say that if they love the man with whom they’re sexually involved, penis size is irrelevant. And still others insist that a large penis can lead to painful intercourse, particularly if the man is so smug about his size that he is blasé about technique.

The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between – and it’s illuminated by the evolutionary practices of the females of other species. Primates are an obvious comparison as their DNA is so similar to humans. Consider the gorilla; the society of these primates is straightforward – female gorillas are attracted to the largest, most powerful gorilla, and become part of his harem. By choosing the most physically impressive mate, females are ensuring that their male offspring are, in turn, far more likely to be powerful.

But the crucial element in the female gorillas’ consideration when choosing a mate is physical prowess, not penile size. The reason for this is that the male gorilla doesn’t need a larger-than-average penis to compete with other males – but he does need to be physically intimidating with a large chest and ferocious disposition. Female gorillas don’t care about penis size because it’s irrelevant – regardless of the male’s size, he will impregnate his entire harem.

Female bonobos, however, have very different priorities to their gorilla counterparts. Bonobos don’t look for strength or size in a male because, while it’s important, it’s not an overriding priority; they will mate with as many males as possible in order to ensure their offspring inherit the best genes. But what are the best genes in bonobo society? Evolution shows that bonobo males with the longest penises have the most reproductive success because they’re able to deposit their semen deep into the female’s ovum. Even if a female has already mated with males with smaller penises, the chances are good that the sperm from the male with the bigger penis will end up fertilising her egg.

The result of this genetic selection is that bonobo males have developed penises that are out of proportion to their body size while male gorillas, on the other hand, have far smaller penises than they ‘should’ have.

An evolutionary example of how females dictate the size of not just genitalia but male appearance can be seen in peacocks; here, females have ‘agreed’ during the course of evolution on what the most attractive male is – and in the case of peacocks, it is clearly the male with the showiest tail. This means that with each new peacock generation, the male’s tail feathers become ever more extravagant and showy. The reason is clear: peahens have only been mating with males who have the most impressive tails; tails regarded as ‘genetically inferior’ have, therefore, been bred out of existence.

Women aren’t immune to the evolutionary trend that drives the need for males with impressive physical characteristics, whether that is a healthy physique, good-looking face or larger-than-average penis. Studies have shown, for instance, that a man who is tall, well-endowed (even in the flaccid state), and has a healthy hip-to-waist ratio, is significantly more attractive to women.

The problem is that modern females are often unable to evaluate a man’s penis size until they’ve fallen in love with him or decided he’d be an ideal candidate to bring up their offspring. This, ironically, works in favour of men with average or smaller-than-average penises; they can wow women with their other assets – perhaps they’re tall or good-looking or have a particularly charming personality. The chances are that they will pass on these commendable characteristics – and not just their small penises – to their sons.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that, while penis size is important to women, it’s not an overriding concern with respect to who they eventually choose as their partner. And, as long as men wear clothes and women remain partial to a charming smile and a sense of humour, it’s doubtful that men with small or average-sized penises will be genetically exterminated anytime soon.