Dear Men

THE SUPERIOR PENIS

“Sick” repeats a familiar female mantra, the iconic status of the penis in the female psychology and in terms of which the female, having only a vagina, is to be accorded only secondary status. According to Freud, of course, the psychology goes back to the infantile stage when the sister and brother were in the bath. “What is that?” cried the slightly older sister. She wanted one – ie. a penis – but didn’t have one. Freud called it “penis envy,” and it seems the condition persists with females, like the poster, on into adulthood. But, of course, the central question as to males’ superiority remains. Sick attempts to reject this, but offers nothing in support.

I want to argue, on the contrary, that in fact the male IS superior. One only has to look at the relevant qualities in terms of which such superiority might be assessed. It is true that the female can physically give birth and the male cannot but this is not a meaningful gauge of superiority. (The female, for example, cannot inseminate herself.) No, such superiority must be determined on other grounds such as – wait for it – INHERENT CREATIVITY!

For example, how many front-rank artists, scientists, yes, and philosophers are female? How many Nobel Prize Winners are female? In other words Sick, on what basis do you claim that females are equal to males? You must specify the grounds on which any coherent judgements are to be made or forever hold your peace. (And don’t, of course in this time and age, drag up the old chesnut of taking care of the kids!)

A pleasure as always.

Cheerio!