Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career Money
    • Health Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes amp; Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • NYFW
    • Life In Plastic
    • Cari Champion
    • New Books
    • Postpartum Psychosis
    1. Sex love

    Scientists on the Size of the Average Penis (+ Why Do Men Have Phallus-Image Disorder?)

    Wondering if you're normal (or if your BF is)? Here's what the data says. ... I wonder why so many men have so much anxiety about their peni.

    By Maura Kelly
    Published 14 April 2010 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Since this is turning into a male-themed week, I'm going to write something about THE MENS again today. It will be a very short post... about length. 

    A few days ago, I told men everywhere that while size certainly matters, it's been my experience--both first-hand and anecdotal--that the vast majority of men are just fine in the endowment department. (Ladies? Anyone care to weigh in on this?)

    In response, one of my readers pointed me to a Slate article about the scientific data on male penis size. 

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    The piece goes on and on and on ... before finally, er, coming to the conclusion we've all been waiting for. 

    WHEN FLACCID AND MEASURED BY A RESEARCHER ... 

    the average penis is in the 3.5- to 4-inch range. 

    WHEN FLACCID AND SELF-MEASURED ... 
    the average penis is about 5.1 inches.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    WHEN ERECT AND SCIENTIFICALLY MEASURED ... 

    the average penis is 5.5 to 6 inches.

    WHEN MAURA KELLY IS IN THE HOUSE ... 

    the average penis size leaps to 7 erect inches!

    (Kidding about that last one. Really, it's 6.8.)

    In other words, when men take out their own rulers--of the, er, wooden variety?--to check their size, they can be a bit over-eager. 

    Is that because they are so anxious to feel like they measure up? 

    Men out there, I'm sure you want to tell us where you, um, stand on this issue. So go ahead. Brag. We are equal opportunity over here atThe Year of Living Flirtatiously. If, on the other appendage, you'd also like to talk about your penile anxiety, we're here to listen.

    But guys AND girls, I also wonder this: As much as pornography helps to skew the perceptions of many males--who come to expect certain things even of non-porn females--which in turn helps to make women ashamed of their bodies (by making us think we should all be hairlessdown there, have enormous breasts, a perfect tan, a fountain-like orgasm, etc.) ... as much as porn does that to women, is porn also responsible for male penis anxiety? Or does that come more from the locker room? Or have the men out there had negative experiences with women who mock or tease them, saying they have wee wee-wees?

    xxx

    Maura Kelly
    Latest in Sex love
    Two women covered in blood (Gillian Anderson as Billy and Hannah Einbinder as Kris) stand closely together in a convenience store aisle, with their intertwined hands on a cart. A still from Jane Schoenbrun#039;s #039;Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma#039; (2026).
    Movies Everyone Has Thoughts About Gen Z and Sex. 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma' Gets It Right
    Princess Diana wears a shimmering blue mini dress and carries a matching blue silk clutch bag
    Royals How Diana Navigated Being a "Newly Divorced Princess"
     
     
    Queen Camilla wears off-white and pale green on her wedding day, including a white hat, to marry King Charles in 2005
    Royals Why Queen Camilla "Felt a Little Broken" on Her Wedding Day
    Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married at Madison Square Garden and a sign announces their nuptials outside
    Celebrity What Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Said in Their Wedding Vows
     
     
    Latest in News
    Jennifer Lopez wears a brown leotard with rare Nike sneakers, embracing Hailey Bieber#039;s jelly shoe sneaker hybrid trend.
    Celebrity Style Jennifer Lopez Is Embracing the Jelly Shoe Hybrid Trend
    Michelle Obama was spotted attending Celine Dion’s concert in Paris, where she made a stylish appearance in a Diotima dress and carried a Liffner bag
    Celebrity Style Michelle Obama Hops on Fall 2026's Suede Bag Trend
     
     
    Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana (1961 - 1997) and Prince Charles at Victoria Station, London, where they will welcome a state delegation from Nigeria, March 1989.
    Royals Why Queen Elizabeth "Was Furious" With Princess Diana
    King Charles wearing a crown at his coronation
    Royals Royal Fans Help "Fix" an "Embarrassing" King Charles Mistake
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.