Book Review
A short overview of this book
Manhood: The Bare Reality by Laura Dodsworth is a book that is filled with non-sexualised colour photographs of non-erect penises that represent the diversity in size, colour and shape of this body part.
You would not believe how difficult it is to find a book with realistic penises. Many of them include bodies with penises that are at the HUGE end of the scale. This book is realistic, in that it includes a range of different body shapes, sizes and ethnicity. And the penises themself are all very different.
What makes the Laura Dodsworth books different, is that there is a personal story that goes with each photograph, where they share their story or feelings about their penis.
Books like this are important, especially as our kids grow up in a porn-filled world. Where penises are usually extra-large and body hair is removed. It is important that penis owners grow up feeling comfortable with the penis they have, and for them to understand that every penis is different. And that’s okay!
You can learn more on this page, about how to talk to kids about sex education.
Ideal Age
Ideal for teens aged 14+ years.
Buy this book
✅ Buy a copy of Manhood: The Bare Reality by Laura Dodsworth from Amazon.
Video Transcription
A transcription in case you are more of a reader than a listener
Hey there! I’m Cath Hak, and welcome to Sex Ed Rescue. Today, I want to talk about a book that can really help parents have those important conversations about genitals with their kids. But before we dive in, let me tell you a little bit about Sex Ed Rescue. It’s not only my website where I assist parents in finding better ways to approach these discussions, but it’s also a place where I review a bunch of books. And right now, I’m putting together a list on my website all about genital diversity.
You see, with the easy access to the internet these days, children and teens are stumbling upon pictures of genitals online. And then they start comparing themselves to what they see. They might think, Why isn’t mine as big as a donkey or an elephant? It’s because they’re seeing these exaggerated sizes in porn, where everything is larger than life to create excitement and arousal. But here’s the thing: having a huge penis is not the norm. It’s not common at all.
When you look at the range of body types, most people with a penis fall within the average size. Some might be a bit smaller, and some might be a bit larger, but that’s totally normal. There aren’t many people who have significantly smaller or larger penises. So, it’s important for our tweens and teens to understand that they’re perfectly normal just the way they are.
Now, finding resources that address this topic can be a bit tricky. There are plenty of online resources about vulvas, thanks to the women’s empowerment movement, but there doesn’t seem to be a similar movement when it comes to penises. I even went to an art house bookshop in my neighborhood to see what they had, and most of the books with genital pictures were erotica or pornographic, showing those unrealistic sizes again. Not exactly what we need for educational purposes.
But fear not! I stumbled upon this amazing book that I want to share with you. The author also has books on breasts and vulvas, and I’m curious if they have one on bottoms too. But let’s focus on this book for now. It’s filled with colored photos of genitals, but don’t worry, there are no faces shown. It’s all about celebrating different body shapes and sizes. What’s really cool is that the book includes interviews with the individuals, where they talk about their own bodies. No erections or anything like that, just honest conversations. It’s a great way to provide information and normalize the diversity of bodies.
Oh, and let me mention the cover! It’s super cool, with a design that cuts off and continues on the spine. They keep it pretty PG on the cover, though. So, if you have a teen with a penis, this book can be a helpful resource to let them know that bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and that having a porn star-sized penis is not the norm. I hope you find this recommendation helpful!
Cheers!
