There are so many penises in episode one of HBO/Paramount +’s new comedy series Minx (33. Not that I was counting, there’s amagazine already doing that) it’s easy to forget that when male centrefolds first landed in women’s laps it was born from a new wave of feminism and part of a hugely significant sexual revolution.
Set in 1970’s, Minx follows the story of earnest young feminist called Joyce, played by Ophelia Lovibond (who stars as Carrie Johnson in the upcoming Boris Johnson drama, This England) as an idealistic young feminist in LA who joins forces with a porn magazine publisher (played by Jake Johnson) to launch the first erotic magazine for women. The series has become an instant hit for its clever writing, evocative imagery, and its championship of feminist ideals from the 70s era.
The mantra running throughout Minx chants, “The ability to look makes a woman feel powerful and that’s what our magazine is all about”. And look we do! But while the show celebrates women becoming bolder in their sexuality, it opens up an interesting narrative about whether it would be appropriate, or even desired today?
It’s a whopping 50 years since Cosmo Editor Helen Gurley Brown persuaded Burt Reynolds to lollop hairily on a bearskin rug for their ground-breaking centrefold. But despite this being an exciting moment for sexual liberation, Reynolds later said it damaged his reputation as a serious actor. “I didn't recognise you with your clothes on!" screaming women would shout at him in the street. A feeling many famous women before - and since - him will know all too well.
So, would there ever be a place for naked male centrefolds in today’s media? Society now is very different due to gender fluidity, dating apps, social media, revenge porn and the pornification of mainstream culture. We’re in a hyper-digital era, where pornographic content is readily available. The role of smart magazine media is to help readers navigate this changing world. And we’ve fought so hard against the objectification of women it’s hard to justify doing the same for men.
Editor Farrar Storr cited this as one of the reasons she removed the naked centrefold during her tenure at the helm of Cosmopolitan in 2017, "You can’t say ‘I don’t want to be objectified’ if you then objectify other people yourself. You need to be careful of that hypocrisy.”
Author of Toxic, presenter and campaigner Natasha Devon agrees, “As a body image and mental health campaigner, I've observed for a long time that men are being targeted in the way women were traditionally; feeling pressure to try and change their body shape through diet and exercise and to spend increasing amounts of their disposable income on beauty products. When I said we should strive for equality, my understanding was that women should feel as free in and unbothered by their bodies, as confident that they have other qualities to offer the world, as men have traditionally been. But it seems that it's become a 'race to the bottom'”
Natasha concedes, “I can see why male centrefolds sprang up in the first place and how they might have been perceived as quite a powerful symbol of gender equality in their time. But now we have had so many conversations about objectification and the damage it does. Of course, the context is different. Men are less likely to be objectified and disrespected in their day-to-day life and therefore male centrefolds aren't contributing to a structural inequality in the same way female centrefolds are.” But she concludes, “It’s difficult to see how male centrefolds would be justified in 2022'.”
Yet, is there something to be said for championing diversity and celebrating bodies of all shapes, sizes and genders? In episode one of Minx we are shown a great diversity of penises in terms of size, shapes, and color. One character says to Joyce, “Not all wieners are the same, babe. There’s shorties, fatties, long ones, flatties,” and another adds, “Playful, shy, jaded, bored.” And while, ultimately, it's the pretty boy with the big swinger (albeit a prosthetic one) who gets the gig, isn’t the point here that…well, even if there is a ‘point’, or a mushroom, or more of a pencil shape, it’s ok, as long as there’s equal representation?
CEO and creative director of Good Shout, Amy Kean, believes that done right, the idea of reviving the male centrefold could be a positive.
“The diversification of body representation that’s blown up in pop culture and social media in the last few years could literally have saved people’s lives. I’d imagine the positive impact of this on many people’s mental health has been significant. The wonder of all bodies, regardless of the shape or size, and the platforming of people with disabilities in a truly celebratory way is finally ridding us of this toxic narrative that there’s one ‘normal’ or ‘desirable’ type of body.”
More and more, people are sharing their bodies in social media not just because they want validation and approval, but just because they want to. Amy argues that this means the whole concept of a mainstream ‘centrefold’ could potentially be a lot more powerful now. “This isn’t just about lust, it’s about loving yourself, and that’s a game-changer. So could men be centrefolds? Absolutely! As long as diversity is front of mind. Every type of male body, and every type of male! Not only could it be beautiful but educational, too. And a revolutionary chapter in the evolution of masculinity. I say, let’s do it!”
When it comes down to it, sexuality is not a one-size-fits all proposition. And should we even be gobsmacked when we see a penis (or 33) on tv or in a magazine? While some shows like ‘Euphoria’, ‘White Lotus’ and ‘And Just Like That’ do seem to be closing the gender nudity gap, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll be seeing James Bond with his bits out anytime soon. Perhaps that’s because in reality there’s no way this ‘big powerful man who kills off evil villains and gets every woman he wants’ could ever live up to the promise.
As for me? While I love the brash bollocking comedy of Minx and its refusal to shy away from showing the shlong, I’m way more turned on by the sensational outfits Joyce wears. Give me a sateen pantsuit and a jacquard three-piece over some bloke's turkey giblets, any day.
Minx is available to watch now on Paramount +