
Women tend to prefer circumcised penises over uncircumcised penises, according to a recent Sexual Medicine review article, though the authors acknowledged several limitations and recommended further research.
For centuries, aspects of the penis, such as size, have been associated with male attractiveness. The practice of male circumcision – the removal of the foreskin that covers the head of the penis – is thought to have originated in Africa about 220,000 years ago. Nowadays, the global prevalence of circumcision is estimated to be between 37% and 39%.
However, it was unclear how women felt about circumcised penises and the reasons behind their preferences. Researchers also wanted to know how women felt about having their own sons circumcised.
Why did women prefer circumcised partners? They provided a variety of reasons.
The authors acknowledged several limitations. Not all of the women involved in the studies had sexual experience with both types of penises, so not all would be able to make a comparison. In addition, culture and socioeconomic status may affect the way women view circumcision.
The authors recommended further research, especially in the context of long-term relationships vs. casual sex encounters.
“Importantly, a woman’s preference for a circumcised male partner is more than simply a sociocultural preference, as might apply to pierced ears, given the reduced risk of STIs and disease for women with circumcised male partners,” they concluded.
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