Manhood: The Bare Reality

Product Information

It’s not the first time that she has used intimate photographs to explore ideas about identity, gender, sex and society – nor was that project immune to double entendres. The classic social pressures mean that it can feel very shameful for a boy to… be perceived as weak. It was very personal and covered a whole lot about the inner world of men I would have otherwise not had access to.

Manhood: The Bare Reality is a collection of 100 intimate photographs and interviews with men, and explores themes of masculinity, gender and sexuality, offering a unique insight into what it means to be a man in the 21st century. This book challenges the cultural commodification of sex and sexuality, and it encourages the reader to experience ‘being sexual’ rather than ‘doing sex’ or ‘looking sexy’.I don't think one person can have the final say on what masculinity is, so instead there are 100 men's stories and voices. As I read the book, I saw many interesting things, and I’m not even referring to the multitude of penises (there is also a strong narrative of what word to use when referring to the penis as throughout the book; I settled for the anatomical term in this piece). Get it for the photos, but read it for the funny, the shocking, and the vulnerable moments we might otherwise never see. As this is a driving force and predominant theme behind the mission of ABSOT, these lines aren’t new information. A lot more men feel a sense of shame or anxiety about their size, or an aspect of their performance, than I would have thought.

I approached certain communities of people, like prostate cancer groups, naturists, men’s groups, etc. How they want to be the best father they can be - to men in there who talk about not seeing their children either through their own choice.They have all bared their soul – and the contents of their trousers – to photographer Laura Dodsworth, the author of a new book Manhood: The Bare Reality. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. The emphasis was on comfort and openly discussing bodies and manhood, rather than any pressure to show off the penis as a glorious, huge presence, and each man was kept anonymous while sharing their stories.

However, what is most revealing about these quotes delves into why men might keep things close to their chest. Topics like our physical and mental health, our worries and insecurities, our hopes and dream, and our overall emotions should become commonplace. I think it makes it more successful – somebody feels that they’ve already bared their body, it helps them to open up and tell their story. Masculinity is associated with being ‘strong and silent’, yet here is a book of 100 men talking frankly and intimately about their manhood in both senses.

We need to open up lines of communication to dispel any sort of shame or stigma attached to freely discussing men’s health.

The same themes run through everything I do: my work is an exploration of people, our loves, our lives and our place in the world.We need to talk more – not about sports and women and stereotypical “guy things,” but about what really drives us as people. Each photograph is accompanied short first person stories which offer, en masse, a striking counter-narrative to the objectification of the female body.