Sometimes the fetish has a cultural value and is acceptedby everyone - like the mutilated feet of the Chinese women, revered by Chinese men in traditional times. Frequently, the desire forthe sexual partner to have a penis, coupled with other developments of the character structure, leadsto conscious male homosexuality.
Femalesalso use the fetish logic, not only to attract males, but also using the
symbolic penises to enable themselves
to be powerfulplayers within the masculine world. However, the
symbolic phallus does not stick, so the compulsive buying of shoes and handbags can never
achieve their hidden goal - a penis does not appear even after the 100th
pair ofboots. But it can be bluffed to exist for a time, just like male potencycan be bluffed
withmotorcycles and beards.
Males use symbolic penises to enhance their selfperception
and showing off of masculinity, suchcaninclude various items associated with maleness -
like manlyboots, shoulderpads, cars, phallic hats ('baseball' ones, 'cowboy'
ones, 'military' ones, 'Humphrey Bogart' ones, etc.) In a publication of 1956 16, Charles Seltmanargues, that clothes as such
have always had symbolic meaning beyond their 'functional' need, indeed he pointsout that
the 'functional' as in 'protection from the sometimes harsh environment' concept is not
necessarily selfevident:
"The insular group known as Tierra del Fuego, at the southern tip
of South America, is afflicted bya bitterlycoldand raw climate. Yet the majorityof the inhabitants go naked
or almost naked, andareimpervious to cold.
Not onlyhands and face, but the whole
humanbodyis admirablyadjustableto various climates, and
clothing is not needed as a defense against the elements.
Once, however, the use ofclothing was adopted, things changed and human beings frequently began
tofeel cold whennaked." Seltman argues, that the original function of clothes
was "apotropaic, turningaway the effects ofmagic, sorcery, the evil eye and
hostile spirits", and clothing also helped to "conserve
your own power bycontaining it".
Thisdoes not sound implausible to me, butbe it as it may - clothing is always loaded with manylayers of
meanings, and the penis is frequently present in contemporary fashion. The simplest way of finding out what of the
Seltman, 'Women in Antiquity' p28 29, 1956, Pan books ltd:
London elements of
the attire of a male plays the immediate role of a substitute penis is that whichin
momentsofbursts of emotions like anxiety/smugness/confusion, is beingfondled,
pulled at or stroked -it is typically a tie, keyholder, mobile phone in pocket, perhaps a protruding portion
of a hat or hairdo.
These male substitute penises are connected
amongother thingsto the widespread fear of having a penis smaller
then those ofother men:
"This interest is as universal
among men as is their anxiety about castration, and it is not tobe allayedbyexperience."