The Masculinity Myths Surrounding Erectile Dysfunction

How beliefs about being a "real man" intersect with erectile dysfunction.

• Men often learn about their bodies and sex through film, porn, and cultural stereotypes.
• Erectile dysfunction can affect anyone with a penis, regardless of his age.
• There is no shame in getting support for erectile dysfunction.

Various researchers have offered a variety of estimates on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) diagnoses in the U.S. One survey from 2018, for example, concluded that it affects one-third of men. Another 2019 global survey estimated that ED affects between 3 percent and 76.5 percent of men.

ED refers to an inability to get erections for penetrative sex or intercourse. It can be traced to several things, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, stress, and poor mental health.

It is important to educate men, particularly young men, about the medical facts related to erectile dysfunction. What is often not addressed when men see their medical providers are the many potentially harmful yet common myths circulating in society about penises and masculinity. These myths are often intersectional in nature—meaning that the racial, religious, and cultural communities in which men are raised tend to have their own unique spin on masculinity myths.

The Masculinity Myths Surrounding Erectile Dysfunction