100 Women Sound Off on the Ultimate Penis Size Question

The question of whether penis size really matters has long been argued among men, women, sexperts, and researchers. Although this debate has been raging since time immemorial, no one seems to have quite come up with a straight answer.

Now, as if men didn’t have to worry about their penises enough, there’s a new dick debate at play. We’re talking the ultimate game of Would You Rather: Would you rather have a short, chubby penis or a long pencil dick? Or, put another way, which matters more: length or girth?

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Typically, when we talk about penis size, we tend to focus on length rather than thickness. And this is actually unfair to guys, says Ariella*, 35, who points out that girth and length provide “two different but equally valuable feelings in the vaginal area. One is a sense of fullness (girth) and the other is the sensation of going in and out (length),” she told MensHealth.com.

So which is preferable? To find out, MensHealth.com polled 100 women between the ages of 18 and 71 via SurveyMonkey, asking them all about penises and what matters most to each of them. The survey was sent out through various social media channels, including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. (NB: Because some studies show that men who have sex with men tend to have higher levels of anxiety about penis size, for the purposes of this survey we limited our sample to women who have sex with men.)

You may be surprised by what the women surveyed had to say — suffice to say, there’s more to your wang than meets the eye.

And the winner is…

Girth.

If you have a classic fatty, or what is known in some circles as a “chode,” don’t be bummed about it.According to our extremely scientific survey results, a whopping 70% of women preferred girth to length — or, as Mal*, 36, puts it, “What is length without adequate girth?”

In fact, only 18% of respondents said that length was most important to them. So if you’re one of the 20% of men who worry they’re too small, rest assured you’re probably fine.

OK, but let’s say I’m lacking in both the length and width departments. How much does that actually matter?

As it turns out, the old saying is pretty much true: it’s not the size of the boat that matters, but the motion of the ocean. “It’s not about size at all, it’s about how you use your size to your advantage. It’s all in the hips and teasing,” says Grace*, 26.

In fact, 12% of survey respondents said penis size didn’t matter to them at all. Other studies have yielded similar results, with one UCLA and Cal State LA report finding that 84% of women are totally happy with their partners’ size.

Ultimately, “the girth and length of a penis are less important than the man’s ability to listen to what feels good for his partner. Girth and size don’t matter if you aren’t spending time on foreplay and warming her up,” says Dr. Kristie Overstreet, a psychotherapist and clinical sexologist.

Put another way, if you have a gargantuan penis and you’re flailing it around like Godzilla unchained instead of paying attention to your partner’s needs, she’s not going to be impressed.

I’m on the smaller side. How can I make up for it?

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: clitoral stimulation, people!

The truth is that 75 to 80 percent of women cannot reach orgasm from penetrative sex alone. Sure, the feeling that comes with being penetrated can be enjoyable, but it rarely provides the big O.

So what does bring on the big O? Clitoral stimulation, of course — and that’s true regardless or whether you’re packing a gherkin or a firehose. “There are some men who don’t understand that the majority of women orgasm from clitoral stimulation, or a mix of clitoral stimulation and penetration. They think that using their penis like a jackhammer is best. It doesn’t work, especially for those who may not be as big as they would like,” Overstreet says.

The results of our poll aside, at the end of the day the length vs. girth question largely comes down to personal preference. “No one penis size is ‘best,’ there is no penis hierarchy. For some, big and thick is ideal, but for others it might not be.” Emily Morse, sexologist and host of the Sex With Emily podcast, tells MensHealth.com.

At the end of the day, if you don’t know how to give her an orgasm (and especially if you don’t even bother trying), the size of your member means next to nothing. “Remember that satisfying sex has less to do with penis size, and way more to do with everything surrounding actually penetration,” Morse says.

*Last names have been withheld to allow subjects to speak freely on private matters.

Gigi Engle is a certified sex coach, educator, and writer living in Chicago. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter at @GigiEngle.

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