I think the comment I replied to implies something different than the reality… yes there is a long history of discussing and joking about circumcision in film and TV, including instances of characters being angsty about it, but not quite what you were suggesting (at least, what I interpreted to be your suggestion).

As the other guy said, the locker room episode of Freaks and Geeks is a good illustration of how it works for most people these days (and the show is set in 1980 so it’s probably been that way for a while in most places).

I suppose it would be better if we were more casual and comfortable with our bodies around people of the same sex, but for most people it isn’t the genitalia that’s a big deal, but bigger body image issues (like being overweight etc.)

Oh, and why do you hang around people who would only listen to hot women? That’s just… totally phucked up!

Anyway the point is the show is all about how bodies are all different shaped sizes and colors and we need to be open minded about them. In fact they tend to concentrate on the more intimate parts of the body because that’s what people are embarrassed about. It’s a fantastic show, very educational.

Most of the straight boys/men I have known have seemed quite aware of the penises around them — like who in a school grade had a “big one” or whatever, or who wasn’t circumsized where circumcision was common. I mean — you pull it out of your fly to urinate. I don’t think that boys/men are strolling about in the locker room, having long naked conversations with each other. However, male genitals are difficult to hide. I don’t think there is some strange male genital beauty parade that happens in  change rooms — but I do think that men have a much greater passing awareness of the variety of shapes, colors and sizes of other male penises. I find it exceptional that you say that no one saw your penis and that you never saw anyone elses.

Maybe my upbringing in a rough rural area was different than yours.

But a full trim?  Crab lice maybe.  Or maybe it’s a gay thing.

That’s, uh, not quite right. I’d say women grow up seeing each other naked as much or more often than men do. I’ve always heard it that way, anyhow, that women being casually naked around each other just happens a lot more than it would with men. Maybe we’ve both got wrong information. But no, that bit about boys being constantly naked around each other just struck me as hilarious. No one saw my penis and I didn’t see theirs… And anyone seeing your penis was the stuff of nightmares. See: Freaks and Geeks.

And I’ll be the first to admit to taking part in all of it. If I didn’t spend money on hair-removal, botox (I’m 28, but if you’re a female over 17 you’re considered an old hag these days), cosmetics, manicures, etc, I’d have a *lot* more spare money. I’d rather it wasn’t like that but unfortunately people don’t listen to women unless they are conventionally hot, and you do what you have to do to get by.

Final Verdict on hairlessness:
Not a fetish.   

5 parts Learned Sexual Norm (subject to change)
3 parts Utilitarian Landscaping 
1 part Objective Visual Stimulus

Actually you’ll find that there’s a trend in porn towards hairy crotches at the moment. People have gotten so used to bare skin that now a healthy bush is now seen as exotic and kinky. One of the major adult stars of the moment, Stoya, has quite an attractive garden down there.  

Also: Useless without pictures!