Tucking is a technique whereby an individual hides the crotch bulge of their penis and scrotum so that they are not conspicuous through clothing.
The practice is most commonly employed by men, transgender women, as well as non-binary people who are assigned male
and men who do drag, or otherwise desire a more androgynous appearance. There are fertility-related side-effects to tucking, such as a reduced sperm count.[1] Some types of clothing, such as gaffs and boxers are purposefully designed to conceal the crotch bulge.
Methods
One method of tucking involves pulling the penis backwards in between the legs while simultaneously pushing the testicles up into the inguinal canal.[2] In order to secure this position in place, some practitioners may use especially tight undergarments and a leotard that has a strap.[3] Another practice is the flattening or binding by using tape to fasten the genitalia along the perineum and if possible in between the buttocks. There are also improvised or home-made contrivances whereby an elastic waistband is cut off from an existing garment and then a pouch placed along the middle to then be pulled up.[4]
Some people use purpose-made panty-like garments, often called gaffs, that serve to hide the genitalia and provide a feminine flat and smooth crotch area.[5]
Other
The practice of tucking is also observed among cisgender men for reasons other than appearing female, done in different manners.[6] Some cisgender men do it because they have dysmorphophobia with regards to their genital bulge.[citation needed] For other men, it is due to feeling embarrassment, while others do it to hide an erection,[7] to "not scare women" out of a sense of prudishness or phallophobia[8] or because the bulge is prominent at an inappropriate moment.[9] Methods of tucking include placing the penis behind the waistband sometimes colloquially referred to as uptuck[10] while some men may wear purposefully designed compressing underwear.[11] Variations of tucking may be used by macrophallic men when they perceive their crotch bulge to have an obscene appearance.[12] There are some types of boxer shorts and boxer briefs that are designed to conceal the male crotch bulge, such as bloxers.[13][14]
Health effects
Placing testicles closer to the body increases their regulating temperature. This causes heat stress on the sperm inside the testicles, often leading to premature death of the sperm, and overall lower sperm count.[1][15]
^ abDucheny, Kelly M., and Randall D. Ehrbar. "Family creation options for transgender and gender-nonconforming people." Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity 3.2 (2016): 173
^Pyne, Jake. "Unsuitable bodies: Trans people and cisnormativity in shelter services." Canadian Social Work Review/Revue Canadienne de service social 28.1 (2011): 129-137
^Filippo, Maria San. "Female Trouble: Representing Transwomen in The Danish Girl and The New Girlfriend." Journal of Bisexuality 16.3 (2016): 403-407.
^Conard, L. A. E. "Supporting and caring for transgender and gender-nonconforming youth in the urology practice." Journal of Pediatric Urology (2017)
^Willson, Jacki, and Nicola McCartney. "A look at ‘fishy drag’and androgynous fashion: Exploring the border spaces beyond gender-normative deviance for the straight, cisgendered woman." Critical Studies in Fashion & Beauty 8.1 (2017): 99-122
^Shawver, Lois. "Sexual Modesty, the Etiquette of Disregard, and the Question of Gays and Lesbians in the Military." Out in force: Sexual orientation and the military (1996): 226
^Lever, Janet, David A. Frederick, and Letitia Anne Peplau. "Does size matter? Men's and women's views on penis size across the lifespan." Psychology of Men & Masculinity 7.3 (2006): 129
^Blanco, F. "revealing myself: a phenomenological approach to my underwear choices through the years." Critical Studies in Men's Fashion 1.2 (2014): 117-131.
