The Definitive Book of Body Language

Courtship Displays and Attraction Signals

subtle codpiece, which purported to display the size of a man's

masculinity and therefore his social status. In the twenty-first

century, New Guinea natives still employ penis displays, while

Western men can achieve the same effect with tight-fitting

pants, small-size Speedo swimming trunks or dangling a large

bunch of keys or the long end of a belt in front of his crotch.

These hanging objects give a man the opportunity to reach

down from time to time for any necessary adjustments. Most

women can't imagine being in a public place and reaching

down to scratch their crotch and are amazed that men will do

this nonchalantly and with regularity. It's the same message for

all male primates, they just use different approaches.

Belt and crotch-
grabbing while
dancing are some
of the less subtle
forms of crotch
display.