Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder why penis graffiti is so common in the UK?

159 replies

FlannelShirt · 22/08/2024 14:26

At least in the part of the UK where I live (the North, without getting too specific…I know the North is a large area), maybe it’s a regional issue?

But I have lived in three different countries and only experienced this since moving to the UK. I never saw penis graffiti like this before moving here.

Every time I go out there is a penis scribbled somewhere. On a bus bench there is a massive one with hair and stuff squirting out that anyone who wants to relax while waiting for the bus has to sit on.

There was another along a children’s nature walk by the river, on a white wall, about 4’ tall and bright red. Thankfully someone painted over that one.

But I see them, big and small, sometimes even made with the dark juice of some random piece of fruit (as seen near a farm and wild fruit hedge, made on the path).

These are just a very small sampling of the many penises I have seen while out and about.

I suppose people will say ‘because kids’, but why not in other countries I’ve lived, where kids exist? I’m not slamming the UK, I’m genuinely curious.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
27
longdistanceclaraclara · 22/08/2024 17:17

It's fried eggs round here never managed to find out the meaning

GreatMistakes · 22/08/2024 17:20

CurlewKate · 22/08/2024 16:07

@ThisOldThang " I'm not sure it's the patriarchy. It's just kids messing around."

It can be both!

☝yup

There has to be a link to dickpics as well. Unsolicited and uninvited but...accepted?

I don't know! Penises are easy and satisfying to draw (thr most basic dont even need you to take the pen off the paper) and perhaps a little taboo for girls? But teen boys drawing boobs and fannies might embarrass themselves by drawing them badly?

dragonfliesandbees · 22/08/2024 17:32

Can’t say I’ve noticed it where I live. But last time we had a decent amount of snow someone built a massive snow penis in one of the local parks. It was actually quite impressive. My kids thought it was hilarious.

Timeturnerplease · 22/08/2024 17:34

Try teaching eight year olds. If they can possibly doodle a willy* and balls somewhere they will do. If I draw a diagram on the board that has even the slightest phallic shape they all fall about laughing. And God forbid anyone says the words willy, or anything that sounds similar; that’s concentration lost for at least quarter of an hour.

I don’t know where the human fascination with penis graffiti came from, but I can assure you that it starts early.

*Yes I know that the correct term is penis. They know that too, but the appeal of a slightly naughty slang word is just too much to resist.

Needmorelego · 22/08/2024 17:44

@longdistanceclaraclara South London? Those eggs are everywhere!

Arrivapercy · 22/08/2024 18:14

Really depends what the other three countries you are comparing to.

The uk is very secular and very free. Religious institutions tend to frown on expressions of sexuality so things are deemed offensive and cleaned up quicker in more religious countries.

Some countries lack political freedom and so punishment for humour and free expression can limit this sort of thing.

Aria20 · 22/08/2024 18:55

Haha this thread made me chuckle remembering when I was looking after my friend's 6 year old daughter and walked past a giant graffiti penis on a wall and she said to my daughter "look cherries" 🍒 I had a chuckle to myself about her innocence as my dd has 2 big brothers so she knew it was a "willy" luckily she didn't correct her friend! When I told her mum she laughed her head off and told me they'd seen it the week before and her husband had told her it was cherries Grin

LlynTegid · 22/08/2024 19:23

I don't see any where I live or on the train/tube journeys I make. And before you ask, I don't spend the whole journey looking at my phone.

GuessingGownaGoGo · 22/08/2024 19:27

I was reading reviews on a hotel in Tunisia last week and one man had made a complaint to the hotel about his car being graffiti'd in the car park - he included a photo of a big cock and balls drawn in the dust on his windscreen 😁
He was v v cross

So it's not just UK.

YankSplaining · 22/08/2024 19:32

My husband graduated from an all-boys school in the US in the early 2000s. There was penis graffiti everywhere. The student body was probably 60% homophobic, so I asked him, “Didn’t they think it was ‘gay’ to be so fixated on penises?” The idea had never occurred to him.

I don’t understand why boys and men do this, but it seems to be pretty common, at least in western society.

FlannelShirt · 22/08/2024 19:34

I almost never see boobs, I’d find it refreshing for a change!

That could really be taken out of context 🤔

OP posts:
Garlicfest · 22/08/2024 20:24

PickAChew · 22/08/2024 17:05

There is even a cock pokémon (I find it hard to believe this wasn't a joke that slipped through)
https://pokemondb.net/pokedex/combusken

Allow me to introduce ... a rather cross-looking 'bivalve' Pokémon 😅

https://pokemondb.net/pokedex/cloyster

Cloyster Pokédex: stats, moves, evolution & locations

Pokédex entry for #91 Cloyster containing stats, moves learned, evolution chain, location and more!

https://pokemondb.net/pokedex/cloyster

TroysMammy · 22/08/2024 20:33

There was one drawn on a dirty van. My niece about 5 at the time pointed to it and said "look Aunty, someone has drawn a rocket on that car and it has flames coming out of the top". I just said whilst stifling a smirk "yes dear".

SprinkleOfSunak · 22/08/2024 20:44

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 22/08/2024 14:31

Try being a teacher. Theyre everywhere.

I was just about to type exactly the same thing!

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 22/08/2024 20:47

ThatOneUncomfortableEyelash · 22/08/2024 17:17

It's dead easy to draw an equally inaccurate fanny IME. One line for the main features, one for a nubbiny clit, and a few hairs for decoration if you fancy.

speedfadge

FlannelShirt · 22/08/2024 21:10

Garlicfest · 22/08/2024 20:24

Allow me to introduce ... a rather cross-looking 'bivalve' Pokémon 😅

https://pokemondb.net/pokedex/cloyster

I think I have a new favourite Pokémon 🤔

OP posts:
PickAChew · 22/08/2024 21:24

And there is beldum, of course. This one gets through the profanity filters.

To wonder why penis graffiti is so common in the UK?
Luio · 22/08/2024 21:26

They are pretty common in every country that I have lived in.

00BonneMaman00 · 22/08/2024 21:28

@PinkyAndTheBarnacle or just with marker pens?! 😆

BranstonPickleAndNikNaks · 22/08/2024 21:33

My 4yo draws them with no hint of humour whenever he's drawing a male person. The best worst was when we were sitting in church. I'd brought some paper and pens to keep him quiet and he was busily drawing away. Halfway through the service he solemnly showed me his picture of Jesus on the cross... complete with a penis and balls.

Thisdamncough · 22/08/2024 21:37

Definitely seemed to be a favourite embellishment on mini white boards in the classroom. Always the teenage boys that did it. Quite funny when you catch them forgetting to rub the pic out before holding the boards up to show their answer. Also many a white van around my town adorns a cock and balls picture in the dust. DH and my older son think it's hilarious. I find it boring.

Drippycandle · 22/08/2024 22:02

@ThatOneUncomfortableEyelash or in the elaborate form:

To wonder why penis graffiti is so common in the UK?
ThatOneUncomfortableEyelash · 22/08/2024 22:05

Drippycandle · 22/08/2024 22:02

@ThatOneUncomfortableEyelash or in the elaborate form:

Spectacular.

moonshinepoursthroughmywindow · 22/08/2024 22:54

Because penises are relatively easy to draw and they're mildly shocking in some contexts.

ForGreyKoala · 23/08/2024 00:00

I'm not in the UK and while I'm sure there is penis graffiti here it's not so noticeable for me to even recall seeing much of it.