Why do men stand like this when being photographed?

[LibertyBlues]

I know not all men do this but I was looking at some photos we had done at work and most men were stood like this - with their hands clasped over their Crown Jewels. Is this some sort of protection thing or a secret body language? I haven't seen a woman do this.

Wasn't sure which board to post this on!

PS. this pic is from Google and ancient!

Terrified of an erection?

I do this and I'm a woman. Leaving your arms just dangling by your sides feels weird and I don't want to do the 'hand on your hip' thing because it looks like you're a sleb posing for Heat magazine.

Shall we come up with some evolutionary bullshit to explain it?!

The photographer / act of photography represents some kind of threat and thus subconsciously becomes a penis-and-testicles protection situation. There, that's my bollocky answer.

They don't know what to do with their hands and feel a bit awkward being photographed. Nothing to do with bits and bobs I don't think.

I do a faintly ridiculous handclasp, if forced to have my photo taken. Usually I manage to run away.

I do this too. I'm a woman. I don't think it's a man / woman thing.

Or they think they're lining up in a free kick wall.

This. Its not that deep.

Do men really stand like this in photos? In your example, the man on the left seems to have been posed by the photographer so at a guess they’ve been told to stand like that. I have really only seen sports teams pose in this manner!

Ha - that's what crossed my mind!!

I always hide at the back in group photos anyway so you wouldn't see my hands anyway!

Yeah, footballers do it when they are lined up singing the national anthem. Is that a nervous thing as all eyes are on them or is it a protect the jewels thing?

Yes, they do. All the time. Not all but a lot do.

@LibertyBlues you’re overthinking it; what do you want footballers to do? Hands on hips? It looks smart, it’s not awkward and it’s not rude.
standing for photos is awkward.

Maybe it's near a football field and they are worried about taking a ball in the groin, so to speak.

My old headteacher always said we had to sing the national anthem with our arms and hands at our sides, and that it was dispectful to do otherwise.

They don't know what else to do with their hands.

Why do women always purse their lips into a pout and make sure the camera is above them so they can look up at it?

I actually told my photographer on my wedding day to make sure that the men didn't stand like they were in The Wall about to try to deflect a penalty from the opposition. He managed to do it though I don't know how.

I don't know why men do it, but they do and it's all the time.