Manhood Documentary Explores the Growth of the Penis Enlargement Industry

      Manhood, the intriguing new documentary that explores the rapidly expanding penis-enlargement industry, features numerous scenes of penises being injected with sharp needles. Yet, surprisingly, these moments are not the hardest to watch.

      The film, which recently debuted at SXSW, employs penis-enhancement surgeries as a metaphor for contemporary anxieties surrounding masculinity. Director Daniel Lombroso focuses on small but significant details.

      At one point, an unnamed man receiving injections to increase the girth of his penis expresses envy, noting that some of his friends are so well-endowed that women refuse to have sex with them.

      He leaves ambiguous the reasoning behind why being too large for sex might be preferable to actual sexual experience. However, this moment emphasizes the film's commentary that some men, influenced by pornography, podcasts, and societal pressures, prioritize looks over behavior.

      Bill Moore, the documentary's primary subject, suggests early on that spending money to enhance one's penis can be a worthy investment. He believes in the concept of Big Dick Energy and thinks that his patented girth-enhancement process can give men the confidence they need to revitalize their lives.

      His method involves a series of injections costing thousands per session to increase girth. His success serves as evidence that at least one individual has thrived within the penis enlargement field. (Notably, he focuses on width rather than length, which he claims is more challenging to augment.)

      Lombroso and his crew take a step back, allowing their interviewees to share their experiences without judgment, leading to some astounding moments. The director became interested in the topic partly due to the secrecy surrounding the procedure.

      "I do believe it’s becoming more common. There aren't any statistics," Lombroso shared. "We attempted to clarify this, but anecdotally, when I began the project, there were only a few clinics, and now there are 32 — in every major city."

      In a Q&A following a Monday screening of Manhood, Lombroso and his team contextualized penis enlargement within a masculinity crisis, looksmaxxing, and the male-centric podcaster Manosphere.

      "We're currently experiencing a really strange news era, where truth is debatable. Many people treat podcasts as news these days," stated Kerry Mack, one of the film's producers. "With the flood of information, we simply hear voices, making it challenging to discern who is a journalist versus some random person with a microphone."

      Besides Moore, Manhood primarily focuses on Ruben Ramirez, a father of five who spends thousands on penis enlargement before facing financial issues, and David, a young man concealing his homosexuality and amateur video fame from his religious mother.

      David undergoes injections to appear larger on camera but faces a disastrous enlargement experience — not performed by Moore. Much of the film follows David as he tries to arrange a procedure to remove remnants of the failed operation. Charismatic and kind to everyone, he serves as a cautionary tale regarding the risks associated with penis enlargement.

      How Manhood Director Daniel Lombroso Encouraged Men to Discuss Penis Enlargement

      During Monday’s Q&A, Lombroso explained that prior to making the film, he worked at The New Yorker, which surprised some of his colleagues. He gained the trust of his interviewees by initially winning over Moore and then spending time in the waiting room, asking patients if they would be willing to share their experiences on-camera.

      Many agreed — some anonymously and others without hesitation.

      "I would just sit in the waiting room and introduce myself to everyone who came in. The patients were remarkable," Lombroso recounted. "Many of them weren't identified in the film, but I met a well-known megachurch pastor; a border patrol agent; a father of five, Ruben; a dairy farmer; and a divorcee getting back into dating. We aimed to be patient and wait until they felt comfortable.”

      Ramirez, who attended the Q&A alongside Moore and the filmmakers, expressed no regrets about the procedure or his participation in the documentary. As a comedian and fan of comedy-related podcasts, including The Joe Rogan Experience, he mentioned in Manhood that he first learned about penis enlargement from Moore’s appearance on his podcast Your Mom’s House, hosted by Christina Pazsitzky and Tom Segura.

      “It’s just not something we discuss,” he remarked on Monday. “Even among men, just a few guys together. It’s still awkward.”

      Ramirez emphasized that going public about the procedure was about being open, akin to his comedic approach.

      “I tend to live in the moment,” he stated. “Even deciding to get the injections was sparked by hearing about it on the podcast.”

      He also recommended the procedure: “I would tell any guy considering it, why not? Instead of buying that BMW, just get a Civic [and a] big cock.”

      Moore, on the other hand, expressed hope that the film would encourage men to be more candid about cosmetic surgery.

      “I believe what this film questions is, why is it so difficult