Exploring the Cultural Phenomenon of the Dick Pic

Andrea Waling is a Senior ARC DECRA Research Fellow at the Australian Research in Sex, Health, and Society at La Trobe University, Australia. She undertakes several qualitative and mixed-methods research projects focused on explorations of men, sexuality, and bodies; young people and sexual literacy, technologies, sex, and sexual intimacy, and LGBTIQ+ health and well-being. Many of these projects engage in community consultations and co-production of knowledge, and are centred around social justice issues to ensure better health and wellbeing outcomes for marginalised communities. Dr Waling is co-leading a program of research at ARCSHS focusing on the intersections of technology, sex education and digital literacies, gender, sexuality, and sexual intimacies. Her DECRA (2020−2023) research project Men, Sex and Intimacy explores how young, heterosexual men in Australia are navigating and negotiating intimacy, sex, and consent in the wake of #MeToo politics and awareness around sexual violence against women. To date she has attracted over $2.8 million AUD in competitive funding, and has over 70 publications. She has earned several awards for her research, most recently the La Trobe University Excellence in Research Impact (2021) for the Understanding LGBTI+ Lives in Crisis project.

Preface

Introduction

1: Locating the Erotic (Heterosexual) Man: Sexualisation and Objectification Debates

2: "A Disturbing and Perplexing Phenomenon": Popular Discourses of Dick Pics

3: "Critiquing Your Dick Pics with Love": Reading Dick Pics Reparatively

4: "That Feeling of to Be Wanted": Process, Relationality, and Desire

5: "You Get What You Deserve:" Managing Risk and Backlash When Sending Dick Pics

Conclusion