# A Penis Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145 "2009-12-13T22:21:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/1 "2009-12-13T22:21:31Z")
**When** exactly did it become a “member”? And who thinks of goofy shit like calling a penis a “member”??? Thanks!😃 Q ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/2 "2009-12-13T22:27:58Z")
“Member” is an old, old word for a body part, not just a penis (hence, the term “dismemberment”). Sometimes the penis is referred to as the “male member,” to make it clear that you’re not talking about a thumb or a foot. Of course, in some contexts a general term clearly refers to something more specific that the speaker does not want to name explicitly. So you have sexual organs referred to as simply organs, or even more extreme cases such as “thing.” In olden days it was done out of delicacy. Now it’s often for comic effect. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/3 "2009-12-13T22:47:30Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > **When** exactly did it become a “member”? > Q When it got tired of posting as a “guest”. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/4 "2009-12-13T22:50:04Z")
That was \*so \*much better than my answer. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/5 "2009-12-13T23:20:20Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > When it got tired of posting as a “guest”. Thanks for the laugh, **runner pat** and thanks for the answer, **TWDuke**! Quasi ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/6 "2009-12-14T01:22:03Z")
Remember this the next time someone calls you a valued member. Guess what they are really calling you. ---
**Author:** ![sparky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@sparky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sparky_1)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/7 "2009-12-14T01:57:31Z")
Mine is a member in good standing, thank you very much. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/8 "2009-12-14T02:19:48Z")
I still snicker at the word member. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t work for a credit union. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/9 "2009-12-14T03:07:45Z")
in german it is teil, part. I would rather call it something like member or part that some of the really nasty sounding words. Fuckstick is particularly reprehensible. Of course some comedians have great jokes, isnt it Robin Williams who calls it his heat seeking moisture missile and mr happy in one routine? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/10 "2009-12-14T03:58:40Z")
Mine is actually a Charter Member. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/11 "2009-12-14T04:08:10Z")
There was a cartoon made in 1975 by George Griffin called **The Club** in which all the members are, well, “members”. You can see them working out in the gym. On the wall, they have portraits of vaginas. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/12 "2009-12-14T04:24:08Z")
I’m trying to figure out how it can be a “sexual organ” with only one pipe. . . ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/13 "2009-12-14T04:32:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’m trying to figure out how it can be a “sexual organ” with only one pipe. . . It’s not really an organ, more of a woodwind. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/14 "2009-12-14T05:43:02Z")
This explains Members Only™ jackets. They were wore mostly by dicks. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/15 "2009-12-14T05:52:33Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > There was a cartoon made in 1975 by George Griffin called **The Club** in which all the members are, well, “members”. You can see them working out in the gym. On the wall, they have portraits of vaginas. And YouTube comes through again! [http://www.youtube.com/](http://www.youtube.com/) watch?v=13mWMj19ENw (link broken because it’s NSFW). That is just…weird. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/16 "2009-12-14T10:33:56Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > It’s not really an organ, more of a woodwind. 😃 Not to be confused with [Winwood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Winwood) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/17 "2009-12-15T18:50:14Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > “Member” is an old, old word for a body part, not just a penis (hence, the term “dismemberment”). Sometimes the penis is referred to as the “male member,” to make it clear that you’re not talking about a thumb or a foot. > > Of course, in some contexts a general term clearly refers to something more specific that the speaker does not want to name explicitly. So you have sexual organs referred to as simply organs, or even more extreme cases such as “thing.” > > In olden days it was done out of delicacy. Now it’s often for comic effect. I think I will re-member this. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/18 "2009-12-15T18:57:35Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > This explains Members Only™ jackets. They were wore mostly by dicks. 😛 You beat me to it. But I’m glad you’re only a guest here. I’d hate to have a member beat ME. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/19 "2009-12-15T19:44:16Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Mine is actually a Charter Member. Unfortunately, recently mine has only been a lurker.☹ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145/20 "2009-12-15T19:55:43Z")
[QUOTE=Groucho?Woody?] I would never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member [/QUOTE] 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-penis-question/521145.md?page=2)