Indians For Guns

Abstract

In this study, we formally examine the association between p*n*s size dissatisfaction and gun ownership in America. Theprimary hypothesis, derived from the psychosexual theory of gun ownership, asserts that men who are more dissatisfiedwith the size of their penises will be more likely to personally own guns. To test this hypothesis, we used data collectedfrom the 2023 Masculinity, Sexual Health, and Politics (MSHAP) survey, a national probability sample of 1,840 men, andregression analyses to model personal gun ownership as a function of p*n*s size dissatisfaction, experiences with penisenlargement, social desirability, masculinity, body mass, mental health, and a range of sociodemographic characteristics.We find that men who are more dissatisfied with the size of their penises are less likely to personally own guns acrossoutcomes, including any gun ownership, military-style rifle ownership, and total number of guns owned. The inverseassociation between p*n*s size dissatisfaction and gun ownership is linear; however, the association is weakest amongmen ages 60 and older. With these findings in mind, we failed to observe any differences in personal gun ownershipbetween men who have and have not attempted p*n*s enlargement. To our knowledge, this is the first study to formallyexamine the association between p*n*s size and personal gun ownership in America. Our findings fail to support thepsychosexual theory of gun ownership. Alternative theories are posited for the apparent inverse association betweenpenis size dissatisfaction and personal gun ownership, including higher levels of testosterone and constructionistexplanations.

Abstract

Although there has been no direct empirical evidence linking sexual dysfunction (SD) with gun ownership, speculation has been widespread and persistent for decades. In this paper, we formally examine the association between SD and gun ownership. Our primary hypothesis, derived from the psychosexual theory of gun ownership, asserts that men experiencing SD are more likely to personally own guns than other men. To test this hypothesis, we used recently collected data from the 2021 Crime, Health, and Politics Survey (CHAPS), a national probability sample of 780 men, and binary logistic regression to model gun ownership as a function of SD. Our key finding is that men experiencing SD are no more likely to own guns than men without SD. This interpretation was supported across several indicators of SD (performance anxiety, erection trouble, and ED medication) and gun ownership (personal gun ownership, purchasing a gun during the pandemic, and keeping a gun in one’s bedroom). To our knowledge, we are the first to have directly tested the association between SD and gun ownership in America. Our findings are important because they contribute to our understanding of factors associated with gun ownership by challenging the belief that phallic symbolism and masculinity somehow drive men with SD to purchase guns. Our results also remind us of the perils of gun culture rhetoric, which, in this case, function to discredit gun owners and to further stigmatize men with ED. We conclude by calling for more evidence-based discussions of SD and guns in society.