I know that after reading this some people might be tempted to rename this column “In The Pubic Interest”, but trust me, while what I write might appear flippant, I am as serious as a heart attack.
Mark my words, before long you will remember that I raised this issue here.
Last week the news broke that Thomas Manning, a cancer patient from Massachusetts in the United States had received the first penis transplant in that country. It took doctors 15 hours to attach the penis of a deceased donor.
According to the primary surgeon, normal urination should be possible in a few weeks and “sexual function” in months.
Manning had lost most of his penis to potentially fatal penile cancer. The amputation of his own penis, he complained, had made starting a relationship impossible.
Apparently, his new – or should that be used – penis came from an organ bank and doctors had practised on cadavers for three years before attempting the procedure.
Now we all know how we are in this Western world. If doctors can do it on an unhealthy subject, what is to stop them from doing it on a perfectly healthy man. This is the day of cosmetic enhancements, and if a fellow can afford, what is to stop him from seeking something larger?
I don’t know if it is true, but we all know what they say about white men, so what if columnist Lowdown Hoad decides he can afford a black one.
But the West is also famous for its culture of consumerism, and if a fellow with a large penis that he does not use too often believes he can retire comfortably by “donating” it to some rich would-be stud, what is to stop him? The next thing you know the organ donation card of accident victims will place more emphasis on donating the penis than the heart, kidneys or liver.
We may even have siblings squabbling over who gets the penis when the old man’s will is read; or even worse, the fellow who boasted all his life about the mammoth size of his member, waking up to find it missing – the work of an organ thief.
And let us not forget the growing world of the transgender person. In 15 hours, with the right donation yesterday’s girl is tomorrow’s boy – easy so.
When things start to happen, I hope you all remember I wrote about it here first.
