Although the penis forms an important aspect of sexual practices, we know little about how women and men construct the penis in relation to sex and gender in Africa. In this exploratory study from urban Ghana with 34 interviewees, I argue that the changing notions of sex and the penis, in terms of the form they take and in terms of ownership, offer women and men the space to negotiate sexual scripts and to highlight women’s penile preferences. The findings show that while women and men emphasize a biological representation of the penis (due to cultural and religious values), there are nuanced narratives that also acknowledge the social and symbolic importance of the penis to include self-sexual gratification and the use of sex toys. The study contests notions that project female vulnerability vis-a-vis male dominance in matters of sex and that project female sexual choices in Africa.
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