Merkin
Encyclopedia
Pubic hair
Pubic hair is hair in the frontal genital area, the crotch, and sometimes at the top of the inside of the legs; these areas form the pubic region....
wig. Merkins were originally worn by prostitutes after shaving their genitalia
Sex organ
A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, as narrowly defined, is any of the anatomical parts of the body which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in a complex organism; flowers are the reproductive organs of flowering plants, cones are the reproductive...
, and are now used as decorative items, erotic devices, or in films, by both men and women.
Origin of term
According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English LanguageThe American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language is an American dictionary of the English language published by Boston publisher Houghton Mifflin, the first edition of which appeared in 1969...
the term stems from a corruption of the obsolete word malkin, meaning a lower-class woman or mop, from the personal name Mall or Moll, themselves derived from Meri or Mary; -kin was used to form pet-names, e.g., Simkin from Simon. The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
Shorter Oxford English Dictionary
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, often abbreviated to SOED, is a scaled-down version of the Oxford English Dictionary . It comprises two volumes rather than the twenty needed for the full second edition of the OED...
concurs in this derivation.
History
The Oxford Companion to the BodyOxford Companions
Oxford Companions is a book series published by Oxford University Press. This series provides general knowledge of a specific area, and has included :* The New Oxford Companion to Law* The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French...
dates the origin of the pubic wig to the 1450's. Women would shave their pubic hair and wear a merkin to combat pubic lice
Pediculosis pubis
Pediculosis pubis is a disease caused by the crab louse Phthirus pubis, a parasitic insect notorious for infesting human pubic hair. The species may also live on other areas with hair, including the eyelashes causing pediculosis ciliaris. Infestation usually lead to intense itching in the pubic area...
, and prostitutes would wear them to cover up signs of disease, such as syphilis
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
.
"A Short and Curly History of the Merkin" in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
provided a partial history of the merkin. It highlighted "comedy terrorist" Aaron Barschak
Aaron Barschak
Aaron Alexander Barschak styles himself as a "comedy terrorist" and fringe UK politician. In 2003, he attracted media attention by surreptitiously joining Prince William's 21st birthday party.-Background:...
's flashing of a merkin to onlookers. It has also been suggested that when male actors played female parts onstage, they would cover their genitals with a merkin so they could expose themselves as women in nude scenes.
Contemporary use
In Hollywood film making, merkins are worn by actors and actresses to prevent inadvertent exposure of the genitalia during nude or semi-nude scenes. If a merkin were not worn, it would be necessary to restrict the shot to exclude the genital area; with the merkin in place, brief flashes of the crotch can be used if necessary. The presence of the merkin protects the actor from inadvertently performing 'full-frontal' nudity – some contracts specifically require that nipples and genitals be covered in some way – which can help ensure that the film achieves a less restrictive MPAA rating.A merkin may also be used if the actor has less pubic hair than required, such as the nude dancing extras in The Bank Job
The Bank Job
The Bank Job is a 2008 British crime film written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, directed by Roger Donaldson, and starring Jason Statham, based on the 1971 Baker Street robbery in central London, from which the money and valuables stolen were never recovered...
, Amy Landecker in A Serious Man
A Serious Man
A Serious Man is a 2009 dark comedy written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film stars Michael Stuhlbarg as a Minnesota Jewish man whose life crumbles both professionally and personally, leading to questions about his faith...
(for a nude sunbathing scene, as the actress' bikini wax
Bikini waxing
Bikini waxing is the epilation of body hair in and around the pubic region, commonly by women, by the use of wax. With certain styles of women's swimwear, pubic hair may become visible around the crotch area of a swimsuit. Visible pubic hair is widely culturally disapproved of and considered to be...
was not common for the period (1967) when the film is set), and female slaves in Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Blood and Sand is a Starz television series that premiered on January 22, 2010. The series is inspired by the historical figure of Spartacus , a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BC led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic. Executive producers Steven S...
. Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless
Lucy Lawless, MNZM is a New Zealander actress and singer best known for playing the title character of the internationally successful television series Xena: Warrior Princess....
was fitted for a merkin for Spartacus, but did not actually use it. In an interview for Allure
Allure (magazine)
Allure is the leading U.S. women’s beauty magazine, published monthly by Condé Nast in New York City. It was founded in 1991 by editor in chief Linda Wells, who has been at the helm of the magazine ever since. From its inception, the magazine has been widely recognized for its intelligent,...
, Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet
Kate Elizabeth Winslet is an English actress and occasional singer. She has received multiple awards and nominations. She was the youngest person to accrue six Academy Award nominations, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Reader...
related how she refused to wear a merkin in The Reader.
At the São Paulo Fashion Week
São Paulo Fashion Week
The São Paulo Fashion Week is a fashion event, held at Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo, notable as "Latin America's pre-eminent fashion event," according to one report. It began in 1996, when the event was known as Morumbi Fashion Brazil. It won the current name in January 2001. Today, the event is...
in 2010, design firm Neon dressed a nude model in transparent plastic. According to the designer, the model wore a pubic wig to make her appear more natural.
Other usage of the term
- The term can be used in an obscure sense to refer to the vulva.
- In Europe, the term has also been in common usage as a jocular term for an American since the 1960s, as it sounds like the half-swallowed pronunciation of "American" by some Americans, particularly Presidents Lyndon B. JohnsonLyndon B. JohnsonLyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
and George W. BushGeorge W. BushGeorge Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. The OED reports that the term has become common internet slang for Americans or American English.
- More recently the removable sheepskin headband found on the inside of safety hardhats are referred to as merkins by many in the mining industry of Western AustraliaWestern AustraliaWestern Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
- The popular saltwater fly fishing flyArtificial flyAn artificial fly or fly lure is a type of fishing lure, usually used in the sport of fly fishing . In general, artificial flies are the bait which fly fishers present to their target species of fish while fly fishing...
, used primarily in targeting bonefishBonefishThe bonefish is the type species of the Albulidae family, or bonefishes in order Albuliformes. It is amphidromous, living in inshore tropical waters, moving onto shallow mudflats to feed with the incoming tide, and retreating to deeper water as the tide ebbs...
and permitPermit (fish)The permit, Trachinotus falcatus, is a game fish of the western Atlantic ocean belonging to the Carangidae family. Adults feed on crabs, shrimp, and smaller fish...
, Del Brown's Merkin is also named after the artificial hair piece. The Merkin fly pattern represents a crab, referencing the merkin's historical use for pubic lice (also colloquially known as crabs). Further, Del's Merkin is tied with a disc of fuzzy yarn, imitating the crab's shell but also reminiscent of the fly's namesake.