Amerkinis apubicwig.Merkins were worn byprostitutesafter shaving theirmons pubis,and are used as decorative items or erotic devices by both men and women.
History and etymology
editTheOxford Companion to the Bodydates the origin of the pubic wig to the 1450s. According to the publication, women would shave their pubic hair for personal hygiene and to combatpubic lice.They would then put on a merkin. Also, sex workers would wear a merkin to cover up signs of disease, such assyphilis.[1][2]
TheOxford English Dictionarydates the first written use of the term to 1617. The word probably originated frommalkin,[3][4]a derogatory term for a lower-class young woman, or fromMarykin,apet formof the female given nameMary.[4]
Contemporary use
editFilm
editSometimes in filmmaking, merkins can be worn by actresses to avoid inadvertent exposure of the genitalia during nude or semi-nude scenes. The presence of the merkin protects the actor from inadvertently performing "full-frontal" nudity which can help ensure that the film achieves a less restrictiveMPAA rating.[5]
A merkin may also be used when the actor or actress has less pubic hair than is required, as in the nude dancing extras inThe Bank Job[citation needed].Amy Landeckerwore a merkin inA Serious Man(2009) for a nude sunbathing scene; clean shaving was not common in 1967 when the film is set.[6][7]
- In an interview forAllure,Kate Winsletrelated how she refused to wear a merkin inThe Reader.[7][8]
- In an interview,Gina Gershonrevealed that she wore a merkin inKiller Joe.[9]
- In the director's audio commentary ofThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,directorDavid Fincherdiscussed how a merkin was used for actressRooney Mara,after she suggested to him that the character she portrayed in the film was a natural redhead in the book and dyed her hair black. Consequently, the merkin she wore was made in the color red. For the release of the movie inJapan,Fincher stated: "I believe in Japan we had to put a mosaic over it because fake pubes are considered to be... nasty."[10][11]
- InStanley Kubrick's filmDr. Strangelove,the character of thePresident of the United States,played byPeter Sellers,is bald and is named "Merkin Muffley".[12]
- In the Italian filmLa Pelle(English:The Skin), which takes place during the Allied occupation ofNaplesafter World War II, blond merkins are made for the local prostitutes to pass for blondes for the US soldiers.[13]
- In the filmThe Greasy Strangler,the character Janet wears a merkin.[14]
- In the filmNever Been Kissed,the main character Josie Gellar's assistant is named Merkin. The character is portrayed bySean Whalen.
Television
edit- In the television seriesBlack Sails,Jessica Parker Kennedywore a pubic wig.[15]
- Lucy Lawlesswas fitted for a merkin for the 2010 TV seriesSpartacus: Blood and Sand,but did not use it.[16]
Other
edit- At theSão Paulo Fashion Weekin 2010, the 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.[17]
- In 2022, in response to the passing of reforms to theGender Recognition Actin Scotland,Elaine Millerwearing a pubic wigflashedtheScottish parliamentchamber in protest.[18]
References
edit- ^Oxford Companion to the BodyOxford University Press,2002
- ^Francis, Gareth (2003-06-26)."A short and curly history of the merkin".The Guardian.
- ^Bradley, Henry;Cragie, William Alexander(1908).Murray, James Alexander Henry;et al. (eds.).Merkin.2. Vol. 6.Oxford:Clarendon Press.p. 360.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ab"merkin, n.1".OED Online.Oxford University Press.Retrieved2014-07-14.
- ^Duchovny, DavidDVD commentary forSteven Soderbergh'sFull Frontal
- ^Yuan, Jada (2009-09-28)."A Serious Man'sAmy Landecker: 'The Correct Term Is Merkin'".New York.Retrieved2010-04-28.
- ^abLindsy Van Gelder (26 August 2009)."Your Bikini Line, Your Business?"Allure.
- ^Hannah Morrill (3 June 2009)."Kate Winslet, Unscripted".Allure.Many sources claim that she wore a merkin by only quoting part of this interview (found in full in the printed issue):
Let me tell you,The Readerwas not glamorous for me in terms of body-hair maintenance. I had to grow it in, because you can't have alanding stripin 1950, you know? And then because of years of waxing, as all of us girls know, it doesn't come back quite the way it used to. They even made me a merkin because they were so concerned that I might not be able to grow enough. I said, "Guys, I am going to have to draw the line at a pubic wig, but you can shoot my own snatch up close and personal."
Another Allure source (used here) also says she did not wear it.
- ^Graham, Bill (26 July 2012)."Interview: 'Killer Joe' Stars Emile Hirsch and Gina Gershon on Getting Dirty, Single Takes and a Chicken Bone".Thought Catalog.
- ^Brevet, Brad (12 March 2012)."What I Learned Listening to David Fincher's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' Commentary".Archived2013-12-11 at theWayback MachineRope of Silicon.
- ^"Rooney Mara Naked, Merkin Details For 'The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo'".The Huffington Post.13 December 2011.
- ^MerkinatAllMovie
- ^Axmaker, Sean (22 January 2015)."Videophiled: 'Adua and Her Friends' and 'The Skin' – Survival, Italian Style".Cinephiled.Retrieved6 April2018.
- ^Yamato, Jen (4 October 2016)."'The Greasy Strangler': Inside the Most WTF Movie of the Year ".The Daily Beast.
- ^"Complex Magazine Interview (With Video)".Jessica Parker Kennedy.February–March 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2014.
- ^Lucy Lawless.Interview for Entertainment Weekly
- ^"Mehr Transparenz auf dem Laufsteg".Der Spiegel.
- ^Chudy, Emily (2022-12-23)."'Gender critical' protester flashes pubic wig in Scottish parliament ".PinkNews.Retrieved2022-12-23.
