page_title: Erection
section_title: Culture
hierarchical_section_title: Erection / Penis / Culture
context_page_description: An erection of a body part such as a man's penis, a woman's clitoris or a nipple refers to it becoming larger and harder.
  The term erection is most often used to refer to an erection of the penis. It is widely believed that a man's penis needs to be erect in order for him to take part in sexual intercourse and penetrate his partner's vagina and to ejaculate semen, but all are possible without an erection. In a healthy male, an erection will usually occur if the man is sexually aroused or stimulated. This can happen if he is touched sexually, or even if he is not touched – for example, if he sees a naked person or thinks about having sex with someone else. Erections can also occur without thinking about sex or being touched. Most boy teenagers have unexpected erections. This is normal. Erections happen several times during the night. This happens to all healthy adult males of all ages. This also happens when a man wakes up. That is normal too. Tissues in the penis called the corpus spongiosum penis and corpora cavernosa penis fill with blood, causing the penis to become longer, thicker, harder and to stand upright.
caption: A carving of the Ancient Egyptian god Min on the wall of a temple. Min is usually shown having an erect penis.
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