The footballer Pele is idolised by millions of people across the globe for his skill, style and sportsmanship. He’s considered by many to be the very epitome of masculinity, so it’s no wonder that people sat up and took notice when the Brazilian star and father-of-five became the public spokesperson for one of the greatest male taboos: erectile dysfunction, or ‘impotence’.
Pele shows that impotence has nothing to do with machismo or ‘manliness’. Being a traditionally masculine role model, he was in the perfect position to successfully deliver this important message and bring the subject into the public arena.
