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Is male infant circumcision an appropriate gender studies question?

I believe it is. I think it should be broached with sensitivity, because it is a subject that can make parents who have allowed it to be done to feel guilt, grief and pain, but it should still be discussed. Male infant circumcision is injurious to the infant psychologically and physically, and to the mother infant bond, as well as lifelong sexuality.

Public Comments

1. I think it is a great topic. There are still many myths about circumcision and why it would be necessary, which it isn't. It is an out of date procedure, in my opinion. And you will come to find out, that the rest of the world doesn't normally perform circumcision as commonly as we do in the US.

2. I don't see why not, it is gender based!

3. Yes. it is . I believe. But it is necessary to eliminate other ailments regarding allergy and other pains, Infant circumcision is to alleviate other life long sex problems.

4. AHHHH they still do that? freakkkkkkkks

wash your damn foreskin

5. I agree with you completely.

6. I too believed it was unnecessary until two nephews in our family had to have the procedure done at 10 and 12 years old, after each having a series of repeated infections...quite surprising really and now I am not so sure...in both cases the parents were firmly opposed to circumcision...but getting young boys to clean under their foreskin is quite difficult, and on a microscopic level the area continually fills with germs.

7. is injurious to the infant??
What about a man?
It should encourage the parents to question the doctors reasons and what they were told and what is being done with what has been removed that will affect them the rest of their life. (example, foreskins being used for anti aging creme)

Did they tell the parents before removing part of their infants private:
1. When your baby reaches puberty, his "manly part" size will be SMALLER.
2.The skin may feel it is stretching during an arousal.
3. We will be removing the majority of your babies sensitive nerve endings and will reduce the feeling of his sexual pleasure..
4.Your baby may grow into a self conscious male when he learns what we did to his manly part to be used as an experiment and aging creme.
4.Your baby may grow into a man with the urge to drink alcohol to increase the sexual feeling that was damaged by removing part of his private and possibly lead to alcoholism...
5. Your baby will grow to understand his manly part was "cut up" and will hear "small pen-s jokes" by others and knowing his could not be what is was meant to be because we removed a part that allowed for expansion resulting in a smaller size.

I see this as criminal activity protected by the
"CRIMINAL Justice System" and decorating it with too many kind words may have people believe
"not a big deal".
The more people know, the more people can question and force doctors to explain their actions.

Its time for the "veil" to be lifted.

8. Gender-based child abuse in all its forms is an appropriate topic here.

9. I've read your opinion on male circumcision of infants is injurious to the infant psychologically and physically and is injurious to the mother infant bond and lifelong sexuality....what crap!

Men who are not circumcised are dirty. They can infect a female partner more easily with sexually transmitted diseases and will contribute to cervical cancer in their partners. Also, men have to undergo operations later in life when infections set in under their foreskins due to the buildup of smegma.
Because the central nervous system isn't totally formed yet at birth, the procedure produces very little pain and is more healthy for the male in the long run. Who wouldn't want their sons circumcised if it could help him overcome disease and infection?

10. I agree with you 100% Even about the pain and guilt thing.
My parents betrayed me by circumcising me without my permission and causing me a lifetime of damage. As a result it's caused me a lifestime of emotional pain. The very least that can happen is parents feel horrible about doing it forever.

-Connor

11. Yes, it is an appropriate gender studies question.

The medical community does not disclose and infact suppresses the adverse effects and complications resulting from male genital mutilation, called circumcision.

Doctors are doubly biased for circumcision; they make money from it, and are frequently members of the religions that try to impose circumcision on all males.

The psychological effects of circumcision are never discussed by doctors, and parents are convinced by the medical profession to force genital mutilation on their sons without any clear picture of the ramifications of the damage.

Female circumcision of minors is illegal in all civilized countries, because it is genital mutilation.
Male circumcision of minors is not illegal, which is sexist in the extreme, and unconstitutional as such in the USA.

And parents who have allowed genital mutilation to be forced on a defenseless male infant should be made to feel guilt, grief and pain; many infants end up having a lifetime of grief and pain as a result of the mutilation. I know; I'm one of them.

Circumcision is a fraud and a hoax.

A foreskin is not a birth defect; it is a birthright.

ERIC

12. I think male circumcision is a crime of silence. People are too uptight and weirded out by it to even speak about it. Try talking about it at a social gathering and it is a real conversation stopper. Even when someone makes a 'joke' about it, everyone just laughs politely, shuffle their, and try to change the subject. It is this reluctance to speak openly about it,....this aversion to discussing it, that has allowed it to continue. This silence that society shows towards the topic has programmed people to keep their opinions to themselves, and thus, the crime of silence continues.
Through the internet, and the awareness of the brutality of male (and female) circumcision, people are beginning to speak out about this atrocity. On this site, the views are polarized. There are still those who view it as acceptable and beneficial to mutilate the genitals of a new born infant, with no thought to the wishes of the infant. Religious circumcision is no different. No child is born holding religious beliefs. It would be far more meaningful for the child as an informed adult to agree to sacrific a part of his body to the god he/she choses,....or simply to stay the way nature intended.
This barbaric procedure is hidden behind a culturally acceptable, clinical term like circumcision. Female Circumcision is called outright Female Genital Mutilation and is ilegal the world over. That is not to say it is still not practiced in some areas, and that some women are forced to have their genitals mutilated,....but the very procedure has the recognition of mutilation, where-as with males,...it is a medical procedure. Not true,...it is a cosmetic procedure, and has no medical benefits. It is time to protect males under the law, as well as females.
For those who are crying out: Female circumcision is different than male circumcision,....well, no, it is not. The foreskin and the clitoral hood are direct male/female equivalents. The further stages of female circumcision where the labia is removed is the same as the damage done to the glans by a careless knife stroke, or from the foreskin being torn off prior to the circumcision procedure.
Both are barbaric practices, both are cruel, both have no medical benefit, and both need to be stopped.
The American Acadamy of Pediatrics is meeting this week prior to releasing their statement about routine infant circumcision. Equally well studied, academic, and credible medical groups around the world do not support male circumcision. If the AAP takes the higher ground and speaks out against male circumcision, then they will rise in credibility. If, as expected, they will maintain the practice then millions of infants in the US will suffer this debilitating procedure. Of course, if the AAP speaks out against circumcision, they will yank the rug out from under the doctors who have been pushing it for money for years,...leaving them open to lawsuits, and loss of revenue. They will not do that to their own.....Circumcision is a money maker for the medical industry and they are not likely to cut their purse strings.
At least the rest of the world is aware of the damage circumcision does, and they speak out against it.
Mithras

13. A very appropriate, interesting topic.

Good luck, and really delve into this deeply. Baby boys deserve it.

14. It is an appropriate gender study if you present an unbiased view. However, your view on circumcision is totally biased against the procedure. I totally disagree with your assessment that it is injurious.
My son was circumcised at birth, he has no problem with sexuality and his bond with his Mother is very strong. he has also never suffered from any urinary infections or rashes.

I was circumcised as an adult, and i can tell you for sure that it is the best move I ever made. It has improved my life physically and sexually.

You have absolutely no proof that circumcision hurts the infant psychologically and physically


Circumcision is the gift that keeps on giving


Peter

15. There is a need for more research into what it does to the mother infant bond. We have all heard about cut baby boys refusing to breast feed. I know a woman who visited her grandson and was wondering what happened to him -- he was shaking and gave the impression he was afraid of all human contact. She then realized he was just circumcised. The kid was leery of all human contact.

MALE Circumcision is nerve damage cutting off about 20000 fine touch and stretch sensing nerve endings and removing a source of pleasure from the male FOR LIFE. The sensory system is harmed and he brain needs to reorder (reboot). Also, this is 2/3 of the total pleasure source amputated! This is nerves, blood vessels, protective covering and pleasure zones taken away from a human before the human can experience this. The dynamics and function and pleasure from sex and masturbation of the penis is harmed for good.

This sick practice needs to end as to infants. A man can do what he wants with HIS penis. Parents should not be able to do as they wish with HIS penis.

16. I think it's a very good topic, although it could generate some controversy, because no one likes to be told they have sexually abused, mutilated - effectively raped - their own children. I think it's especially relevant now, since the recent study came out that suggests that circumcision is finally on its way out in the US.

17. I completely agree. And male circumcision is one of the most controversial topics in the USA right now.

This IS a gender issue -- because when a girl is strapped to a board, and her genitals are sliced apart -- without anesthetic -- it's a horrible hate crime against her gender.
But when a boy is strapped to a board, and his genitals are sliced apart -- without anesthetic -- it's not only acceptable, but preferable to millions of Americans.
It's a sexist double standard.

Only the owner of the body should be making such important, irreversible decisions. HIS body, HIS choice. Removing sexual tissue from unconsenting children is a gross violation of human rights, no matter whether that child is a boy or a girl.

And you're absolutely right about the psychological/physical effects of circumcision. Unfortunately, some people are ignorant and still believe that slicing up a child's genitals benefits him medically. It doesn't.

18. Yes, I think it's very relevant. The fact it's accepted on one gender but not the other with the harm being the same makes it a very interesting issue. I'm against male and female circumcision.

19. You have had lots of good answers so I just want to say to
@MZT
the reasons people are thumbing you down is because this idea which has prevailed in the USA for so long. Which is that the foreskin is a breeding ground for germs.
Has been proven to be completely wrong!
In fact it is just the opposite the enzyme similar to that produced by the eye is an excellent destroyer of infections making under the foreskin one of the most Hygienic places on the body.
BUT it is not 100% fool proof !
You see nature never expected people to become obsessed with seeing the exposed glan and therefore didn't expect stupid mothers, fathers and doctors to start yanking the foreskin back to clean it which is what allows the infection to take hold in the first place
this is something people of Europe and Scandinavia have know for well (for ever) and strange thing is of all the people who migrated,to the USA and which now make up most of the gene pool of the USA well apart from the Jews none of your ancestors circumcised or needed to because they also know this !
What happened did evaluation take a step back USA or have you male become genetically defective OR MAYBE SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING WRONG !

20. Yes it is entirely appropriate.

And i agree with everything you propose.

I think we should be also asking why Doctors Ethics bodies have not
stepped in to enforce an ethical appraisal of doctors who still disregard
the standards of their own Academies.

Doctors are required to advise parents of ALL the options, and to give
UNBIASED advice on out comes. It they who should be educating parents
not the other way round.

+

21. Can't do it? Gimme the kid, an ice cube, antibiotic ointment and a penknife. I'll take care of it. Or get a some jerk with a phony medical degree to do it.