Saturday, January 16, 2010

Letting it Go.

The other day I was getting my daily dose of Studio 5 when they had a panel of three ladies talking about blogs and journals and things like that. They talked about how most people don't write about things that could hurt or offend anyone when they are reading "your" thoughts. I have pondered alot on this question the last few days. Why am I holding back from writing things on my blog that might hurt someone. They are my thoughts, and feelings. If I kept a faithful journal I would write these "personal" thoughts in them. So why am I holding out and not letting my real feelings out on my blog. I know that people read it, and for that I am grateful for. But this might as well be my journal, in fact one day I will turn my blog into a book and it will be a keepsake for my kids, grandkids, and so forth. So here's to not holding back anymore. If I offend you or say something that may be hurtful it's not intentional (sp?). It's how I am feeling, and sometimes it is just easier to write it than say it. So...with that being said... I need some advice. Since I know and have heard ALOT of baby advice in the last few months from EVERYONE!!!!!!
I really need your opinion. I need your advice, I need your help, I need someone to help me out here...
Today while taking a baby class (which by the way there was about twelve couples there, out of the twelve couples there were only three that were having girls, all the rest of us are having boys)... so undoubtedly the topic of circumsion came up. According to this website...http://www.circumcision.org/ they have said
"Based on a review of medical and psychological literature and our own research and experience, we conclude that male circumcision causes serious, generally unrecognized harm and is not advisable."
I figured I would just get Little Scout circumsied. No questions asked that is just what I would do. Well I feel now that I might need to be a little bit more informed about this procedure. Anyone out there got any advice? I am willing to hear both sides of the story here and will let the information I receive from you go into my head and actually stay there unlike some of the "unwanted advice" I have been receieving ever since we announced we were pregnant.
Your thoughts, advice and own experiences will help me tremendously in determining what situation is best for our baby.

46 comments:

Ruth said...

Circumcision is a debate now because there is a lot of things out there saying no, it's bad.
I have had both of our boys circumcised, for me it was not a religious decision, or related to health. I guess I didn't really think it out well. I do not regret it though. I feel that for us it was the right decision.
When I change the boys' diapers it is easier in my opinion to make sure they are getting clean.
That being said here is my advice, Pray about it. Do research, discuss it with Ben and then pray. You may be answered with it's your decision, but whatever the answer the Lord knows better then anyone what is best for us. What ever you decide I think you will be ok. I disagree with the view that it effect them for life and they are traumatized. I don't think it is that bad. Whatever you decide will be for the best, that's what mom's want for their babies. Good luck!

Gaylene said...

I agree with Ruth 100%! And it really is better for you to do it when they are young and don't remember. they aren't traumatized for life--It is something that some freak mom's and dad's have have psycoanalysized ver and over with themselves that will happen to theirs and your children if it is done. So if you do it--it's okay and if you don't it's okay. Diaper changing is easier with a "C" but AR hasn't had any problems because he hasn't been and AJ didn't have any problems because he was. You do what you think is BEST for YOU!!!

Gaylene said...

Just as a matter of information--We had an uncle that had a circumcision at an advanced age and the longer you or the child waits to have one, the more painful it becomes for the individual! I definitley think that would be more traumatizing.

Samantha said...

Good for you for not holding anything back :) As for the circumcision, I personally chose to have Gray circ'd because it is easier to clean, and it actually lowers the chance of some diseases/infections/cancers. And as a nurse, I have seen a patient that was uncircumsized that did not clean adequately, and let's just say, the image stuck with me! I would advise, however, that you do your research on the doctor doing the circ -- make sure he/she has had ample experience doing them, and a good rate of success/good outcomes. Because I have also, as a nurse, seen some bad circ's. But I personally think it is a good decision to have it done! That said, only YOU know what is best for YOUR baby! Whatever decision you make will be the right one for him.

Emily said...

It seems that for the most part circumcision is done just because that's the norm in our country, not for any well-proven health benefits. It's just expected here. I've been told that in European countries it is much, much less common. But here boys/men can be teased for not having it done. That's about the only reason I would have it done if I ever have a boy, and I personally don't find that to be a good enough reason to modify a body part. But of course it's a decision for you and your husband to make.

The Melo Family said...

It's true that it is easier to clean if it is circumsized. There is more risk for infection. Little boys aren't responsible enough to clean themselves in my opinion. With uncirced you have to pull the skin back every time to clean it when you change the diaper. Same with the baths. When you do circ there is a period of time when you circ that you have to maintain it so that it doesn't reattach but when that is over it is much easier for mom and baby and the child when he gets older. There are also other postivies in my eyes like the senstivity of the penis when it is uncircumsized. I would feel bad for his wife....LOL!

BaconandBitch said...

Two words: locker room. Seriously though, he might get made fun of. I know that sounds stupid but it is true. Also, I agree with everyone else that it will be easier to clean and less likely for infection. Listen to me, talking like I have have a child. Though, he will scream when he is circumcised so just be prepared for that if you decide to do it. But, will he remember it? Nope.

Unknown said...

Well, I live in a country where circumcision isn't practised. So for me, the thought of signing my child up for a surgery that he doesn't actually need is just... bizarre, and weird, if I'm honest.

I have two sons, neither of them is circumcised. I would like to point out that, contrary to the previous poster's views, it is no easier to clean a baby that is not circumcised. It's a popular myth in America that if you don't cut, you have to retract the foreskin to clean. This is not true, very old school advice and potentially damaging. The foreskin retracts at some stage before puberty and at the point where it becomes retractable the boy himself needs to retract it and rinse in the shower. Before then, it's all fused tissue anyway, similar to the way a kittens eyelids are fused at birth until they become unstuck. You don't force open kittens eyelids before they're ready, and you don't force back the foreskin either before it's ready. Before this happens, all you have to do is wipe the outside like a finger. That's it. No special manipulation, no Q tips, no nothing. I swear it's harder to get poo off a baby's scrotum than it is an intact penis (all those little folds...) And I hear girls are much harder to clean anyway.

As for having it done later in life - In countries where men are not routinely circumcised, the rate for later circumcision is around 1 in 16,000. In America, doctors tend to rush to circumcision to treat any minor foreskin ailments, and the rate of later circ is around 1 in 100. Interestingly, the rate of surgeries performed to correct errors made during neonatal circumcision is also 1 in 100. Also, if circumcision is done later in life, better anaesthetic can be used so there would be less pain involved.

There's so much I can add here, but my final comment would be regarding the alleged health benefits. This is brought up often, but there is no actual consensus on whether medically there is a net benefit from circumcision.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/circumcision-health-benefit-virtually-nil-study-finds/article1427972/

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34811764/ns/health-kids_and_parenting/

My own view is that since there is no overwhelming benefit from the surgery, it is basically a cosmetic thing, and therefore best to be left to the owner of the penis when he is old enough to give consent.

Unknown said...

I would also like to add, in response to the locker room argument - Currently, circumcision rates in America are declining. While something like 80% of adult males are circumcised, countrywide only around 56% of newborn males are being circumcised.

So your child is really equally likely to be teased for being circumcised as not being circumcised.

Food for thought, maybe.

Sarah "Mowgli" Moglia said...

I think it's completely unnecessary to have a baby boy circumcised. It is only for aesthetics, because if you're not willing to take the extra effort necessary to clean under the foreskin, I question your parenting. I think it's unfair to permanently (and painfully) disfigure your child without their consent or permission. Your baby isn't just an easel to create a person upon-- they are their own human being, and they should be in control of their own bodies.

If you're considering it for religions reasons, keep in mind that the reason why the Bible had circumcision as a requirement is because it was much harder to stay clean back then. Those rules are outdated, much like the "no shellfish" or "no meat with dairy" rules, too.

In any case, it is your decision, but if you can't think of any reasons to do it other than it being the norm/ for aesthetics and for that extra 3 seconds it takes to clean...maybe it's not worth it to put your child through such an outdated ceremony.

Anonymous said...

Circumcision rates have significantly lowered, and supposedly 50% of our kids generation will not be circumcised, therefore it will become more normal. Even if that is not the case, kids tease kids about everything--and conforming to societal norms, or wanting to fit in at all costs, is not something I especially want to pass on to my son.

It is not any easier to clean an uncircumcised little boy--their foreskin does not retract on its own until closer to adolescence, at which time they will be more than able to clean themselves. If you were having a girl, you would not worry about her cleaning herself well--you would show her, and it would be fine. The truth is that circumcision of boys started the same reason circumcision of girls happens: to decrease sexual pleasure. It started as a purely religious practice, to encourage chastity, and is a completely cosmetic procedure. It lowers the risks of some diseases, such as HIV, minimally, and what also lowers those risks is having a monogamous relationship with a disease free partner, and/or using protection.

Babies & children often sleep in order to block out trauma and pain, and just because a baby seems not to mind, doesn't mean he is not in pain! Just because they 'wont remember it' is not a good reason either--some mentally challenged people, or Alzheimers patients, may not remember a painful event--but they still feel it when it is happening!

Most men I know who are circumcised wish they were not, and all too often the procedure is botched (as was the case with several men I know, including my husband and one of my brothers.)

I encourage you to watch some videos of little boys being circumcised. I, too, thought I would circumcise my son, until I saw how it is done and did some research. Then, I realized that it is truly a cosmetic procedure, and I could never inflict such violence on my son just because I thought it looked better. The truth is that it is HIS penis, and if he chooses to have it circumcised later, that is his choice...but not one anyone else should make for him.

Anonymous said...

I was circumcised at birth and never thought about it. But, as I got older I lost a lot of sensitivity in my penis and had a harder time staying hard and it took me a longer and longer to ejaculate during sex. I learned about circumcision and what it does by researching the Internet. I immediately began restoring my foreskin.

I really wish my parents had not decided to have a part of my sex organ removed. I would have preferred to keep all my bits. After all, I am the one who has to live with it and use it.

It is not cleaner to be circumcised. Here are some good pamphlets on caring for an intact penis and a circumcised penis.

There are many young men who resent their parents for having them circumcised. With the Internet, these young men learn of the harms of infant circumcision and they are upset that they no longer have all of their sex organ. See this forum to read what some young men think of being circumcised.

Jenny Penny said...

Hi. Came here by way of IntactByDefault on Twitter. I think she must have read a recent blog of mine in which I discussed our own soul-searching and information-hunting about circumcision two years ago. Our son, now 17 months old, is not circumcised. We live in the Midwest, where the statistics show more parents than not are still choosing to circumcise. On the coasts, the statistics are turned the other way around -- and circumcision rates are dropping. My husband worked as PA in urology and saw equal parts complications both ways -- circumcised or not. One of your previus commenters (above) is misinformed about cleaning uncircumcised baby penises. We do not have to retract the foreskin to clean our son's penis; in fact, it's not supposed to be retracted this early. Retraction happens naturally, down the road. It is NOT hard to clean him, and I would argue that my daughter's genitalia proved much more difficult to clean -- so many crevasses! I believe arguments about circumcision preventing disease hold water only in third-world countries where STDS like AIDS are prevalent and hygiene is lacking. Ultimately, we decided that cutting the foreskin as disease-prevention was tantamount to removing tonsils or an appendix at birth. Not necessary at all! Good luck choosing. It's a loaded topic!

Night said...

I have 3 boys, all intact. It's utterly baffling to me that anyone thinks they have a right to permanently alter another person's genitals. Circumcision itself is horrifically painful. The arguments it hurts worse if it has to be done later (which is *extremely* rare to begin with) is simply wrong. Babies are more sensitive to pain than adults, they are awake & in pain & terror for the surgery, do not receive pain relief after, have to heal in unsanitary diapers, are far more likely to have complications, including death (at least 200 boys a year die in the US as a diect result of circumcision). Every study done on circumcision has been ended early because of the pain the babies were in. I know of 3 men who had "normal" circumcisions (not botched) who as they've gotten older (20's-30's) have lost so much sensation they can no longer orgasm. One had to resort to infertility treatments in order to have kids.

As has been mentioned, intact boys are much easier to clean, you just wipe the outside like a finger & tell your son when he's older that once it retracts he needs to rinse under the foreskin. No one but the boy should retract it, ever. There's no dealing with an open wound in a diaper, gauze, vaseline, worrying about blood loss.

There's also been new info emerging that circumcision *permanently* changes the way a baby's brain is wired. They may not consciously remember, but their brains will be altered forever because of it.

For more info: http://www.cirp.org, http://www.nocirc.org/, http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/,
mom's who regret circumcising http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=112410

Scuba Diva said...

The best reason I can give to not have your son circumcised is that it's an irrevocable operation. Nothing will bring that foreskin back, whereas if the boy is allowed to make the decision himself when he's of a reasonable age, he may decide not to do it.

As for keeping his wee-wee clean: soap and water do am amazing job of keeping things clean.

Circumcised men are less sensitive at the tip of the penis than ones that haven't been cut. There is a much higher rate of impotence in circumcised men, and even infidelity and divorce by their partners. You should not be presumptuous about your future son's sex life and say, "Well, he can have other hobbies..."

Please leave this decision for him to make; if he chooses to have it done when he's older, the operation will be done under anesthesia.

Ruth said...

Another note as well, on my oldest the anesthesia did not work ,he had an allergic reaction that actually made the pain worse. Waiting may not be a good idea. My oldest has the foreskin cut away and my other boy had the plastic ring. Because of the allergic reaction (it runs in my family by the way) I decided not to have the Dr. give him anything but Tylenol. The plastic ring seemed to be much less painful, even without pain medicine. If you choose to do a circ, I would recommend the plastic ring and also looking into your and your husband's family history of medicine allergies.
Ultimately you have to make your own decision because all of the advice out there in favor also has it's opposite for the group not in favor. IT is lees sensitive, it is more, it is hard to stay clean, it isn't any harder...it goes on.

Sam said...

My advice, and the advice of millions of men world-wide, is to choose circumcision for your new baby. Male infant circumcision has been proven to provide a 12 fold reduction in urinary tract infections, 22 fold reduction in invasive penile cancer, elimination of medical issues localized to the foreskin, provide a much less favorable environment for pathogens to create infections, greatly increases penile hygiene and greatly decreases chances of infection by various STDs including HIV (although it should be noted that a physical barrier such as a condom should still be used for greater primary & birth control purposes).

Here are some links to sites with more useful information on male circumcision:

http://www.circinfo.net/summary.html

http://www.medicirc.org/meditopics/medicirc_topics.html

http://www.circumcisioninfo.com/circ_record.html

http://malecircumcision.org/

enithhernandez said...

oh dear... Just tylenol? :( do you imagine the pain a baby can endure by giving 'just tylenol' while having part of his genitals cut off? oh my, I really want to cry :(

Babies are sensitive to pain, more than adults because of their immature nervous system. Even when anesthetic is applied they feel pain.

Read this paper from the AAP on neonatal pain:

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;105/2/454

"Exposure to prolonged or severe pain may increase neonatal morbidity.
Infants who have experienced pain during the neonatal period respond differently to subsequent painful events.
Severity of pain and effects of analgesia can be assessed in the neonate.
Neonates are not easily comforted when analgesia is needed.8
A lack of behavioral responses (including crying and movement) does not necessarily indicate a lack of pain."

As for 'Circumcision' poster, give me a break! Your website promotes genital mutilation and the owners are well known to have a fetish with genital mutilation, even one of them has links to websites to adult sites promoting their fetishism. Pretty disturbing.

I have 2 girls and let me tell you, they are really hard to keep clean during diaper years, and they get lots of UTI's and infections, yet we are not promoting cutting off their genitals to keep them clean. I have a boy and it is VERY easy and simple, just WIPE LIKE A FINGER.

BTW Ruth, you still need to rip and cut before adding the ring, take a look at these pictures and tell me what you all think:

http://www.doulapattiramos.com/2009/11/circumcision-warning-very-graphic.html

You can tell the boy SUFFERED despite the anesthetic given to him. Look at his face in the last few pictures, he was crying and suffering. Why are we doing this to our baby boys?? these are their genitals not a finger not a toe, their sexual organs for God's sake! :( I swear every time I see these pictures I have nightmares and they haunt me! I just wish people educate themselves, this is very serious and our boys need the same respect we give to our daughters. Why can't we wait until the boy grows into a man and can decide for himself what he wants to do with his own penis?

The majority of the male in my family are all intact, including my son (3 generations of men) and they are healthy with no problems. 80% of the male in the WORLD are all intact, that's something for you to think about KoriAnn. Please mama protect your son.

Here is a site for you to check out:

As Nature Intended (don't forget to check out their educational video in the bottom of that page AND the references, also the Video Page)
http://www.asnatureintended.info

How to care for an intact penis of a boy:
http://www.asnatureintended.info/3/post/2010/01/proper-intact-care.html

HIV Circumcision Fallacy by Dr. Dean Edell
http://www.circumcisionandhiv.com/2009/07/dr-dean-edell-aids-circumcision-fallacy.html

You can also check out Bonobo3D who posted several interviews about this issue, from doctors, nurses, lawyers, a man who won a lawsuit against the doctor that circumcised him as a baby, etc...
http://www.youtube.com/user/Bonobo3D

Best Wishes.

Unknown said...

I had to get my circumcision trimmed at 35 to excise an infected inclusion. My urologist blamed my mother's OB/GYN. Unsure if it was my mother's OB/GYN who snipped me but I must wonder, does an OB/GYN get trained to trim penises? Why?

Joseph said...

Ruth: "When I change the boys' diapers it is easier in my opinion

to make sure they are getting clean."

Because you wouldn't know they were clean if they had their normal

penises???

Incidentally, you've never had intact children. How could you tell?

"That being said here is my advice, Pray about it. Do research,

discuss it with Ben and then pray. You may be answered with it's

your decision, but whatever the answer the Lord knows better then

anyone what is best for us."

How can you ask anyone to "pray" about this, when it is forbidden

for gentiles in the bible? Read Galatians 5.

Christians are also not supposed to make their children pass

through fire or make markings on their bodies.

"I disagree with the view that it effect them for life and they are

traumatized."

You wouldn't be disagreeing because you couldn't take your decision

back now, would you?

Joseph said...

Ruth: "When I change the boys' diapers it is easier in my opinion to make sure they are getting clean."

Because you wouldn't know they were clean if they had their normal penises???

Incidentally, you've never had intact children. How could you tell?

"That being said here is my advice, Pray about it. Do research, discuss it with Ben and then pray. You may be answered with it's your decision, but whatever the answer the Lord knows better then anyone what is best for us."

How can you ask anyone to "pray" about this, when it is forbidden for gentiles in the bible? Read Galatians 5.

Christians are also not supposed to make their children pass through fire or make markings on their bodies.

"I disagree with the view that it effect them for life and they are traumatized."

You wouldn't be disagreeing because you couldn't take your decision back now, would you?

Joseph said...

Gaylene: "And it really is better for you to do it when they are young and don't remember."

Does it make it better that you mutilate a child when he doesn't remember, or worse?

Maybe it's good if children are molested as infants too then eh? That way they don't remember. If it's wrong, it's wrong.

"Diaper changing is easier with a "C"

HOW is it "easier" than a "C?" It is no different than changing a girl. You don't need Q-tips to clean the inside of the vagina. There is no reason to rip of his skin because it is meant to stay there until puberty. Just like the hymen.

"Just as a matter of information--We had an uncle that had a circumcision at an advanced age and the longer you or the child waits to have one, the more painful it becomes for the individual! I definitley think that would be more traumatizing."

For real, Gaylene? It seems everyone has that uncle or friend of a friend who "had to have it done."

I know tons of people who had to have their gall bladder, appendix out, etc. at a later age. I had an uncle who had to have his toes removed because he had diabetes and he developed hammertoe.

Maybe we should remove all of these in children too?

The assumption here is, a child will most definitely need to be circumcised. That is not true. Circumcision is rarely needed in adults. We just happen to live in a circumcising country, where doctors indicate circumcision for EVERYTHING. NOT the case everywhere else in the world.

Joseph said...

Samantha: "I personally chose to have Gray circ'd because it is easier to clean, and it actually lowers the chance of some diseases/infections/cancers."

How do you know, Samantha, that circumcising a child makes him "easier to keep clean?" How does ANYONE on this thread know this?

Sam, what diseases/infections/cancers are newborns at risk for? How does it make sense that every boy is born with a foreskin?

"And as a nurse, I have seen a patient that was uncircumsized that did not clean adequately, and let's just say, the image stuck with me!"

There's that friend again... tell me Samantha, have you ever seen a woman who didn't clean adequately? What do you tell your female patients when their vulva stinks? What an absolute sexist remark.

"I would advise, however, that you do your research on the doctor doing the circ -- make sure he/she has had ample experience doing them, and a good rate of success/good outcomes."

If your doctor performs circumcisions, you need to run, run away from him. Doctors have absolutely no reason to be circumcising healthy infants. Doctors that charge money to perform circumcisions in children are committing medical fraud.

"Because I have also, as a nurse, seen some bad circ's."

As a nurse, you need to be educated in basic human anatomy.

"But I personally think it is a good decision to have it done! That said, only YOU know what is best for YOUR baby! Whatever decision you make will be the right one for him."

Shouldn't the DOCTOR know better than a parent, seeing as they went to school for 12 years or so?

Do readers in here think it's not the least bit odd that for everything else, doctors are experts, but for circumcision, all of a sudden they hand their PhD plaque over to parents?

How is that even professional?

Joseph said...

The Melo Family: "It's true that it is easier to clean if it is circumsized."

And you would know this because...

"There is more risk for infection."

"More risk" for WHAT kind of "infection?" Is it more than girls? Because girls get more UTIs than boys, whether they be circumcised or not. Also, UTIs are easily treated with anti-biotics. WHY would it make sense for a doctor to cut off part of your baby's penis to avoid a perfectly preventable and treatable condition?

Incidentally, studies in ISRAEL of all places, show that circumcision UPS UTIs. That "circumcision protects against infection" is blatant misinformation used to sell you a worthless procedure on your child.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1043807.html

"Little boys aren't responsible enough to clean themselves in my opinion."

Right, but little girls are?

"With uncirced you have to pull the skin back every time to clean it when you change the diaper. Same with the baths."

THIS IS ABSOLUTE MISINFORMATION.

A normal penis needs no more care than a normal vagina. The foreskin is meant to stay attached to the head of the penis until puberty. The foreskin is fused to the head of the penis at birth like a nail to a finger, which is why, before a circumcision, a doctor has to take a blunt object and forcefully separate the skin. Forcefully retracting the foreskin in a child with a normal penis is akin to taking pliers and yanking out the fingernails to "clean them." This is absolutely unnecessary, and it is against the law. Doctors who give this "advice" are wrong, and those who forcefully retract a son's foreskin can be taken to court. Some people on here should get educated.

"When you do circ there is a period of time when you circ that you have to maintain it so that it doesn't reattach but when that is over it is much easier for mom and baby and the child when he gets older."

Not to mention that until the boy heals, his penis will be covered in feces and urine. No, the head of the penis will be covered in feces and urine until the boy learns to potty train.

"There are also other postivies in my eyes like the senstivity of the penis when it is uncircumsized. I would feel bad for his wife....LOL!"

Right. So we should circumcise boys so that his PARTNER feels better eh?

Would it be OK to circumcise girls so that boys with a less sensitive penis could feel grip?

I mean, think about the pedophilic implications here. Is the mother going to be having sex with the child?

Joseph said...

M&M: "Two words: locker room. Seriously though, he might get made fun of. I know that sounds stupid but it is true."

Question. Since when was conformity ever a medical reason to circumcise your child? What if your child turns out to be a brunette and he goes to a school full of blondes? Would you bleach his hair?

And really. Who takes a shower in the locker room anymore? Guys cover up because they're afraid of gay implications. Lockerroom days are a thing of the past.

"Also, I agree with everyone else that it will be easier to clean and less likely for infection."

Yeah. Really Because you have sooo much experience with intact penises? Read above. This is NOT true.

"Though, he will scream when he is circumcised so just be prepared for that if you decide to do it. But, will he remember it? Nope."

And, of course, since you do it to him when he "can't remember," that makes it SOOO much better.

Almost like knocking out a girl before you rape her.

Ruth: "Another note as well, on my oldest the anesthesia did not work ,he had an allergic reaction that actually made the pain worse. "

Even if it did work, what is the merit of making an unnecessary procedure painless?

"If you choose to do a circ, I would recommend the plastic ring and also looking into your and your husband's family history of medicine allergies."

Uh, I would NOT recommend the plastibell.

Not if you don't want your son to end up looking like THIS.

WARNING: GRAPHIC

http://www.circumstitions.com/Restric/Botched4ga.html

Actually, I would recommend you not do it at ALL.

It is a silly, stupid idea to be lollygagging over the best way to perform a worthless procedure that carries the risk of infection, ablation and even DEATH.

"Ultimately you have to make your own decision because all of the advice out there in favor also has it's opposite for the group not in favor. IT is lees sensitive, it is more, it is hard to stay clean, it isn't any harder...it goes on."

Ultimately, why do parents have to make a "decision" at all? Are children born sick? Is the foreskin a cancerous tumor that must be removed or the child will die? Is it a deformity that somehow every child is born with? What is it?

If doctors cannot even be performing this, how can they even ask parents to make this "decision?"

Joseph said...

The "Circumcision" user is a troll that likes to feed off of the insecurities of parents.

Watch out for users that recommend circinfo dot net and medi-circ; the user is usually none other than the author of those sites, Brian Morris.

He rarely has anything to say except cut and paste from his site, which is old and out-dated circumcision propaganda.

The UTI myth has been long debunked, and there are studies in Israel that the opposite is true: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1043807.html

Penile cancer is rare, SO rare, that actually more babies die from circumcision than penile cancer. The excuse MAY be true, but it wears itself out.

Check out what the American Cancer Society has to say on circumcision as a preventative measure for penile cancer:

"In the past, circumcision has been suggested as a way to prevent penile cancer. This was based on studies that reported much lower penile cancer rates among circumcised men than among uncircumcised men. But most researchers now believe those studies were flawed because they failed to consider other risk factors, such as smoking, personal hygiene, and the number of sexual partners."

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_penile_cancer_be_prevented_35.asp?rnav=cri

Contrary to his advice, circumcision, does not, cannot prevent HIV, or any other STD, especially in infants where the risk for contracting ANY STD at all is ablsolute zero.

There are some "studies" that show circumcision "might" prevent SOME STDs, but they are usually written by biased doctors who have been trying to legitimize circumcision as a medical practice for years, and even they will tell you that circumcised or not, a man has to wear a condom if he wants any real protection.

Don't go to those websites; they're all biased and written by none other than him. "Circumcision" DARE not expose his real name. Right, Brian Morris?

Joseph said...

This is my final post on the subject:

Ask yourself a few questions.

How is circumcision necessary for a healthy newborn? What is the reason he needs to undergo this needless pain? Why does he have to endure the burn of urine and feces on a needless wound? Why does he need to live out the rest of his life with half an organ?

Will your child be born sick? Is the foreskin a disease? Is it some sort of deformity, some sort of birth defect that somehow all boys are born with? How come people in Europe don't have all the famed "problems" the users on here talk about?

When do you give your child a heart transplant? When do you have his appendix taken out? Is it when or BEFORE there are actual medical problems?

If there is no medical situation that calls for your child's circumcision, how is it that doctors are performing infant circumcision, let alone pretend like they can ask you to weigh in on the matter?

Does it not seem the least bit odd that a doctor seems to be entitled to a free stipend at the expense of healthy, non-consenting individuals?

Shouldn't the DOCTOR know better than the parent? Isn't to know HIS JOB?

WHY then, is a doctor even coming to ask you whether you think this will be necessary or not?

Since when are a patient's parents EVER involved in the diagnosis of a problem to determine the necessity of a procedure?

That you as a parent are even having to face this "decision" is something of a travesty.

In reality, there is no choice but to leave your child be.

No, you will have no trouble cleaning him. No, you will not have to retract his foreskin. Yes, it will be as easy as taking care of a girl, if not easier.

Circumcision is a violation of basic human rights. I know you want the best for your child, but don't be mislead into allowing needless mutilative abuse to happen to him.

Parent's are no more entitled to demand worthless procedures on their boys than they are no their girls.

Do the RIGHT thing. Let your son keep his whole body. It his body. HIS rights.

Peace.

Zenbuoyant said...

I have one son who was circumcised. I wish I was better informed before he was born. I have two other sons and they're intact. I can testify to the fact, a circ wound is much harder to care for than an complete set of male genitals. The foreskin is bonded to the glans. There is no preputial space between the glans and the foreskin. You cannot, and should not ever retract it. The membrane that fuses the prepuce to the glans called Synechia. Its the same material that holds the fingernail to the finger. Its fused because its still developing. Inserting a blunt probe into the fingernail is a nationally recognized form of torture. When the prepuce is torn away from the glans during a circumcision by inserting a blunt probe into the synechia, the result is a raw bloody wound. Its the only wound in which a soiled diaper is its bandage. Unless someone thinks something magical happens when you rub urine and feces on an open wound...

If a consenting adult wants to modify his penis the way he sees fit, then he can request adequate pain relief and understand the surgery at hand. Saying "do it when he is a newborn so he won't remember" floods open an unethical gate in which to justify rape because Rohypnol was used since "she won't remember". A previous poster already posted how the lymbic system and the brain is altered for life, never returned to base levels again after an infant experiences such an incredible amount of trauma to the sexual organs (research female infant rape - if you're brave enough) so I'll just add encouragement for you to please consider this.

My circ'd son now has meatal stenosis. The Urologist said the meatal stenosis is a result from the circumcision. He also said its common but only in circumcised boys. This is more common than a UTI, intact or circ'd. Those "studies" were flawed because the "researchers" used premature intact infants verses full term circ's infants. Premature infants are more susceptible to a UTI than if he was born at full term because he is constantly being catheterize during NICU. My intact sons have never, not once, have had any problems with their genitals, ages 6 & 2. The good news is, antibiotics have been invented! There are conservative treatments available. Luckily, my intact boys and all of their intact friends and cousins have never had a UTI. I'm a white, educated, upper/middle class American citizen by-the-way. In case you're wondering, since lately there have been articles spewing intact = a non-white-immigrant as apart of their soliciting efforts.

Having everything you were born with doesn't equal a ticking time bomb in your pants. 80% of the world's male population is intact and they live healthy long quality lives; Japan and China to name a few.


Yes, pray about it.
http://www.stopcirc.com/christian.html

Zenbuoyant said...

The HIV/AIDS "studies" are flawed and inconclusive. It was halted three times because the results were going against the "researchers" hypothesis. Ultimately, their published "findings" backfired. Australia provided a stronger statement against male infant circumcision. Not only this, its now banned from their hospitals. You now have to have an actual medical need that warrants a genital reduction surgery. UK followed a similar suit shortly after.

Cancer has been found on the circumcision scar. This is a really rare malady. If this is the leg you want to stand on, then it would be logical to remove the breast buds of all infants because they're at a greater risk of getting breast cancer than cancer of the foreskin and having to remove the foreskin, or cancer on the circumcision scar and having to remove the penis. These "studies" were also found to exclude critical information about the men who had cancer. They were smokers and also promiscuous.

There could be tons of "studies" to show benefits of female circumcision. Heck, I could fabricate about a million "studies" that support infant toe removal! There aren't any, because we'd never stand for it.

So, after a 100 years of chasing a "benefit" in order to validate an arbitrary genital reduction surgery on healthy infant males here in America, using 'the' scary disease of the day (today being the circ to prevent HIV), people are starting to realize the pattern and see there are no "benefits"!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/circumcision-health-benefit-virtually-nil-study-finds/article1427972/

Here is the time-line of America's history re: meidcalization of this partial human sacrifice-ritual:
http://www.whale.to/a/timeline.html

Zenbuoyant said...

Remember, your son is designed exactly the way God/nature intended him to be. Being born with out a foreskin is an actual birth defect called Apothia. I cannot understand why any parent would want to redesign their son to look like he has a birth defect. The human blueprint created the foreskin to protect the meatus. The rigid band is a sphincter only opening to expel urine. It closes tightly after urination is complete. I've seen this in my own intact sons. Its all normal. The prepuce is apart of the immune system. It is there to protect the reproductive organs as it is an integral part of the penis. Being born with a complete set of male genitals is the DEFAULT. It is the "others" who wish to compel you to reduce and alter your son's penis.

This reminds me of the Aesop's Fable, "The Fox without a Tail".

http://www.planetozkids.com/oban/legends/fox-tail-aesop-fable.htm

http://www.circumstitions.com/Fox.html

The "locker room" argument doesn't hold water. With the rates being about 50/50, the kid staring or commenting about another dude's penis would be the one teased. Would you cosmetically alter your child's nose or ears so s/he can "fit in" or help build for him a healthy backbone so he grows up with a secure self esteem? I can see kids teasing their peers because they're too short, too tall, too skinny, fat, big ears, big nose... but the penis? Why would children be flaunting their penis with other boys anyways? Thats perverted.

JK said...

Hello KoriAnn,

Your son is a lucky one indeed that you are actively researching this topic in depth before his arrival.

It is a subject I have studied (and practiced) within for the past 11 years, and I can assure you that there is a GREAT amount of mis-information out there in the American public (most of which we do not find elsewhere in the world).

I'd encourage you to become familiar with the prepuce organ (the organ that is amputated in U.S. style circumcision surgeries) and also become well versed in how the amputation takes place, the risks associated with it, the impact on a newborn, and the health benefits (as well as future sexual benefits) of keeping a baby intact as he was created.

A great book on the subject is "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Circumcision" - it was written by 2 doctors who've studied the subject for the past 30+ years and one who is a Jewish pediatrician in the LA area. http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-About-Circumcision-Performed-Unnecessary-Surgery/dp/0446678805/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263807613&sr=8-1

The following articles may be of interest to you and I'd be happy to snail-mail you the prepuce & circumcision information pack (8 scholarly articles, 3 dvds) that our doctors and midwives here in D.C. give to pregnant clients. Feel free to email me - peacefulparents@gmail.com

If you pour over these articles, you will be better versed in the prepuce and circumcision than 70% of U.S. citizens. Although myths are ubiquitous, there is also a great deal of accurate information and medical research out there - you just have to be willing to dig into it a bit. Care of an intact baby boy is MUCH, much easier than caring for an amputation, surgical wound. There is simply nothing that needs to be done for an intact boy - just as there is nothing to be done for an intact girl. And because the prepuce is the only body organ with immunological properties on the male body (with its own antibodies/antivirals/antibacterials) babies who maintain their genital integrity are healthier as well -- a bonus to make *life* easier for mom. :)

The Functions of the Foreskin (a must read): http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/functions-of-foreskin-purposes-of.html

Protect Your Intact Son: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/08/protect-your-uncircumcised-son-expert.html

Raising Intact Boys: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/11/raising-intact-sons.html

Only Clean What is Seen: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/only-clean-what-is-seen-reversing.html

Intact = Do Not Retract: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/uti-testing-on-boys-do-not-retract.html

About 8 weeks ago a doula in WA was allowed into the surgical room to witness and photograph the circumcision (plastibell method) of a little boy. Here are her images from the procedure: http://www.doulapattiramos.com/2009/11/circumcision-warning-very-graphic.html (note: the plastibell method is the one which is often claimed to be less traumatic for infants to endure)

(Not sure if you are planning to breastfeed or not - but these are a couple articles on how circumcision impacts breastfeeding and other bonding issues):
The Effects of Circumcision on Breastfeeding: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/effects-of-circumcision-on.html
Circumcision Increases Breastfeeding Complications: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/11/circumcision-leads-to-breastfeeding.html

Christianity & Circumcision resources: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/06/information-on-circumcision-for.html

[CONT. BELOW]

JK said...

[CONT from ABOVE]

This is a thread of mothers honestly commenting on their own sons' circumcisions: http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=112410

Mothers who observed their sons circumcisions: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/mothers-observe-sons-circumcision.html

Letter's of apology from mothers -
My Beautiful Boy, I am Sorry: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/11/my-beautiful-boy-i-am-sorry.html

Heartfelt Christmas Gift: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/heartfelt-christmas-gift-apologizing-to.html

A Jewish father's letter to his son: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/jewish-fathers-letter-to-his-son.html

This father writes about watching the circumcision of his first son (he kept all future sons intact):
http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/circumcision-will-you-make-cut.html
http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/stop-male-genital-mutilation-by-derek.html

Babies Voice Objections (video) there are links on this page to further studies on pain, brain impact, and PTSD associated with genital cutting of newborns: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/09/babies-voice-their-objections-to.html

Babies Remember Circumcision Pain (also additional article links to U.S. statistics on this page): http://www.drmomma.org/2009/11/babies-remember-circumcision-pain.html

Why so many men (who were circumcised at birth) are now restoring (foreskin restoration): http://www.drmomma.org/2009/10/restoration-uncircumcising-of-men.html

How circumcision impacts sex (not that this is a concern for a baby - but men & women are impacted): http://www.drmomma.org/2009/10/change-in-how-intercourse-works.html
Circumcision & Women's Health: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/07/how-male-circumcision-impacts-women.html
One man's letter of his experience: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/circumcision-secret.html
Many men voice their experience of circumcision in this lawsuit here: http://www.sueeasy.com/class_action_detail.php?case_id=258
This man sued (and won) because of his circumcision: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8szj1jFCWM

I have yet to meet a parent who was fully informed on this subject and still opted to cut their baby - you'll likely find it is one area that the more you learn (about circumcision) the worse it is. And the deeper into the research you go on the matter, the more obviously beneficial it is to leave babies as they come into the world. Because I meet with parents regarding this subject on a daily basis, I've met numerous people (both those who already cut their first son(s) and those who never have) who are willing to talk with other parents faced with the same decision. If you'd like to chat with any of them about any specific aspect of this subject, let me know. I'd be happy to link you up with others who have been-there, done-that recently.

Take care,
Danelle


Additional sites for information that may be handy:

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org

http://www.nocirc.org

http://www.circinfosite.com

http://www.circumstitions.com

http://www.cirp.org

http://www.noharmm.org

http://www.mothersagainstcirc.org

http://www.mgmbill.org

http://www.circumcisionandhiv.com

http://www.intactamerica.org

http://www.asnatureintended.info

http://www.icgi.org

http://www.theridgedband.info

http://www.notjustskin.org

http://www.stopinfantcircumcision.org

http://www.sicsociety.org

http://www.arclaw.org

http://www.norm.org

http://www.mothering.com

JK said...

BTW - on the subject of UTIs (that some love to claim are reduced by circumcision), actually, the opposite is true. When the prepuce (of a baby girl 'hood' or boy 'foreskin') is left alone -- NOT forcibly retracted -- the organ plays the roll of immunological protection and we see a lower rate of UTIs among intact baby boys.

This article details this subject: http://www.drmomma.org/2009/12/how-foreskin-protects-against-uti.html

Not that this makes a big difference because girls are 900x more likely to contract a UTI (due to the short urethra), and we would never suggest genital amputation in their cases -- rather, antibiotics work just fine when a UTI occurs.

George said...

I don't know how much information you want. DOC has a very long paper that discusses every aspect of circumcision and recommends genital integrity or noncircumcision for the highest state of health and wellbeing. That statement is in chapters and the table of contents is at:

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/DOC/statement0.html

I would recommend chapters one though six for your attention.

You might also be interested in a study from Britain that found that circumcised men are more likely to have gay partners. That study may be viewed at

http://www.cirp.org/library/general/dave1/

Some bloggers have claimed that the circumcised penis is easier to clean. That is not correct. Urine is a sterile liquid that flushes out the foreskin every time the infant pees. No special care is necessary. There is a complete discussion at:

http://www.cirp.org/library/hygiene/

Only wash the outside. The first person t to retract your son's foreskin should be your son, which he will do when the foreskin becomes retractable. A study from Denmark found that the mean age of first foreskin retraction is 10 years of age. This is much older than previously believed.

I am sure that you will agree that factual information is much better than the myths and speculation that usually passes for information about the foreskin.

Aaron, Emily, and Miles said...

You and I are in the exact same place with the same decision to be made in the next 7 or so weeks. I found all of this enlightening myself and am now going to research the topic further. :o) Good Luck! (I still can't believe you are old enough to be married and having a baby! It makes me feel really old!--maybe I am!)

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Please excuse my directness, but submitting your son for unnessesary surgery of any kind is not a decision you should even be contemplating.

Circumcision would permanently alter the look, function and feel of his penis - a boy's/man's most treasured body part.

Please do your research and discover for yourself that the health benefits are a total myth. There are only a handful of people around the world who are actively driving the argument for circumcision, and it quickly becomes apparent their motivations are primarily religous, financial or anti-sexual. You will discover the U.S. has gained no health benenit whatsoever from routinely circumcising generations of males when compared to non-circumcising cultures (which is pretty much the rest of the world).

Your son will be born perfect. why not just keep him perfect?

Intactivista said...

It is so deeply sad, how parents still think it is "their right" to perform painful, unnecessary and harmful body alterations on a boy who cannot give his consent, on behalf of his own body.

Circumcision is harmful. Circumcision destroys. Check out this Webpage: (WARNING: very graphic)
http://www.sexasnatureintendedit.com/

HIS body, HIS rights. I don´t know why do we still feel like we can walk all over the right of our baby boys to have a complete, natural body; the way it was intended for them.

And with male circumcision becoming less and less common in developed countries, odds are your child will NOT thank you for this. He might be much better informed.

It is not a decision that you as parents "make" for him - it is one you take away from him.

tibicheri said...

Someone may have already said this and I missed it, but, how does being circ'd make it easier to clean your little boy? I couldn't imagine cleaning and taking care of that open wound wrapped in icky stuff (I've seen it many times on relatives and clients babies). When your son is left intact you just wipe a washcloth or wipe over the penis like a finger. NOthing can get into the hole that you need to fuss about. The skin actually protects them. You don't retract or anything, it is much easier than cleaning all the little folds in a daughter.

My husband and 2 boys have never had any problems and just wash like anyone when in the shower.or bath.
On the other hand, my nephew had to be recirc'd at 5 years old because his first one healed with adhesions and one of my cousins' 27 week old twins got necrotizing fasciitis when he finally had his circ and had to have his penis rebuilt.

BaconandBitch said...

Holy crap!!!! You got so many responses!! People have way too much time on their hands.

Joseph I am a nurse so I know what I am talking about. I have cleaned way too many penises both neonatal and adult for your information. Guys smell much worse than girls. Trust me on this one! As for the locker room comment what I mean is decreased self-esteem. It is true!

Gaylene said...

Thank you Megan! Joseph--who the hell do you think you are: These are only suggestions and opinions. No one is asking you or anyone else, espcially a parent to murder this child. It is a circumcision for pete's sake. Although any surgical procedure is a risk. And OB's don't do Circ's any more. How archaic are you with updated helthcare, not an open heart surgeryunless "You" yourself is a physician, you can not criticize another person's opinion and I suppose your uncle is there with you telling you what to say! What a jerk you are!

Lucy said...

Your child is very lucky to have parents who really care about his well being and who are prepared to listen to different view points before making such a huge decision.

I'm not a doctor or a parent, my view point comes from a totally different perspective. I'm a prostitute and therefore have very direct and personal experience with both circumcised and uncircumcised men.

In my own experience circumcised men request to have sex without condoms *a lot* more than uncircumcised men. They also need to work a lot harder to achieve orgasm - this makes them rougher than their more receptive and gentler uncircumcised counterparts. In my experience circumcised men have much less sensitivity.

When giving hand-jobs I need to address friction problems in circumcised men. With an uncircumcised man the foreskin glides over the penis beautifully, the head of the penis has been protected and remains an internal organ so is very wonderfully receptive to touch. For uncircumcised clients I rely on lubricant to create the a similar sensation. I also find that I can provide a bit more pleasure by using a light silk scarf... so I'm essentially recreating a fake foreskin in silk.

I wish you all the best for you and your son. If you decide to go ahead with it you can not change your mind and you would have made an irreversible decision for your son. From my own experience I believe that your boy will have a happier, more pleasurable and more rewarding sex life when he is grown if he remains uncircumcised. I also think that his future wife will be happier too. :-)

And hey, if you are wrong, he can always choose to get it cut off himself if he doesn't like it.

Best of luck
Lucy

p.s. I'm in New Zealand, prostitution is legal, and I have never had unprotected sex with a client, just in case you were wondering ;-)

tibicheri said...

I'm a nurse, also, and that doesn't make me an expert on why a boy should or shouldn't be circ'd. But as an informed parent I chose not to do so.

Ob's do the circ's at our hospital and they did all of my nephew's. ( the little one who had to be redone at 5 and his brother that I forgot to mention, I remember changing his diaper and his penis just disappeared, he now has undescended testes (which probably has nothing to do with the circ, but I found it interesting)I could give you the doctors names (offline) to prove it. Not sure who did my cousin's boys as they were born at a military hospital in North Carolina.

Joseph, you are so well informed, thank you for all the information. Dr. Momma you are a great advocate and well informed indeed. Lucy, thank you for the frank and honest comparisons.

Circumcision: A cure looking for a disease. As someone said:
His body. His rights.

BaconandBitch said...

I never said I was an expert. I just have my opinion. I do agree that circumcision is a money-making opportunity.

This topic is getting boring. Let's talk about vaccine necessity or risk or something. Ooh! I know! Let's talk about vaccines causing autism or not.

RD said...

I agree with much of what has been said above that is critical of circumcision. I will mention a few extra thoughts.

Infant circumcision without anesthesia is savagely painful and is a weird outcrop of barbarity in American medicine. It is sexual violence and should treated as such. I also do not believe that extant research has done justice to the frequency with which circumcision results in a penis damaged for life. American medical ethics have failed us here.

The USA and South Korea are the only countries that circumcise millions of boys for alleged health reasons. In Korea, it's usually done in the teen years. So the USA is the only country where routine neonatal circumcision is the norm. The practice died out in the UK and New Zealand. In Australia and Canada, only 15% and 10% of baby boys are done. Japanese and continental European babies have never been circumcised. If the foreskin is unhealthy or sexually dysfunctional, we would know it by now. In 20-30 years, we will have glaring evidence by simply comparing American and Canadian data. Canada is in transition to becoming an intact nation.

The possibility of long term adverse consequences for sexual pleasure and activity has not been researched. Circumcision removes the most erogenous parts of the male body. The resulting damage may not set in until after 40 years of age. There are quite a few adult men who are very unhappy about having been circumcised in infancy. A number of American women who have been intimate with both kinds of men say they definitely prefer intact.

Finally, to circumcise a little boy because the parents fear he will be mocked in the locker room by other boys, and in the bedroom by future sex partners, is cowardly in the extreme. To do so would be a craven surrender to the dark forces of shallow conformity, especially if many women enjoy intact more.

I warn all readers of this blog: the foreskin is an aspect of human sexuality about which most middle class Americans are sadly ignorant. Americans invented striptease, Playboy, adult films, massage parlors, gay liberation, and internet porn, but cannot look the foreskin and its sexual advantages in the face.

Kristie said...

I happened upon your blog while looking up information about reversing a circumcision. Unfortunately this is a procedure that is extraordinarily time intensive and painful and thus, a choice my son will have to make when he is an adult, a choice he never should have had to make. I am going to continue with my story.

Circumcising my son has so far been the biggest mistake of my life. I regret it everyday, every time I change his diapers, every time I think about the possibility of having another son, every time I think about how I will explain to my son that I allowed, no asked for him to have a piece cut off. When I conceived my son, I was (and still am) a full time college student. While no excuse, I was young, naive, and in over my head. My husband is Jewish, so I had 2000+ years of tradition breathing down my neck. All of the men in my family are circumcised and all the ones in my husbands family are as well, so not circumcising was never really an option proposed to me, much like how you phrased it, just do it with no questions asked. The second the circumcision occurred I realized my mistake but the damage was already done. I took my perfect little boy and chopped a piece of him off. I keep thinking about if and when we ever have another son. I know I will not circumcise him, all of the research I've done, the testimonials from adult men who resent their circumcisions, the risks, I know I can't do that to another little boy. I keep playing the conversation over in my head how I will explain to my oldest son that I allowed his genitals to be mutilated but spared his younger brother. It literally sickens me. Some people will argue that circumcisions are healthier or cleaner, but new research shows this as untrue. The whole world does not circumcise. The western world is disproportionately pro-circumcision, particularly in the US. I find this unusual when contrasted with how most would respond to female circumcision, more widely known as FGM or female genital mutilation. The two are no different. Both are a mutilation of a natural body. The difference is merely geopolitical: male circumcision is largely a western practice and thus more largely accepted, while female circumcision is considered barbaric and largely focused in poor areas of Africa. I suppose my question to you and something you really need to wonder which needs to be put into perspective is this: If you were having a daughter, would you ever contemplate cutting off sections of her genitals for "health reasons"? I mean, if you want to argue the healthier and cleaner route for a little boy, then it would be "cleaner" for a girl to have less folds and therefore less areas for build up and yeast infections, a very common occurrence in little girls. Obviously most would find this argument ridiculous, because it is. I honestly beg you, don't make the same mistake I made. Do some research on your own, research foreskin repair, intactivism, and anti-circumcision.When I was trying to explain to my husband why I was so bothered by this choice I did this to him, I pinched his arm and held the skin then I said imagine if right now I took a knife and cut the tip of this chunk of skin off, imagine the pain of doing that, imagine how unnecessary it would be. For some reason doing that to him made it dawn on him just what circumcision meant. Think of the foreskin like your eyelids. They are there to protect from germs and waste. Would you ever dream of cutting off your eyelids? No, of course not. I honestly hope my comment at least gave you some seed of incentive to really research this decision and not to be like the many people out there that take circumcision as the default choice.