Circumcision and cultural differences

[cleckner04]

Moving on from the thread in baby club so we don't take over that thread too much....

Circumcision and the way people in different countries view it. Please no fighting. We can talk about it without being angry. I know this is a VERY heated topic and I've not seen a single one turn out good but we are all adults here so I think we can keep it civilized.

 

[cleckner04]

So circumcision is obviously something that shouldn't be taken lightly and I'm in the minority on this forum bc I'm from a country that it is pretty much just the norm to be circumcised. If i had never joined this forum and learned so much from you amazing girls, I probably would have just circumcised any sons without a second thought. But now I'm stuck in the middle because I have family and a husband that want me to do it, and I have my own mind that is screaming at me to let my son be the way he was born to be.

 

[Kel127]

I had put this reply in the other thread too. Think I was typing at the same time as you.

My son had his done in the hospital when he was 2 days old. I was with him the whole time and he was back in my arms as soon as it was done. He was not in pain or discomfort.
It is norm here in the US, but I had my doubts about having it done too. I left the decision up to by husband, and he wanted it done.
I also have never seen an uncircumsized penis, and would have no idea how to take care of one properly. I three younger brothers, that I helped take care of, who were all circumsized

 

[bathbabe]

i personally believe that it doesnt have any benefits, so why do it? But at the same time, i wouldnt look down on someone who had it done. And to be fair, in the UK we dont ask others if they are having it done, therefore we wouldnt know anyway! X

 

[aob1013]

Circumcision has NO benefits at all, i don't believe boys should be forced to have a bit of their genitals cut off until they can voice their own opinion.

 

[cleckner04]

i personally believe that it doesnt have any benefits, so why do it? But at the same time, i wouldnt look down on someone who had it done. And to be fair, in the UK we dont ask others if they are having it done, therefore we wouldnt know anyway! X

Well I think in the UK it's hard to even find a place that will do it, right? Here they just do it. You don't have to search for a place to get it done because all the hospitals do it.

Some research has shown that there is a smaller risk of STDs by being circumcised and also a smaller risk of UTIs. I don't know if I believe it and I know you can just teach a child to clean and it would be the same I think.

 

[cleckner04]

I'm googling now to see what kind of research I can come up with to support the STD/UTI theory. So far they are calling it a 'surgical vaccine'.

 

[bathbabe]

iv got no idea if it hard to find somewhere to do it as iv never looked into it lol. But some people do get it done so there must be someone out there willing to do it? X

 

[BlackBerry25]

I would most likely do it. Most of my family and my OH's family has had it done, my OH included and no one I know has wanted their foreskin back.

I really don't care either way, personally, but my OH would prefer if a son of ours was done. We do have a relative who had to have it done at a later day, and I am sure he prefers it was done when he was an infant.

 

[bathbabe]

off to make bottles, back in 10 x

 

[kirmal12]

I must admit i didn't know it was the "norm" in America until i came on here, i only thought it was certain religions. I just can't understand why anyone would do it unless it was for medical reasons, i would have been in pieces if somebody had hurt my boy, for the sake of what, I don't understand!!

 

[cleckner04]

Here's a little article about circumcision and ovarian cancer.
https://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/8525697700573E1885256B980048A15B


Now I don't want this to become too heated so I won't hesitate to have this thread locked so please keep it civil girls.

 

[cleckner04]

I would most likely do it. Most of my family and my OH's family has had it done, my OH included and no one I know has wanted their foreskin back.

I really don't care either way, personally, but my OH would prefer if a son of ours was done. We do have a relative who had to have it done at a later day, and I am sure he prefers it was done when he was an infant.

It's the same with my DH. He just closes down when I even try to discuss it because in his mind it's just going to be done.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I find it interesting on the differant views people have and how they vary from country to country and religons. Now I can understand to a certain extent why people do it for a religious reason. I personally don't agree with it but I can understand there resoning if they truly believe it is something they have to do

What I do fine rather odd is when people say " I do it because everyone I know has it done" I couldn't justify putting my son through pain because everyone else around me has it done. Also some people say they do it because it's cleaner etc. I have to disagree. All the main health benefits circumsicon offers could be easily applied with good general hygiene, Common sense and the practice of safe sex. (Which parents could teach)

I would never get Aidan cicrumcised. As I think for me I coouldn't justify without a doubt why it was being done.
xx

 

[bathbabe]

hmm. Personally i dont buy it. X

 

[cleckner04]

I can definitely say one of the things that scared me about an uncircumcised baby is the cleaning because I really had no clue how to take care of it. But now you ladies have enlightened me that it's not as scary as I thought.

The rates of circumcision have been dropping over the years in this country but in the 70s, 80% of boys were circumcised.

 

[coccyx]

A penis is easy to clean surely.

 

[bathbabe]

its not scary trying to clean them at all, just like any other xxx

 

[JASMAK]

Firstly, I live in Canada

I wouldn't circumcize, and I never did with my son. I really believe that like ear piercing, there is no reason to do it, unless there is a request by the child, or a medical reason. I picked the comparison of ear piercing, because they are both cosmetic. Medical advice is AGAINST circumcision, so, unless there is a religious factor, I believe most parents are ignoring medical advice and choosing to do it because they believe myths that it is 'cleaner', 'safer', and because daddy is like that. My son asked why daddy wasn't circumcised (why does yours look funny daddy?), and my hubby just explained that the hospital did that to his penis because that is the way it was in the old days. "That's mean of them" is what my son replied, and it has never been brought up again.

People may argue that an uncircumcised penis may need to be done later in life. True...and so may an appendix or tonsils...but, we aren't taking all those out at birth, are we?

Also, there is risks and pain (believe me, I saw pain when I changed my nephew's diaper - he was circ'd). It was the most disgusting painful thing I ever saw too. Red and raw...for months. Poor thing.

But, there is the possibility that the circ'd male may ned a revision of the circumcision. There are bad circ's out there that need to be redone or adhesions or skin bridges that need to be broken. Rare...yes? But, so are the complications of NOT being circ'd. As for UTI's...those are rare in males in the first place.

Where I live, my little hippish area here...9/10 boys are NOT circ'd. I am so happy my son kept his winter touque. God gave him it...we are keeping it.

 

[cleckner04]

A penis is easy to clean surely.

The entire thing that started this thread was the question about keeping an uncircumcised penis clean.

As someone that has only ever seen 1 uncircumcised penis in my life(male strip club in canada), I also had no clue how you'd go about cleaning one. I had no clue you couldn't pull back the foreskin and I just assumed you'd pull it back because poo would get caught up there.