Circumcision and cultural differences

[TattiesMum]

My son isn't circumcised - simply because there is no religious or cultural reason for him to be. His father wasn't/presumably still isn't either.

My DH is - thanks to a repeatedly splitting foreskin which became infected when he was 19 (circumcision as an adult is traumatic to say the least)

Personally? I hate foreskins yukky, yukky, yuk - they just freak me out I like to see what I'm getting and to be able to clearly see that it's clean before I even touch it

 

[lulu61388]

OH will be making the decision if we end up having a son. i don't have a penis so what do i know?

 

[Justagirlxx]

I'm sorry but I find it rather sad that you have basically done this to fit in with the crowd. Vanity over how a man naturally looks would never induce me to tamper with my son.

Oh please, conformity is a natural part of society and believe me, even if you don't want to admit it, you HAVE been influenced by others. Get off your high horse.

 

[JASMAK]

My son is circumsied and he is not emotionally damaged, he doesnt miss his foreskin and he's gonna be just fine. I got it done because my DF is circumsized as well as every man in my family. Alot of women from the UK would probably see me as the devil for doing this but not one person batted an eye about it here in the US. Actually it was expected for us to have it done. Cultural practices really do affect everything we do. I had it done with anestesia and he got baby tylenol for the day after. Maybe when he's a teenager I'll ask him if he misses his foreskin and if he's pissed I got it cut off when he was a baby. I'm pretty sure he will be grateful he doesnt remember it and that he fits in with the crowd. I find uncircumsized penis's a huge turn-off and have never been with a man with one... I know I dont speak for everyone in the US but alot if not all of of my female friends feel the same way. I think if women in the UK felt like this they would get their sons circumsized also.

How can it be a huge turn off, if you've never been with someone uncirc'd? Also, if an uncirc'd penis was the norm...it wouldn't be a turn off. The penis you love has been cut and shorn to look like that...it's not supposed to. It's like boob implants.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I really could not justify a procedure that will put an immature immune system ( healing process) and more often than not cause pain just because everyone else has it done
xx

 

[PeanutBean]

I'm sorry but I find it rather sad that you have basically done this to fit in with the crowd. Vanity over how a man naturally looks would never induce me to tamper with my son.

Oh please, conformity is a natural part of society and believe me, even if you don't want to admit it, you HAVE been influenced by others. Get off your high horse.

If your read my first post you would know that I already referred to the cultural pressures and how, rightly or wrongly, that affects people's decisions, and how I can understand why it does. However i can say with 100% certainty that I do nothing that would cause (imo) unnecessary pain because society expects it. In fact if you see my posts in general on opinion matters in this forum you'll find that for the most part my opinions are not based on social conformity and more often than not contradict what is the norm in the UK. Of course I've been influenced by others but usually it is to behave differently as I'm unimpressed with much that I see. There's no high horse just independent thought.

 

[redpoppy]

OH will be making the decision if we end up having a son. i don't have a penis so what do i know?

I'm sorry but this is the funniest and yet valid point I've ever read in a debate thread.

I have the religious/cultural factor and I suppose I'm brainwashed too as I do all sorts of things not prescribed in my religion or don't do those that are.

It is strange though as many men (even those without a religious background) seem quite adamant to have their son's circumcised when they have been.

I don't think it emotionally or physically damages babies in the long term just as I don't think sleep training does. Until I see real evidence I'm not likely to.

And I suppose there's always this thing where I've never met a circumcised man who misses his foreskin or acts in a markedly different way towards sex or ... um... peeing... but I have heard of one who had it done as an adult (I could never ask him if he did or why!!!! ) and I just wonder what on earth that's about IF it's not needed!!!? But then I suppose we live in a culture where people are willing to carve themselves up for superficial reasons.

 

[PeanutBean]

It is strange though as many men (even those without a religious background) seem quite adamant to have their son's circumcised when they have been.

Now I'm absolutely not saying male and female circumcision are comparable but wanted to mention that in countries where the latter takes place it is the older generation of women who have suffered it before that take the young girls off to get it done.

I don't imagine there's any emotional problems for most circumcised men but I just believe that people are better left natural.

 

[JASMAK]

The female equivilent of the male foreskin (prepuce) is the clitoral hood (also called prepuce). Both the foreskin and the clitoral hood are packed with nerve endings that enhance sexual pleasure.

A question for those who support male circumcision.... If it's ok to remove a boys foreskin because it's 'cleaner', 'less gross' or just 'looks better' do you think it's ok to remove the clitoral hood from girls??

If not, why is it different? Because of society? If we lived in a society that supported female circumcision, would females with the clitoral hood be gross?

 

[JASMAK]

It is strange though as many men (even those without a religious background) seem quite adamant to have their son's circumcised when they have been.

Now I'm absolutely not saying male and female circumcision are comparable but wanted to mention that in countries where the latter takes place it is the older generation of women who have suffered it before that take the young girls off to get it done.

I don't imagine there's any emotional problems for most circumcised men but I just believe that people are better left natural.

ahhh, but with one type of female circumcision (there are three) it is comparable. I think it is the WAY it is done, that is not comparable.

 

[Eve]

I haven't read through the rest of the pages yet, but I think it's up to the Mom, Dad and family The benefits, if any are very slim (doctor explained it to me when I had my son) and there isn't a terrible risk either, so I think it's up to the family and their own personal choice, be it due to beliefs/religion, preference etc... Maybe I'm not up to date with the info though? My son isn't circumsized as I didn't care, and thought the price they wanted was terrible!!!

 

[PeanutBean]

Ah jasmak I wasn't sure I wanted to go there! Lol

 

[Dragonfly]

Without getting in to a debate I personally wouldnt ever have it done, theres no need for my son to have it for any purpose at all and its not really done around here. I cant think for the life of me a reason to have that done that would benefit him.

 

[JASMAK]

Ah jasmak I wasn't sure I wanted to go there! Lol

I am already on peoples hot list...why not?

 

[cleckner04]

^^^

 

[PeanutBean]

 

[JASMAK]

 

[Eve]

Are there big risks to it now? Is that why people tend to get heated while talking about it? Or is it just the whole pain at first thing? I know when I had my son the doctor said yes, it can help with infection, but he mentioned regular good hygiene would help just the same when it came to infection but he also mentioned there isn't much risk to the procedure and there wasn't much pain etc... my doctor (8 yrs ago) was very neutral on the subject... he gave me a medical point of view. He also mentioned it's not recommended anymore because the risks were so low for infection etc... in the first place that medically it wasn't needed anymore Have things changed much?

 

[JASMAK]

And with that, I am done for the day...

 

[freckleonear]

Personally I don't agree with chopping off part of the body, especially as a baby doesn't get a say in it. If men weren't meant to have foreskins then they wouldn't be born with them! I think it's very sad that so many people in the USA do it just because it is the norm. In my opinion, that's not a good enough reason and people need to be prepared to change what is normal instead of just following the crowd.