Circumcision and cultural differences

[JASMAK]

Circumcision of Males / Male Genital Mutilation (MGM)

It is the position of the Canadian Children's Rights Council that "circumcision" of male or female children is genital mutilation of children.

The statistics show more Canadians parents are not having their infant sons circumcised ( genitally mutilated ). The rate for male infants in Canada has dropped from about 50% in 1998 to about 20% in 2000. The overall incidence of male circumcision for all of Canada declined to about 13.9 percent for the year 2003.

 

[JASMAK]

the above quote PROVES that it is NOT done here all the time. That's why I was wondering if it is where you live, or people you know (so, as you both stated, it is not who you know)...so, perhaps you live in areas where it is done more.

 

[Tiff]

I'm not saying it isn't being done. I took umbrage with the part about the friends being professionals, therefore they don't do it. If that's not what you meant then I apologize, but I didn't see the point of that aspect of your post.

I posted earlier about how OHIP doesn't cover it anymore, deeming it cosmetic rather than regular procedure.

 

[BlackBerry25]

I am going out for the day, but please post statistics.

The UK is made up of different countries and so is North America. We were talking about the cultural differences. We are very similar to the US, and for generations people have been circumcising in Canada. Just because atm our group of moms may be choosing not to circumcise, it does not mean it is still not pretty common. No where did someone say every Canadian does it. No one would think that either, as there already have been Canadians saying they chose not to do it, even though GENERATIONS in their family have been.

This is a totally irrelevant arguement we are having

 

[JASMAK]

No, not at all...(with the friend thing). I guess it sounds that way though...I didn't mean that you had stupid friends...lol....it did sound that way, looking back. haha sorry. I was just trying to say, that maybe since they are medical proffesionals (mostly) that perhaps that was why. But, someone said that most do it here, but the statistics show that it is mostly NOT done here.

 

[BlackBerry25]

When my mom was pregnant in 1979, people were told not to circumcise their sons, and she didn't circumcise my brother. Popularity of it seems to change frequently.

 

[JASMAK]

Sorry Blackberry, I think many Canadians would agree that we are very different from the USA. I am one of those.

The above quote was statistics and here is the link:

https://www.canadiancrc.com/Circumcision_Genital_Mutilation_Male-Female_Children.aspx

 

[JASMAK]

I am going out for the day, but please post statistics.

The UK is made up of different countries and so is North America. We were talking about the cultural differences. We are very similar to the US, and for generations people have been circumcising in Canada. Just because atm our group of moms may be choosing not to circumcise, it does not mean it is still not pretty common. No where did someone say every Canadian does it. No one would think that either, as there already have been Canadians saying they chose not to do it, even though GENERATIONS in their family have been.

This is a totally irrelevant arguement we are having

yes, this is true.

 

[hopeandpray]

I went out with a bloke who had been circumcised late (in his late 20's) for medical reasons and always said sex was never as good after the op. I suppose if the are circumcised young they don't know any different?

Well I know that it definitely causes decreased sensitivity
I have a pretty large birthmark on my arm, it isn't raised or harmful but obviously most people don't have one. My mum could have decided to get it lasered off me if she wanted I presume but she didn't. At about 16 she let me choose. I kept my birthmark. People stare and ask questions but I still wanted to keep it. The way I see it a penis isn't going to be seen as regularly as an arm (hopefully ) and a penis is in its natural state, my arm wasn't. But it was me, its how i was born and didn't cause any problems so why change it?
In denmark constitutionally it's illegal to alter a childs body, in Sweden it was going to be made illegal and it still is up to 2 months.
The stat about HPV and other STDs is interesting but I've had my vaccine and my kids would too (if it's proven to work) for HPV and I presume that contraception and testing would suffice to prevent the other STDs. Urethritis is more common in circ'd boys though
I don't really agree with 'just incase it's medically necessary when he's an adult. It is pretty unlikely, I think about 1-2% that need it done later

 

[JASMAK]

I went out with a bloke who had been circumcised late (in his late 20's) for medical reasons and always said sex was never as good after the op. I suppose if the are circumcised young they don't know any different?

Well I know that it definitely causes decreased sensitivity
I have a pretty large birthmark on my arm, it isn't raised or harmful but obviously most people don't have one. My mum could have decided to get it lasered off me if she wanted I presume but she didn't. At about 16 she let me choose. I kept my birthmark. People stare and ask questions but I still wanted to keep it. The way I see it a penis isn't going to be seen as regularly as an arm (hopefully ) and a penis is in its natural state, my arm wasn't. But it was me, its how i was born and didn't cause any problems so why change it?
In denmark constitutionally it's illegal to alter a childs body, in Sweden it was going to be made illegal and it still is up to 2 months.
The stat about HPV and other STDs is interesting but I've had my vaccine and my kids would too (if it's proven to work) for HPV and I presume that contraception and testing would suffice to prevent the other STDs. Urethritis is more common in circ'd boys though
I don't really agree with 'just incase it's medically necessary when he's an adult. It is pretty unlikely, I think about 1-2% that need it done later

My son was born with ears folded in, really bad. They stick out quite a bit. His doctor encouraged me to get them surgically fixed, before kindergarten, so no one would "tease him". We decided against it. It should be his choice, and we love him the way God sent him to us. He is in grade two, and he has never mentioned ever being teased about them.

 

[PeanutBean]

Jasmak I was thinking of pinned ears as an example but I've not known anyone who's had it done so didn't feel qualified to raise it!

 

[TattiesMum]

I Realistically though, us women don't have penises so we don't know the difference between having a circumcised or uncircumcised penis. I

Neither does a man unless he has been intact and then circumcised.

That's quite true but my DH is in that position as I said earlier He had a foreskin up until he was about 21 (well after he was sexually active) and then had to have an emergency circumcision when his foreskin split and got infected. He claims that there is no significant difference in sensation between the two and that he much prefers being a 'roundhead'..... Judging by Kirmal's post it's obviously a very subjective thing even from men who have experienced both

 

[Justagirlxx]

I just looked it up and it seems that 70% of babies born in 2000 were circumsized. The rate has gone up and down throughout the years but its always been well above 50% of children. Sorry if this has already been mentioned but it is definitely still the cultural norm around here.

https://www.boystoo.com/history/statistics.htm

 

[BlackBerry25]

The Maternity Experiences Survey, conducted in 2006 by the Public Health Agency of Canada, found an average national newborn circumcision rate of 31.9%.

I found statistics saying it is as high as 45% here in Alberta.

So I think I was fair in saying it is pretty common here as well.

 

[trumpetbum]

I Realistically though, us women don't have penises so we don't know the difference between having a circumcised or uncircumcised penis. I

Neither does a man unless he has been intact and then circumcised.

That's quite true but my DH is in that position as I said earlier He had a foreskin up until he was about 21 (well after he was sexually active) and then had to have an emergency circumcision when his foreskin split and got infected. He claims that there is no significant difference in sensation between the two and that he much prefers being a 'roundhead'..... Judging by Kirmal's post it's obviously a very subjective thing even from men who have experienced both

It probably is subjective, so imo best left to the man to choose of he wants to (unless he happens to have had no choice like your dh) and your dh is probably one of the few men who can honestly say that they have first hand experience of which they prefer as he has had both. On the other hand it might be argued that adult circumcision would not entail the same degree of sensitivity loss that one would perhaps experience from having no protection from the foreskin from infancy.

 

[cherryglitter]

I've never been with a bloke who has been circumcised so I don't think it would cross my mind to have it done to Jake.

I'd like him to make his own mind up about it If there were a medical reason for him to be circumcised then yes i'd probably go through with it if it meant he were in more pain.

I guess i've never been exposed to it as such so i've never really thought twice about it. I know I wouldnt like someone removing my clitoral hood or anything though!

 

[Tiff]

It probably is subjective, so imo best left to the man to choose of he wants to (unless he happens to have had no choice like your dh) and your dh is probably one of the few men who can honestly say that they have first hand experience of which they prefer as he has had both. On the other hand it might be argued that adult circumcision would not entail the same degree of sensitivity loss that one would perhaps experience from having no protection from the foreskin from infancy.

Your post made me think of something, just on how us as women are all over this whole "knowing what's best for our boys", be it pro or con circumcision, but somehow I think that if it were an issue that was central to women and it was men who were trying to have the deciding say on it there'd be a lot of upset women!

I don't mean that against anyone in this thread, and it can be true for both sides of the argument.

 

[PeanutBean]

That's a valid point Tiff but to be sure my DH feels the same way as me.

 

[JASMAK]

My hubby is circumcized, and never wanted our son to be. He thinks it is pointless and his words "cruel".

 

[cleckner04]

DH and I have been talking about it and although I think DH is just trying to be agreeable with me, he said we can leave our son uncircumcised! I hate the fact that it's even an argument between us but I think I got my point across.