Circumcision

[cantthinkof1]

I decided to start this thread to find out what people's thoughts are on this matter? I personally am totally against it unless done for medical reasons. I think it's something that should be left for the baby to decide once it's older, after all it's their penis! Plus why bring pain on a baby unless medically needed? So if you do agree with it and have or are going to circumcise your baby could you tell me why if not for medical reasons? I understand for some it's for religious reasons, which i also don't agree with, probably because i'm an atheist but mostly i don't agree with it being done simply because everyone else you know has it done.

I found this website interesting and i couldn't agree more:

https://www.askdrsears.com/topics/pregnancy-childbirth/whether-or-not-circumcise

 

[ktod]

Lol this is the third circumcision thread in about a week! 3 rd tri and baby club got locked but there's lots of opinions there.

 

[cantthinkof1]

I don't know why they keep getting locked, i see no reason why we can't have a discussion about this without it getting nasty. What's the point in a forum if you can't discuss things?

 

[PepsiChic]

If you want to know other peoples opinions you should just do a forum search.

This is probably the most debated discussion on the forum, and unfortunatly it provokes a lot of feelings that can result in bitter nasty posts causing a thread to be closed.

Yes this is a forum and open discussions are allowed, but nastiness is not welcome and when a thread goes sour the best thing for everyone is to have it closed and move on to something else.

People forget that one persons opinion is not any more valid than the next persons.

 

[WantsALittle1]

I think that for some people, tradition trumps all. It must go back to group/tribal identity and the importance of permanent tribe markers. Body alteration for the purpose of tribal identity is not unheard of, but I hear your point about waiting until adulthood and allowing the person to decide for him/herself... Unfortunately that's not *usually* how cultural/tribal identity markers go. Usually they are forced on the bearer at a young age to begin the process of deconstructing the individual self and building up the group self.

An example is baptism. I, too, am an atheist so I don't agree with this practice, but it's something that's done at a young age, regardless. It's extremely important to the process of constructing group religious identity from a ripe age.

Some less contentious social-belonging procedures that involve body alteration are:

plastic surgery (helps one identify as a member of the 'young' group, or the 'better body' group, etc)
ear-piercing (sharp metal thing through the ear lobe helps you belong to the 'female' group or the 'punk' group, etc.)
shaving (metal razor against the skin, shaving off a layer of skin, helps you belong to the 'clean' group, etc.)
tattoos (of course...)

The list goes on and on. We are social creatures, and as a species we are willing to endure some pain (and, sadly, to force some pain on our young offspring), to affirm our group identity. Circumcision is part of that--it has historical relationships to purity and is hard to shake, even if it makes no sense. Social identification is, unfortunately, a process as old as time...

Change takes a long time to effect.

 

[Liesje]

My opinion: It's not my penis. It's my son's penis. My son's penis doesn't need to "match" anyone else's penis.

 

[JASMAK]

I don't understand the religious reasons, so I can't comment there, but for non-religious, it boils down to cosmetic, since all doctors do not recommend it. Therefore, I am against routine circumcision. For those who hope it will prevent infection later....well, we don't take tonsils and appendix out at birth...just in case... I just think it is purely cosmetic....which isn't good enough for me. Plus, I think circ'd looks PAINFUL...it literally looks ripped off. My nephew was circ'd and it was bright red and gawd...it just looked SO sore. Gross! So, I don't understand the cosmetic reason. As far as cleanliness...good grief...what about a vulva?! Surely a vulva is just as hard or harder to clean than a foreskin (it is, as I have cleaned my son and you don't do anything). That is my opinion. Ohhhhh...the mighty penis and the controversy. LOL

 

[steph.]

I am not strongly for or against it. I think some people go ott and say its cruel to do that to a baby, that they might resent it when they are older ect. I dont think its cruel and parents who make the decision do it with their hearts in the right place. My dh is cut and he couldnt care less that he doesnt have a foreskin! If we have a boy i probably wont circumcise because i dont have any strong reason to do it, but i dont think theres anything wrong with it.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

Personally I do not believe circumcision is necessary as it isn't medically needed. The cleaner argument and reduction of STD argument does not sit right with me. In the case of cleanliness you teach your son how to wash properly and in the instance of STD's you teach him to practice safe sex.
In addition people say they do it because it's the norm in the US. Why? Should we all do something because everyone else is doing it? Should be put our child through an unnecessary medical procedure that carries risks just because it's the 'fashion'? IMO no. I will not cause any pain or add extra risks to my son because other people do it. I will teach them that everyone is different and that's OK. I will teach them that it is wrong to bully because of other peoples differences. I think if parents taught their children this then the worry of bullying would go out of the window. Children get bullied for wearing glasses. Does that mean if a child needs glasses they shouldn't wear them? It just baffles me tbh.

In conclusion I am totally against it unless it is for medical reasons x

 

[lesleyann]

I dont think it should be done unless for medical purposes.. And I find it funny when people say it does not affect the err mans feelings during sex after having it done.. My friends hubby had to have his removed for medical reasons.. He says its horrible and sensation is not the same and it gets sore from rubbing on his pants all day...

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I think there are worse things to worry about in the world than what another parent does with their child's penis.

 

[alaskagrown]

If I had a son, he'd be circumcised. I agree with the thread about tradition. It's just how things are in America. Just like girls getting their ears pierced as soon as they come out in places like Spain and Mexico.

I do have a friend who was not circumcised and developed penile cancer when he was an adult. He had to get circumcised in his mid-twenties because of it. His doctor told him if he were circumcised at birth, he would have never developed the cancer. This is obviously just an 'extreme' example of why circumcision isn't always bad, but an example nonetheless!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

If I had a son, he'd be circumcised. I agree with the thread about tradition. It's just how things are in America. Just like girls getting their ears pierced as soon as they come out in places like Spain and Mexico.

I do have a friend who was not circumcised and developed penile cancer when he was an adult. He had to get circumcised in his mid-twenties because of it. His doctor told him if he were circumcised at birth, he would have never developed the cancer. This is obviously just an 'extreme' example of why circumcision isn't always bad, but an example nonetheless!

Not for or against it, but this is actually a load of poo. Being circumcised does not deminish your risk of cancer

 

[lhancock90]

Circumsion thread...
I hope this stays a debate, its as valid as any other debate started in this section. If you don't like it, why read?

Personally, i believe my babies body is their own and unless its for medical purposes, i won't alter it with surgery or piercings. However, i respect whatever others chose to do.

 

[malia]

I think there are worse things to worry about in the world than what another parent does with their child's penis.

wss ^

 

[vintage67]

Penile cancer is incredibly rare but is even more rare in countries that routinely circumcise male infants which is why circumcision is sometimes referred to as lowering the risk of penile cancer. Not that this would be a basis in and of itself to have it done. Saying that not circumcising causes penile cancer would be a ridiculous stretch like saying, oh, formula causes cancer. Same kind of weak correlation without other mitigating factors applied.

That being said, it's a personal decision we make for our male babies for our own reasons, to circumcise or not. Whether the child grows up to be happy, unhappy, regretful or thankful, is something none of us has any way of knowing.

 

[Sarahkka]

I am also in the camp of "it's not my body, therefore not my decision". Unless there is some medical reason, I would never do something so invasive and permanent to my sons' bodies. I see my job as doing my damnedest to keep those bodies intact so that they are free to make choices about foreskins, tattoos, piercings, etc when they are adults and out of my care.
I think the political movements I have read about to give children those rights over their bodies are ones that I support, but I don't rank circumcision high up on my list of things to worry about.

 

[alaskagrown]

If I had a son, he'd be circumcised. I agree with the thread about tradition. It's just how things are in America. Just like girls getting their ears pierced as soon as they come out in places like Spain and Mexico.

I do have a friend who was not circumcised and developed penile cancer when he was an adult. He had to get circumcised in his mid-twenties because of it. His doctor told him if he were circumcised at birth, he would have never developed the cancer. This is obviously just an 'extreme' example of why circumcision isn't always bad, but an example nonetheless!

Not for or against it, but this is actually a load of poo. Being circumcised does not deminish your risk of cancer

It CERTAINLY reduces the chance of penile cancer!

 

[Ozzieshunni]

I would love to see the medical evidence of this and not just some opinion.

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

If I had a son, he'd be circumcised. I agree with the thread about tradition. It's just how things are in America. Just like girls getting their ears pierced as soon as they come out in places like Spain and Mexico.

I do have a friend who was not circumcised and developed penile cancer when he was an adult. He had to get circumcised in his mid-twenties because of it. His doctor told him if he were circumcised at birth, he would have never developed the cancer. This is obviously just an 'extreme' example of why circumcision isn't always bad, but an example nonetheless!

The doctor was wrong to make that statement. It may reduce the risk of getting it but he still could havce developed it as it doesn't totally protect a man from developing it x