Your views on Circumcision

[BrandiCanucks]

I know that the majority of women (and men) here are from the UK and circumcision is not a general practice there, however, I had a few questions.

In your opinion...

1. Are parents who circumcise their sons abusive?
2. If yes, should these parents have their children taken away?
3. If you are against circumcision, do you feel that there is a gray area where circumcision is okay?
4. If the males in your family had a history of late circumcisions due to medical reasons, would you take the precaution and have your son circumcised as a newborn to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the males in your family?


I ask based on another site I am on. I have seen many varying opinions, including anti-circumcisioners accusing the circumcising parents of being "abusive by mutilating genitals".

What is your stance?

 

[Missy86]

I think you are being quite vauge
My Oh was circumcised as a child due to infection and I would never say his parents are abusive
I have thought about this with Rhys but I dont think I would do it 'just in case' it happened to him

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Is there something specific you'd like me to elaborate on?

 

[Missy86]

your first point just said if parents who circumcise their sons are they abusive but what if its done for medical reasons

 

[mommyof3co]

I've seen a lot of those view points too. But I absolutely don't think it's abusive. Abuse implies you are doing something TO harm your child....circumcision is not that. Or to be cruel, I don't think it's cruel for a parent to do what they feel is right or best for their children.

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Well, that's what I mean. Many "intactivists" (as I've been yelled at to call them) claim a parent who circumcises their child is intentionally hurting them. So, does that constitute abuse?

 

[mommyof3co]

No because they aren't intentionally hurting them, they are doing something they feel is best. Plus they give meds so I know for my boys they weren't in pain during, they were sore for the day of but then after they didn't even act like they noticed it at all. That would be like me saying that vaccinating your child is abusive because it hurts them

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

. Are parents who circumcise their sons abusive? No
2. If yes, should these parents have their children taken away? No
3. If you are against circumcision, do you feel that there is a gray area where circumcision is okay? I think the ONLY time it is ok is for medical reasons
4. If the males in your family had a history of late circumcisions due to medical reasons, would you take the precaution and have your son circumcised as a newborn to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the males in your family? One has. My family is full of males and out of all of them only one as had to have it done later on. The procedure went wrong as well and has been in a lot of pain for the last two weeks. Saying it hurts, stings and he is very wary of weeing.


As I said one boy in my family has had to have it done due for medical reasons. That is out of a family filled with mainly men. I don't agree with it as the majority or the 'health benefits' can be applied with good general hygiene, practice of safe sex and an understanding of how to care for the foreskin in young children
x

 

[blahblahblah]

It never crossed my mind to circumcise my son, and tbh I don't understand how anyone can see a newborn baby and think "lets chop a bit off his willy". It just seems a completely bizarre thing to do, unless there is a medical reason for it.

I wouldn't go as far as to call it child abuse, but I am wholeheartedly against it and wish people wouldn't do it.

 

[Pixxie]

In your opinion...

1. Are parents who circumcise their sons abusive?
No
2. If yes, should these parents have their children taken away?
3. If you are against circumcision, do you feel that there is a gray area where circumcision is okay?
Personally I don't agree with circumcision of babies unless done for medical reasons, I don't think you should permanently change someone's body if they cannot consent to it
4. If the males in your family had a history of late circumcisions due to medical reasons, would you take the precaution and have your son circumcised as a newborn to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the males in your family?
I've never heard of such a thing, but it would depend on how serious the problem was. If it could cause infertility in later life for example then yes I probably would.

 

[twinkle1975]

MY DH had to have it done when he was a teenager for medical reasons - it hadn't occured to me that we'd have a son done just in case!

 

[BlackBerry25]

I've seen a lot of those view points too. But I absolutely don't think it's abusive. Abuse implies you are doing something TO harm your child....circumcision is not that. Or to be cruel, I don't think it's cruel for a parent to do what they feel is right or best for their children.

I agree whole heartedly.

 

[rainbows_x]

1. Are parents who circumcise their sons abusive? No. My ex had it done for medical reasons & I wouldn't say they were abusive.
2. If yes, should these parents have their children taken away? N/A
3. If you are against circumcision, do you feel that there is a gray area where circumcision is okay? For health reasons obviously. I don't really see the point in it personally. I don't think it is any 'cleaner' etc.
4. If the males in your family had a history of late circumcisions due to medical reasons, would you take the precaution and have your son circumcised as a newborn to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the males in your family? No.

 

[ShanandBoc]

Argh why does this topic always get dragged up. If you do a search on this subject there are many, long closed threads with more than enough opinions to go round.

 

[bubbles123]

1. Are parents who circumcise their sons abusive? No. I don't agree with it but think parents do it because they think it is the best thing for their child.
2. If yes, should these parents have their children taken away? N/A
3. If you are against circumcision, do you feel that there is a gray area where circumcision is okay? Only for medical reasons for children. Adults can do what they want with their bits, I just object to children having it done as they can't give consent.
4. If the males in your family had a history of late circumcisions due to medical reasons, would you take the precaution and have your son circumcised as a newborn to prevent him from suffering the same fate as the males in your family? No, there's no reason to suggest it would happen to him.

 

[JASMAK]

I don't think it's abusive, unless without pain relief, but I think it's completely unecessary. No greay area...if it's recommended for health reasons, get it done...but, otherwise...leave it alone. I am not going to have my children's appendix removed "just in case" as I had mine removed when I was in grade 9.

 

[aob1013]

Personally, i find circumcision totally unnecessary.

 

[ShanandBoc]

^ This i agree with. I just hope this thread stays nice.

 

[BrandiCanucks]

Well, I know most of you do not agree with this decision, but I had my son done for precautionary measures. My uncle, starting in his teens, began having recurrent infections and had his done when he was around 30. He hasn't suffered a single infection since. He did mention the pain and agony he went through during the rec overy period is not something he would wish on even his worst enemy. His recovery time was also a little longer than normal.

Both of my brother's also had to have it done at late ages, 5, I think, because rather than retract, their foreskin fused to their penis and caused them extreme pain. Again, the pain I witnessed them go through, struggling to even pee and crying in pain when they couldn't was enough for me to support circumcision.

As a result, my uncle, who has 3 boys, had them all circumcised to prevent the same fate as he, and I decided the same for any boys I have. I could never wish that on my son.

Thankfully, his urologist was great. He had pain medication and slept through the entire procedure. He was a little sore for the first day, but he didn't really complain at all. He was 6 days old.

That was the decision I made for my son because I felt it was in his best interest. Was he guaranteed to suffer the same fate? No, but if he was destined to, I feel confident in my decision as his mom to have gone through with the procedure.

The reason I asked the abusive parent question is because I have, many times over, been accused of abusing him by having his foreskin removed. The worst was when he was 3 weeks old and a woman in a public washroom at a mall threw a fit on me, calling me abusive, telling me I didn't deserve children if I was just going to "mutilate their genitals".

All I had to say to her was how she's just made a fool of herself in front of a bunch of other women, because they all now probably thought she was a pedophile for looking at a little boy's penis.

 

[readynwilling]

Im not pro or con on circumcision. Im actually VERY glad to be having a little girl so i don't have to worry about it just yet

In North America it is much more common for a male to be circumcised, but its declining in "popularity". Not that i have been with a lot of men but all the ones i have been with have been circumcised. But my little brother was not, as my father was not.

I think a big part of why we so commonly circumcise here is it was done for soooo long as the norm that a lot of us are poorly miseducated about the uncircumcised penis.

Im not saying all US/Canadian girls are - but i think its part of it.