Tuesday, April 19, 2011

circumcision.

Hmm. I'm not sure this is the place to put this - it's more about sexual sensitivity than babies, but it's something to consider if you're planning to circumcise your child, I suppose. It would be for me, anyway.

I found this link: http://www.circumstitions.com/Sexuality.html

through this condensed post - it might be easier to read the shortened version first and see if you want to know more. The first website has quite a lot of medical info but also some testimonials too. The main site describes a lot of interesting characteristics and jobs that the foreskin performs, and how valuable it is, as well as debunking and discussing some myths about it (hygiene, health risk etc).

I won't rant about this one, and my experience of before and after isn't really my story to tell, maybe. I just think it's really worth looking into. I thought it was especially interesting that a lot of the info medical info that has provided up to now comes only from people with experience of circumcision - for example, they seem unaware that the foreskin retracts. That was my reading of the site anyway. The whole thing made me quite sad and loss-filled, actually. I completely agree that this should be a personal, adult choice, and not one made by anyone else for you.

Feck it, I'll post the testimonial that caught my eye too:


Men cut as adults:

AlterNet
April 15, 2008

Uncut is better I have proof

by ashkewoof
Uncut by birth, got cut at 18 because I was confused that cut penises looked better.
I have tried to live without regret and I swore when I got circumcised, I would never regret it.
I now live with that regret. I am reminded of this regret every time I am intimate with a partner.
With my foreskin went a wonderful degree of sensuality and sensitivity that I will never get back and never knew I would miss until it was gone. I had a whole lot of experience with a foreskin before I was cut and a whole lot of experience without one after I was cut.
I am in a very good position to speak on the subject clearly since I have experienced both sides of the issue for long periods of time.
I want to scream when I hear parents making the choice to mutilate their child for cleanliness, aesthetics or misplaced notions of health. With a few necessary medical exceptions, this is barbarity and it is mutilating your son in the most intimate of ways.
My penis was always clean, happy and wonderful. Now part of it, a truly wonderful part of it is gone and restoration will not bring it back.
Stop butchering your children and STOP making this choice for them!
It should be illegal to do this to children. If they want to do so later on their journey through this life, when they are adults for whatever reason, religious or otherwise, let them. No one should mutilate children at an age especially when they can not consent to it.
RE: Uncut is better I have proof
Posted by: Dr. P. Mooney on Apr 15, 2008 8:47 AM
I totally, agree with you. I too, have been on both sides of this issue having my "child-hood operation" at the age of 24 or 25 yrs. old. It was done for medical reasons and had nothing to do with any of the other reasons associated with having it done. One does lose a lot of sensitivity removing the foreskin. It offers many functions from protection of the glans to lubrication of it. When the glans is continually, exposed to the elements, it loses sensitivity. I think all reasons for removing it save, medically, are not worth mutilating a functioning piece of anatomy.




8 comments:

Ms. Moon said...

I can never understand when parents choose to cut off parts of their baby boys' tenderest and most private and sensitive parts.
LEAVE THEIR BODIES WHOLE!

morgor said...

I've had my girlfriend opinion that she thinks circumcised ones look better.
Personally I'm just glad I still have my foreskin...

Joanna Cake said...

Cocks are beautiful with or without but foreskins are there for a reason and unless they are too tight and cause problems as a result, they should be left intact.

Jo said...

You hang on to your foreskin, morgor.

Joanna, yup.

morgor said...

I couldn't explain why I felt somewhat annoyed by her comment at the time, but I guess it would be the same as if I said to her : your fanny would look much better with the labia removed like they do in Africa. BAM! right back at ya.

Mwa said...

I don't get it either. It's not "the done thing" over here anyway, but the whole thought annoys me. For hygiene, it might be an idea to teach boys to have a wash sometimes.

Jo said...

Well, that's what it comes down to, morgor.

Mwa, I like the bit in the website where they talk about hygiene issues - it says that the secretions and oils inside the foreskin are anti bacterial and conditioning, but with careful washing, it shouldn't be a problem for the circumcised man! Heh.

Jo said...

And don't say fanny!