How do you feel about circumcision?

[AngloDoom]

There is absolutely no reason to.
And fucking aesthetics is NOT a valid reason to chop part of their dick off. Why don't you let them grow up a little and then decide if they want a "better-looking penis".

Pretty much this. Unless you're doing it for religious or health reasons, circumcising your baby is equivalent to getting a tattoo of your favourite band on your baby, or giving them piercings. It's not your decision to make.

Hell, the people who say "I think a circumcised penis looks better" often have been circumcised at birth and it leads to me wonder whether they prefer the look because it's more familiar, or whether they genuinely would circumcised their own penis later on in life if they were given a chance.

If you are circumcising an infant simply because you think it looks good then I simply don't think it should be allowed. In fact I genuinely despise it.

 

[Denamic]

Because cosmetic surgery without the consent of the kid is completely okay.
Of course, it's also completely fine it it's a religious ritual mutilation.

It's retarded.
If you're an adult and decide to get a circumcision, fine.
But don't force it on a child that's unable to make informed decisions, unless it's for medical reasons.

 

[CorvusFerreum]

There is absolutely no reason to.

I'm going to have to disagree with you. There are plenty of medical reasons to have a male circumcised:

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/malecircumcision/infopack_en_3.pdf

http://www.who.int/hiv/pub/malecircumcision/infopack_en_4.pdf

These are info packets from the World Health Organization, which I think we can agree upon is a reliable source for this kind of information. I'll tell you to read the links if you want a list of all the health benefits of male circumcision but some of the highlights are:

-Decreases the chance of urinary tract infections of babies/children
-Decreased instances of cervical cancer in female sexual partners
-Ease of penile hygiene leading to fewer infections
-Lower rate of sexually transmitted infections
-Lower rate of penile cancer
-Helps prevent the spread of HIV

Now, I will agree that it is a choice, but I don't think that it should be either illegal or mandatory. I personally am very happy my parents had me circumcised.

Overread this one. These are good arguments, but it still leaves a bad taste, since it's a surgical modification done on the most privat parts of the body without you ever beeing asked. You may not remember the operation and you may never know it otherwise. But I don't think these are valid arguments to do such a thing if there's no absolute valid reason. And aesthetics doesn't count.

 

[Nunny]

Its a pointless procedure that continues through either ignorance or some sick "it looks better" thing.

If they realy want it, let them do it when they are older and can give consent.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

no its not always pointless. I had mine done for real, genuine medical reasons. Dad wanted me done straight away but the doctors flat out refused, and i had to have it done when i was older. Im just glad i dont remember it, i was like 4.

 

[k-ossuburb]

I'm as much for it as I am for tattooing newborn babies and giving them all nose piercings. Because, hey, they'll all look so much better and "normal" and just like their daddy!

 

[NoeL]

Pretty much this. Unless you're doing it for religious or health reasons, circumcising your baby is equivalent to getting a tattoo of your favourite band on your baby, or giving them piercings. It's not your decision to make.

Fixed. Seriously, why should a child have to endure mutilation because their parents believe crazy shit?

 

[Kennetic]

Because cosmetic surgery without the consent of the kid is completely okay.
Of course, it's also completely fine it it's a religious ritual mutilation.

It's retarded.
If you're an adult and decide to get a circumcision, fine.
But don't force it on a child that's unable to make informed decisions, unless it's for medical reasons.

Parents make decisions like that until the age of 18 for the reason that children can't rationally make those decisions yet. FYI I'm not calling you out in particular, I've just seen these posts alot and yours just happened to be here when I decided to post.

 

[somonels]

Have you ever felt like all the opposers are uncircumcised?

 

[Twilight_guy]

I don't have an opinion. I think people should be able to have it done since its part of some religion's beliefs but I don't really care other then that. (I'm kind of bothered by some people who think its the worst thing to ever happen to the human body. I don't know many people who have experience circumscribed and uncircumcised life but I think unless you fit in that group its not far to say if its a terrible terrible thing or not).

 

[Arfonious]

I think male circumcision is horrible, comparable with female circumcision and should be banned

 

[AndyFromMonday]

How do I feel about male genital mutilation? The same way I feel about female genital mutilation. It's disgusting.

 

[AngloDoom]

Pretty much this. Unless you're doing it for religious or health reasons, circumcising your baby is equivalent to getting a tattoo of your favourite band on your baby, or giving them piercings. It's not your decision to make.

Fixed. Seriously, why should a child have to endure mutilation because their parents believe crazy shit?

Agreed, however for those people it's not crazy shit and their doing their child a favour because it's an important part of their religion. If I believe my child would live a longer, happier life if I drew a skull-and-crossbones on their shoulder-blade (to use the tattoo comparison), and would actually avoid torment and endless pain I'm pretty sure I'd take it.

As much as I disagree with it, it's not up to me to decide what people believe in. I'd rather parents wait until the child is old enough to decide whether they want to join in on the religion or not, but (correct me if I'm wrong) part of the whole 'ritual' of it all is doing it at birth.

 

[asam92]

I have two boys and each of them are circumcised. They were medicated beforehand and honestly I don't think they even really felt anything. And I agree with the OP that it makes for a better looking penis. Though I have no issue if you do or don't have it done. Also oddly, this is the second circumcision thread I've seen on the Escapist.

Yep, this is the third I have seen, people seem to be way to interested in this subject, seriously, a dick is a dick, get over it people.

OT: I am neither for nor against, personally i'm not but here in Australia I believe it is a 50/50 ratio (from what I have heard anyway) and in the US it seems to be very pro-circumcision for some reason.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Foreskin is useless. It serves no practical purpose - it has no effect on sexual stimulation or pleasure.

Bull-fucking-shit. The foreskin has more nerve endings that the entirety of the penis. To say that removal of the foreskin has no effect on sexual pleasure is like saying removing your fingers will have no effect on your ability to play guitar.

The body parts you've mentioned are all important. Nipple and clitoral damage is NOT something to joke about. I assume you mean piercing the clitoris or nipple (not cutting it off, which is what I initially got from your post) and my reply to that is that those are not safe to pierce in an infant.

I believe that the nipple is useless in males and as such I reserve the right to decide whether or not I want my baby to have them. The nipple has virtually no function and using your logic, parents have the right to cut off anything that they deem as useless.

Cutting off ANYTHING that belongs to a baby is not only immoral but downright criminal. You're depriving someone of their right to their own body. Whether or not the foreskin is useless is irrelevant. The fact of the matter is, that baby does NOT belong to the parents and has RIGHTS over his or her own body. The parents do NOT get to decide what a baby gets to keep or not.

Again, foreskin removal has no medical downside. Removal or piercing anything but the earlobe would cause permanent, awful damage to a person. It is NOT the same. It is an extreme exaggeration. None of those locations are just skin.

What? You mean the risk of bleeding and infection associated with the removal of the nipple/ear lobe? Guess what? Those same risks are ASSOCIATED WITH CIRCUMCISION! Do you honestly believe there are zero complications associated with circumcision?

I will say again - a clitoris is NOT just skin. It is in no way related to foreskin. It is not a valid comparison. Stop making it. It's offensive.

And neither is the foreskin. Stop comparing it to a useless piece of skin because it is not.

 

[Darth_Dude]

Well I'm circumcised....I dont really know what to think about it though..

 

[Zing]

I don't really know how to feel. I didn't really have a choice, I had some kind of medical issue or something as a kid so they chopped my foreskin.

I wish I didn't get circumcised, but it's probably more of a grass is greener thing.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Well, let me give you a tip....