Poll: What do you think about circumcision?

[thenumberthirteen]

Also, sometimes during sex the foreskin can rip a little so that might be a reason for a man to decide to "snip snip"

I've cut my finger quite a few times, but I think amputation would be a bit extreme

That's happened to me, and the idea of doing it on purpose isn't that appealing.

 

[Llil]

It's not "uncircumcised". It's "not circumcised", that's the default. And no, I don't think boys should be circumcised when they're young, unless there's a real medical reason for it. Just go ask someone who's not cut, if he'd consider doing it to himself. I'm guessing he'll say no. So why would you do something to a kid that he would never do to himself if he was old enough to make the call.

I'm glad to live in a country where not cutting young boys is the norm.

Oh, by the way, this is one of those topics that's going to ensure a huge flamewar at some point. Just be prepared for that.

 

[Marcus Kehoe]

Circumcision has a lot of medical benefits, but again its the parents choice and later in life men can do it later, but i say circumcision should be done at infancy.

 

[lacktheknack]

Meh. I'm circumcised, and I don't really care. "BUT YOU HAVE BETTER SEX IF YOU'RE UNCUT!" So? I can't miss what I never had. "BUT IT'S ABUSIVE AND SCARRING!" Please. I remember getting my dessert taken away with more fury and trauma than my circumcision.

Also, it's pretty easy to spot who's circumcised and who's not in this thread.

 

[Celestialum]

any chance someone could tell me what is bad about being circumcised? maybe it's just an american thing to be annoyed about it...(not meaning to cause trouble just there doesn't seem to be any debate about it here in europe)

There's not much of a debate in Europe over it because Europeans circumcise their children less. Simple as that.

 

[torzath]

Well, I seem to have turned out fine (I hope). I can't say I remember, but there's no lasting harm at least.

But is that really enough reason for it?

 

[Mallefunction]

I'm a woman so I wouldn't know the suffering of most North American males, but my answer is still no. If a man wants the procedure done, sure, but parents deciding for the baby? Hell no.

It's like those mothers who get their 3 year olds ear piercings. My parents let me decide when I was 11 and I'm damn grateful for it. Yes, your parents have some control over your life, but this kind of thing is permanent physical scarring. That should not be their decision to make.

 

[Bvenged]

It's unhygienic and along the same concepts as a forced marriage.

Why should your parents have control over what you do? They're there to guide you and teach you and give you an understanding, even influence your decisions; not make them for you.

For religious reasons - yeah it should be banned, just like halal or kosher meat should be banned. If a parent has you done as well they should be punished. I would've flipped a fucking table if I'd found out I was baptised as a toddler/baby, let alone have my genitals tampered with when they didn't need to be; especially when evolution put it there for a reason.

For medical reasons; I'd say it's okay to have it removed, if it saved you pain or illness.

 

[mbug]

It's like those mothers who get their 3 year olds ear piercings. My parents let me decide when I was 11 and I'm damn grateful for it. Yes, your parents have some control over your life, but this kind of thing is permanent physical scarring. That should not be their decision to make.

i was one of the unlucky 3 year olds who got my ears pierced

 

[Filiecs]

Parents choice. They have control over every other part of the baby's life, so why don't they have control over a cosmetic change (a very painful one to do at an older age) that the kid won't even remember.
As a kid gets older their parents get less and less control over their child's life but when the child is still a baby the parent has almost complete control in my opinion.

 

[Phlakes]

I'm circumsized, and I'm not any worse off than anyone else, and I don't care that doctors cut some of my skin off when I was too young to remember it.

Basically, there's no reason parents shouldn't be able to make the choice.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Well, I seem to have turned out fine (I hope). I can't say I remember, but there's no lasting harm at least.

But is that really enough reason for it?

No idea. I guess there's the chance it could develop an infection or something. I'm not saying everyone should have it, but it's hardly a big deal. It's not like it's impaired me from doing anything that I would have done if I hadn't been circumcised.

 

[demoman_chaos]

What are the medical benefits?

 

[JokerboyJordan]

Your parents shouldn't decide whether to cut off part of your penis any more than decide your religion.

Except that the majority of parents do decide their children's religion; by bringing them up in it.

 

[DEAD34345]

Eh, to be honest if you never had a foreskin then you never really care that you never had it. I mean, I don't really see the point except for medical or religious reasons, but it's not really the end of the world.

Circumcision very clearly hurts and discomforts babies (or anyone else who has it done) for a while after the operation. It might not quite be the end of the world, but I still think it is very wrong.

Well, I seem to have turned out fine (I hope). I can't say I remember, but there's no lasting harm at least.

I'm not saying it permanently hurts, and I'm not saying people who are circumcised will turn out badly, I'm just saying it's wrong. People who circumcise their children aren't evil or anything, but they are ignorant. I'm sure these parents think they are doing something good for their child, either for religious reasons or for the non-existent health benefits, but what they're really doing is harming their child for no benefit.

Also there is a lasting harm, in that you are missing a part of your body. You might not particularly miss it, but that's your right to decide, not theirs.

 

[Agayek]

I don't think circumcision is a rational or intelligent thing to do in the slightest.

That said, whether or not someone is circumcised is their business. It has absolutely nothing to do with me and it does not (nor can it) affect me in any way. If parents want it done, so be it.

Though I must admit I'm not entirely comfortable with allowing someone, even the parents, to mutilate their children without the child's informed consent. It should be the choice of the one being circumcised.

 

[guise709]

If I recall correctly circumcision was introduced in America as a way to keep boys from masterbating since cuting off the foreskin reduces the sensitivy of the penis resulting in less pleasure from stimulation. Didn't really work as it was a hormornal problem but it stuck and has been until recently as circumcision rates have decreased over these recent years.

 

[Celestialum]

http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/guide/circumcision

The medical reasons are listed in this article.

But again, all of the advantages gained by circumcision can be gained by other means.