Circumcision, help please?

[jazzbird]

We have chosen not to circ any of our male children because we see no medical or religious reason to do so.

Beyond the "being the same as dad" and "lockerroom" arguements, which hold no merit, the other arguement I hear is the issue of cleanliness. So teach your son how to clean himself! It's not a difficult process. The foreskin isn't even retractable for the first few years of life. After that, all they need to do is splash some water in there. Females have a lot more places for bacteria to hide than an uncirc'd male, but we survived childhood just fine and no one is running around suggesting that we cut off parts of the female genitalia to make it more convenient to clean.

When you get down to it, it just seems like most circumscision is done for cosmetic reasons more than anything else, and for me, that is not a good reason. If it is primarily an appearance issue, as I believe it is, I don't feel that I have the right to decide whether or not to remove a part of my son's body.

I understand why a lot of people do it - all of my friends have had their children circ'd. We've just come to a different conclusion. I don't think anyone is wrong for doing it or not doing it, but I do hope that people would give some significant thought to the issue before just going with the social flow.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

What are the ratios of non-circ'd men to circ'd men in the general population, it's important to know that otherwise it's impossible to correctly determine whether or not non-circ'd men are more prone to health risks, it could well be that the reason why more non-circ'd men go to hospital is that there are more non-circ'd men.

From what statistics I can find online Australia has a 12% circumcision rate. So Sascha's observation of a 10 to 1 ratio is spot on and it appears that being uncircumcised poses no greater risk than being circumcised based on these numbers.

 

[Naomi4Christ]

The 'just like daddy' argument...

Some generation should be the one to make the break. Maybe it could be yours.

 

[Leanna]

Leanna, Was your first child circumsized?

Yes, why?

Someone told me the other day that 80% of the worlds males are uncircumsized. I don't know if its true though.

 

[~Nikki~]

With regards to STDs being less common among circumcised men, I would say they're even less common among uncircumcised men who have made the decision to only have sex with their wife for the whole of their life...

Now whether our sons decide that's what they're going to do or not, that's up to them, but we will be teaching them that sex is only for marriage...therefore the whole STD point is not a valid concern anyway...

and if they decide to sleep around regardless of what dh and I teach them, then they must accept that there may be consequences for doing so...

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Seems to me, you really ought to be asking in the men's forum and getting their opinions. I'd think theirs is the opinion that should matter most on the debate.

 

[Leanna]

I read that sex is better for the uncircumsized male because of the gliding action of the foreskin and the penis is less sensitive to the touch of their wife. Anyone know if that is true?

 

[Naomi4Christ]

I read that sex is better for the uncircumsized male because of the gliding action of the foreskin and the penis is less sensitive to the touch of their wife. Anyone know if that is true?

Hard to do a double-blind study...

 

[Linnis]

I read that sex is better for the uncircumsized male because of the gliding action of the foreskin and the penis is less sensitive to the touch of their wife. Anyone know if that is true?

According to what I've read, the foreskin protects the penis, so an un-circed male feels more because the head of the penis remains more sensative.

I doubt any un-circed adult male would be willing to get circed to see if it's true.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Yes that is anecdotal and again, since you are pretty much talking to women, probably not going to get the straight scoop. Ask on the men's board. It's an issue that directly affects them.

I just spent about five minutes looking through a men's health board. I did a search on circumcision. It really is amazing how many men have to be cut as they get older due to medical issues. Happened in my family too. Just pondering, and never really thought about it before, I wonder if there is a bit more to this debate than actually circumcision...hmmm..oh well, guess there is really no way of knowing. But rather than ask on a board primarily filled with women who tend to be idealistic on the issue, ask the men.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

Yes that is anecdotal and again, since you are pretty much talking to women, probably not going to get the straight scoop. Ask on the men's board. It's an issue that directly affects them.

I just spent about five minutes looking through a men's health board. I did a search on circumcision. It really is amazing how many men have to be cut as they get older due to medical issues. Happened in my family too. Just pondering, and never really thought about it before, I wonder if there is a bit more to this debate than actually circumcision...hmmm..oh well, guess there is really no way of knowing. But rather than ask on a board primarily filled with women who tend to be idealistic on the issue, ask the men.

I think you also have to look at where these men come from. For example in my family (from England where circumcision is not routine) there have been no cases where the men needed to be circumcised when they got older. In the US it is a lot more frequent that men have problems later in life but many of these cases can be traced back to the fact that people just don't know how to care for an uncircumcised penis. So many uncircumcised little boys have their foreskin forcibly retracted before it seperates on its own which then causes problems down the line. The foreskin should never be forcibly retracted and many uncircumcised boys could avoid future problems if their parents and paediatricians knew this.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

Just continuing to read men's health boards (what a way to spend a Sunday LOL) and the guys reporting later circumcisions said there was absolutely no difference in feeling during sex. Guess they'd know best. Oh, and women can't tell the difference during sex.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

Just continuing to read men's health boards (what a way to spend a Sunday LOL) and the guys reporting later circumcisions said there was absolutely no difference in feeling during sex. Guess they'd know best. Oh, and women can't tell the difference during sex.

I've read the complete opposite. On my September 2006 birth board the topic of circumcision has come up a lot lately as we're getting closer to our due dates. Many of the women who have been with cut and uncut men have noticed a difference and prefer uncircumcised. I have also read many stories of men who did say they suffered a loss of sexual pleasure.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

That's why it's probably best to just ask in the men's forum. Lots of anecdotal stories and you'll find ones to back any position but why not just ask the men?

Like I said, doesn't matter to me either way but lots of idealism here on both sides. I go with the Bible. God says it doesn't matter either way but alot of OT customs were actually for health reasons as well so you'll have a tough time (especially with my family history) telling me that circumcision does not have its benefits.

But kinda silly for women to be debating it

 

[Leanna]

I already talked to some men on another board, they were from Europe and they said they don't have any problems. But that board was so anti-circ I thought I would ask here. Just so you know....

 

[Leanna]

Hard to do a double-blind study...

Yes, there's that. But one has to admit that it makes sense. I have only, er, seen circumsized men so I don't know... but you have to be reaaalllly careful. It makes sense that the foreskin would protect. Its like if a woman's "happy spot" didn't have something covering it. :o

 

[Leanna]

Yes that is anecdotal and again, since you are pretty much talking to women, probably not going to get the straight scoop. Ask on the men's board. It's an issue that directly affects them.

I just spent about five minutes looking through a men's health board. I did a search on circumcision. It really is amazing how many men have to be cut as they get older due to medical issues. Happened in my family too. Just pondering, and never really thought about it before, I wonder if there is a bit more to this debate than actually circumcision...hmmm..oh well, guess there is really no way of knowing. But rather than ask on a board primarily filled with women who tend to be idealistic on the issue, ask the men.

I brought this up on the anti-cric board and they all assured me that the number of circ males needing to be circumsized later was minimal. Unfortunately I can't find any statistics on how often one needs it removed if it is intact. From what I can find, it "needs" to be removed a lot more often in the US than in foreign countries. Of course we also have the highest c-section rate in the world too (I think??), and we know not all of those are "needed" either. So maybe we just get too hyper about surgery in the US.

But kinda silly for women to be debating it

I think you are misunderstanding. I am not debating it. I just want the *facts* .... I thought some people here might have good links, so I asked. If you don't want to discuss it, or you are taking it personally, you don't have to post ...

 

[jazzbird]

But kinda silly for women to be debating it

Well, it is a rather important issue, and I don't think it is at all silly for women want to be as informed as possible so that a couple can make the best decision they can for their children.

 

[Entertaining_Angels]

No, that's okay...just seems like there was a bit of an 'agenda' here and this wasn't just about the OP learning about circumcision But thank you for the ever so kind invitation not to reply.

pure silliness in a thread

And Jazz, i agree completely with you. I'm a researcher by nature and profession. However, this particular thread really does not appear to be started with this reason in mind. For what the OP is looking for, she ought to be talking to males. It's not the education aspect I thought was silly here.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

No, that's okay...just seems like there was a bit of an 'agenda' here and this wasn't just about the OP learning about circumcision But thank you for the ever so kind invitation not to reply.

pure silliness in a thread

And Jazz, i agree completely with you. I'm a researcher by nature and profession. However, this particular thread really does not appear to be started with this reason in mind. For what the OP is looking for, she ought to be talking to males. It's not the education aspect I thought was silly here.

I wasn't trying to debate you. I was just trying to point out that just as you said many men (and women) were saying they felt no difference that there were also many other men (and women) who say there is a difference