If your child “needed” an extra arm..,

[High Fidelity]

People do it all the time on their sons’ behalves with circumcision which serves no practical purpose other than relieving oneself of parental duties and the child of basic hygiene that they still need to do anyway.

 

[Hammster]

Id look and see how other similar cases went before I decided. I'm certainly not going to make hugely consequential decisions in ignorance.

What if your child is the first?

 

[Hammster]

People do it all the time on their sons’ behalves with circumcision which serves no practical purpose other than relieving oneself of parental duties and the child of basic hygiene that they still need to do anyway.

I’m sorry, my friend, but it’s desperation to equate cutting off a piece of skin with removing a limb.

 

[durangodawood]

What if your child is the first?

Then I'm almost certain I would not support amputation up front. I would suspect (and hope) something is going on psychologically that has a much less consequential solution.

Thats my quick take of this apparently unique situation. Quick takes can be way off tho, especially when theres no precedent. Reality typically presents more context than we can imagine in a hypothetical.

 

[ozso]

People do it all the time on their sons’ behalves with circumcision which serves no practical purpose other than relieving oneself of parental duties and the child of basic hygiene that they still need to do anyway.

There's been a great deal of campaigning against routine circumcision in the US for quite some time.

 

[High Fidelity]

I’m sorry, my friend, but it’s desperation to equate cutting off a piece of skin with removing a limb.

I agree they aren’t entirely equal, but routine removal of bodily material isn’t new and this is one example.

For the record I don’t support mutilating children for any reason, but it’s important to remember that to an extent we have already normalised it.

The same is true of certain sin; obesity is almost always the result of gluttony and over indulgence, yet despite it being a more obvious example of living in open rebellion against God, this is often overlooked and normalised despite many — even including the above mentioned — rushing to rebuke homosexuals.

 

[High Fidelity]

There's been a great deal of campaigning against routine circumcision in the US for quite some time.

Good to hear.

Even for religious reasons it shouldn’t be allowed.

No parent should be allowed to permanently alter their child’s anatomy because of their own personal beliefs.

 

[ozso]

Good to hear.

Even for religious reasons it shouldn’t be allowed.

No parent should be allowed to permanently alter their child’s anatomy because of their own personal beliefs.

In my experience among most men it's of little importance to them. Many don't even really know the difference. It still operates the same either way. It's no where close to being on the same level as the penis and testicles being completely removed and then using the wound to create an artificial vagina.

 

[Hammster]

I agree they aren’t entirely equal, but routine removal of bodily material isn’t new and this is one example.

For the record I don’t support mutilating children for any reason, but it’s important to remember that to an extent we have already normalised it.

The same is true of certain sin; obesity is almost always the result of gluttony and over indulgence, yet despite it being a more obvious example of living in open rebellion against God, this is often overlooked and normalised despite many — even including the above mentioned — rushing to rebuke homosexuals.

There are a lot of things we’ve normalized. What society normalizes isn’t the standard, though.

 

[Hammster]

Good to hear.

Even for religious reasons it shouldn’t be allowed.

No parent should be allowed to permanently alter their child’s anatomy because of their own personal beliefs.

Are you arguing that circumcision in the Bible was wrong?

 

[Neutral Observer]

If your child came to you and said they had an extra arm because they felt that they should only have one arm, would you support surgery to have an arm removed?

Perhaps your question could be taken seriously if it wasn't so blatantly melodramatic.

For example, what if your child was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, would you support their receiving hormone therapy to correct this problem? Or do you believe that they should just accept themselves as God created them?

But the far more interesting question is, should the child have a means of circumventing your wishes and receiving hormone therapy without your consent? After all, it's their entire life that's at stake, not yours, and unless started before the age of thirteen growth hormone therapy is completely ineffective. It could well be argued that in such a case the child should have the option, for their own health and well-being to circumvent the authority of their parents.

When presented in this light the idea of hormone therapy isn't quite so black and white, and it could be argued that when the welfare of the child is dependent upon early intervention, the wishes of the child may indeed take precedence over that of the parents.

 

[ozso]

Perhaps your question could be taken seriously if it wasn't so blatantly melodramatic.

For example, what if your child was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, would you support their receiving hormone therapy to correct this problem? Or do you believe that they should just accept themselves as God created them?

But the far more interesting question is, should the child have a means of circumventing your wishes and receiving hormone therapy without your consent? After all, it's their entire life that's at stake, not yours, and unless started before the age of thirteen growth hormone therapy is completely ineffective. It could well be argued that in such a case the child should have the option, for their own health and well-being to circumvent the authority of their parents.

When presented in this light the idea of hormone therapy isn't quite so black and white, and it could be argued that when the welfare of the child is dependent upon early intervention, the wishes of the child may indeed take precedence over that of the parents.

You're changing the obvious OP topic of sex reassignment surgery, to hormone therapy.

As to the topic of body parts removed because the person believes they have one arm too many, that is an actual real life thing. There are people who have gotten limbs amputated because their brain is telling them they should only have one arm or leg. Or in one case I know of no legs.

This is a condition known as body integrity identity disorder (BIID). Which probably isn't too different from gender dysphoria

 

[Lost4words]

Its not extra though. One is meant to have 2 arms. But, for me its different as i have 4 legs!

 

[Hammster]

Perhaps your question could be taken seriously if it wasn't so blatantly melodramatic.

For example, what if your child was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency, would you support their receiving hormone therapy to correct this problem? Or do you believe that they should just accept themselves as God created them?

But the far more interesting question is, should the child have a means of circumventing your wishes and receiving hormone therapy without your consent? After all, it's their entire life that's at stake, not yours, and unless started before the age of thirteen growth hormone therapy is completely ineffective. It could well be argued that in such a case the child should have the option, for their own health and well-being to circumvent the authority of their parents.

When presented in this light the idea of hormone therapy isn't quite so black and white, and it could be argued that when the welfare of the child is dependent upon early intervention, the wishes of the child may indeed take precedence over that of the parents.

I guess if you made a completely different OP than the one I made, you can come up with anything you’d like.

 

[Hammster]

You're changing the obvious OP topic of sex reassignment surgery, to hormone therapy.

As to the topic of body parts removed because the person believes they have one arm too many, that is an actual real life thing. There are people who have gotten limbs amputated because their brain is telling them they should only have one arm or leg. Or in one case I know of no legs.

This is a condition known as body integrity identity disorder (BIID). Which probably isn't too different from gender dysphoria

And it’s a mental disorder. Do we often treat mental disorders by caving in to the desires of the affected?

 

[Neutral Observer]

And it’s a mental disorder.

Is it?

 

[gaara4158]

If your child came to you and said they had an extra arm because they felt that they should only have one arm, would you support surgery to have an arm removed?

It depends if I had reason to believe their life would be better if we pursued that type of treatment.

 

[Hammster]

It depends if I had reason to believe their life would be better if we pursued that type of treatment.

What if they thought they needed a third arm? Same thing?

 

[gaara4158]

What if they thought they needed a third arm? Same thing?

My child’s well-being is paramount for any decision I make for or with them. The realm of medical possibility is also a strong factor.

 

[Hammster]

My child’s well-being is paramount for any decision I make for or with them. The realm of medical possibility is also a strong factor.

How about telling them the truth, and helping them to understand it?