Is circumcision on unconsenting children a form of child abuse?

[Peach81]

yes, no, sometimes so?

I consider male circumcision to be unwitting child abuse. Unless the family is Jewish, I think most people have their boys circumcised out of habit and aesthetics, both of which are not good reasons. There are no health benefits to male circumcision that cannot be accomplished in other ways. It's a useless procedure that causes needless pain to a newborn baby boy.

And I think it's obvious where I stand with female circumcision.

 

[WatersMoon110]

I would say that both male and female circumcision is wrong. And probably child abuse.

But I do feel that people who have religious reasons to circumcise their boys are slightly more understandable. I don't approve, but I do see their reason.

 

[comana]

I think calling it abuse for a male child is a bit strong but I would like to see the procedure disappear for infants. Religious mandate or not, the man should make the decision as an adult.

I do think it is abuse, rather mutilation, for a female since it removes the entire [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] and thus denying her future sexual pleasure. As other posters have pointed out, that is equivalent to removing the entire penis instead of just the foreskin.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

Yes...I'm sure the parents are well intentioned, but it seems to me a gross violation when you think about it. To forcibly mutilate a child's genitals at an early age is horrific. I don't want to sound like Freud, but I don't think we should underestimate the importance of the genitals as part of body image and self-understanding.

There are procedures for grown men to have a foreskin (I'm assuming/hoping a prosthetic one :o ) re-attached. But I think they're much more complicated and risky than male circumcision.

Obviously, female circumcision is much worse, but that doesn't vindicate male circumcision.

 

[Peach81]

There are procedures for grown men to have a foreskin (I'm assuming/hoping a prosthetic one :o ) re-attached. But I think they're much more complicated and risky than male circumcision.

Actually, Penn & Teller showed us how men can actually "restore" a foreskin, which requires stretching the existing skin which triggers the skin to grow. It sounds crazy, but it actually works.

 

[TinkaBella]

It seems to be going out of favor even in the US so it might not even be an issue for much longer. I had my son circumcised and I'm glad. He is glad. Once done you don't think about it anymore. And I just have to say this...any man who is seriously UPSET by being circumcised as a baby or does whatever he has to do to get his foreskin back probably has much deeper issues that I don't even want to know about.

 

[WatersMoon110]

It seems to be going out of favor even in the US so it might not even be an issue for much longer. I had my son circumcised and I'm glad. He is glad. Once done you don't think about it anymore. And I just have to say this...any man who is seriously UPSET by being circumcised as a baby or does whatever he has to do to get his foreskin back probably has much deeper issues that I don't even want to know about.

The foreskin has a very important purpose, it protects the head or glans (right?) of the penis. Not only does male circumcision decrease the pleasure for men (because of all the nerves in the foreskin) but it decreases sensitivity of the glans and leaves it more open to injury.

I would be very upset if my parents had made such a personal (sexual) decision for me before I was able to consent. I think that anyone who would downgrade the importance of their missing foreskin to those men who do regret their parents essentially choosing to mutilate them as babies probably has "much deeper issues".

 

[Bombila]

I think it's a procedure that should be relegated to the past, with a corresponding upswing in teaching boys how to properly clean themselves. Without going into details as to why I know this, there seem to be a fair number of uncircumcised boys/men who don't clean themselves well at all, with resulting health consequences to themselves and/or their partners.

Taking naturally occurring bits off of children is wrong, and in my opinion, religion is not a good reason to do so either.

Please note, those of you who think male and female circumcision are the same:

Equivalent female circumcision would be the removal of the clitoral hood. What is more often practiced is female genital mutilation, which is removal of the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse], sometimes includes removal of the labia minora as well, and sometimes includes scarification and/or sewing up of the labia majora, leaving just room for elimination.

Women who have the [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] removed are deprived of the major source of genital sensation.

Women who have more tissue removed/scarred/sewn are subject to infections, pain, painful intercourse, difficulty in birthing, fistulas (look it up, it is horrifying), and other health problems.

 

[Chrono Traveler]

It seems to be going out of favor even in the US so it might not even be an issue for much longer. I had my son circumcised and I'm glad. He is glad. Once done you don't think about it anymore. And I just have to say this...any man who is seriously UPSET by being circumcised as a baby or does whatever he has to do to get his foreskin back probably has much deeper issues that I don't even want to know about.

I'm sorry, but being a male who is uncut, I would be very very seriously upset if I were to be cut without me consent. Aside from all the sexual reasons....I would just feel incomplete.

Thank goodness my parents thought I might want to choose for myself someday. And my dad coming from Jewish roots, well. I guess I was very lucky.

 

[Ryal Kane]

If I had a son, I think the only reason I'd consider having him circumcized is because my husband is; and I wouldn't want to have to get into any discussions about why he and dad don't look alike down there.

The problem with that stance is that the unneccesary tradition will keep going for no other reason than because everyone else does it.

(That's not a personal attack. Just an observation)

 

[TinkaBella]

Watersmoon and Chrono, you only think you would be upset because you are not a circumcized male. Seriously. How many grown men are REALLY upset about this? If it's what you have been your whole life you would not be bothered. The only ones who are do have other issues and I stand by that.

 

[Loundry]

There is no good reason to routinely cut the genitals of any child. There is no provable health benefit, no provable hygiene benefit, no provable aesthetics benefit. As Penn & Teller showed, it's all about "b---s--- conformity" and they're exactly right.

The foreskin does not perform a "very important function". I've lived all but one day of my whole life without one and live quite well. It's a piece of skin, not a liver. That said, there was no good reason at all for my parents to have my penis cut.

When we adopted my son, both my mom and my grandmother pressured me to have him circumcised. I said, "I'd think about it" and, naturally, I had no intention of doing so. Frankly, I was horrified that they wanted me to cut my son's penis.

If you could just *see* what it's like when a baby is circumcised, then you'll probably realize how barbaric it is. Ask yourself if you'd be okay with strapping the baby in the "Circumstraint" (a patented torture device) so you can cut off part of his penis while he screams in pain and terror. Imagine doing it to your own baby. Google "circumstraint".

 

[rain292]

I think circumcision is unneccessary and, to some degree, cruel. That said, when done to male babies, I can't see it as abuse. Perhaps that's just because it's an idea I'm used to. I think that the fact that it's not medically necessary is something all parents should be made aware of.

I do, however, see it as something abusive if the child is old enough to remember such pain, and especially if they are old enough to voice that it's a procedure they don't want to go through.

 

[Chrono Traveler]

Watersmoon and Chrono, you only think you would be upset because you are not a circumcized male. Seriously. How many grown men are REALLY upset about this? If it's what you have been your whole life you would not be bothered. The only ones who are do have other issues and I stand by that.

I know of plenty of other males who would say if they could go back and not become circumcised they would. If you want to believe that someone who had a chunk of their body taken away from them as a child has issues because they are upset about it, I guess thats fine..

I WOULD be bothered. And extremely at that. As much as people would like you to think it is.. the foreskin is not just a useless flap of flesh.

I think the bigger problem is that many people seem to be disgusted with the uncut, or seem to think that we are all unclean.

 

[AeonJ]

Watersmoon and Chrono, you only think you would be upset because you are not a circumcized male. Seriously. How many grown men are REALLY upset about this? If it's what you have been your whole life you would not be bothered. The only ones who are do have other issues and I stand by that.

Plenty of men are upset, espiecially if they're not the normal ones in society. It's also completely unnatural.

 

[NiamhDhabolt]

Options 3 and 4 is what I chose.

My son is circ'ed. And if we have more boys in the future, they'll be circ'ed as well.

 

[Chrono Traveler]

I think its very important parents of baby boys to actually go and heavily research this subject.

has anyone here seen a circumcision done? I can tell you it makes my stomach churn

 

[NiamhDhabolt]

I think its very important parents of baby boys to actually go and heavily research this subject.

has anyone here seen a circumcision done? I can tell you it makes my stomach churn

I've seen a video. Didnt bother me.

 

[CCGirl]

The problem with that stance is that the unneccesary tradition will keep going for no other reason than because everyone else does it.

(That's not a personal attack. Just an observation)

And, may I add, the major problem for boys is "Why dont I look like my peers"! The dad thing is very simple to explain.

 

[CCGirl]

I've seen a video. Didnt bother me.

Really?


It is difficult to even find a doctor willing to do this procedure anymore on infants(my doctor called it Genital Mutilation in 1983), it has been re-classified as elective surgery, so they charge $200 to do it. And, they require you to be in the room!

I chose not to mutilate my sons. The rate in Canada is also around 10%.