abc.net.au - pro-circumcision article

[JimJamsMum]

There's an interesting article about circumcision on the ABC website:

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2008/01/31/2150927.htm

At least it makes me feel better about DH's insistence that we get DS done. One thing I notice keeps popping up is that women apparently prefer circumcised men. I hear this from so many circumcised guys. Is it true? I wouldn't know because I've never seen an uncircumcised adult penis. And I believe I'm not the only one! :laughing:

[ShadyCharacter]

Most women wouldn't have a clue if they have seen a circumcised penis or not as they all look the same when erect. I have had partners with both, and there really is no difference.

As for the rest, what garbage. Just another opinion piece not backed up by any actual fact. Interestingly, the author did manage to add that no Australian medical body recommends routine infant circumcision.

Sure, if I lived in a third world country where my child couldn't bath every day, I might reconsider. But right now, I would prefer wash his bits than chop them off 'just in case'. As for me, not having unprotected sex with someone with an STD will stop me from getting one myself, not just avoiding sleeping with uncircumcised men :rolleyes:

Sorry to be dismissive, but for every opinion piece like this you can post 'for' circumcision, I could find 10 actual studies that say otherwise.

Its been argued a thousand times before, on BH and everywhere else. We don't live in a third world country.

[ShadyCharacter]

One thing I notice keeps popping up is that women apparently prefer circumcised men. I hear this from so many circumcised guys. Is it true? Oh, and of course it is, until you ask the guys who are intact. They will say the opposite.... unless they are also busy lining up to get circ'd so women will like them better too ;)

[forbetoel]

The heading was enough for me "male circumsision out of fashion" Pretty much sums up the fact that most of these procedures are done for no real good reason. How can a painful operation on a tiny baby be 'fashionable'

I wouldn't judge someone harshly who had their son done for no reason, as I think it pretty much comes down to not understanding the procedure or need properly. I will feel a little sorry for the poor little fellow though...ouch!

[Benji]

I would like to see more evidence from this article. I think condoms and abstinence are a far more effective way of preventing STDs than circumcision.

I haven't seen an uncircumcised penis either and TBH the thought of it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable but that's only because it's unknown to me.

DP always says to me when I tell him that circumcision can take away a bit of sensitivity down there he always laughs at me and says that if his was any more sensitive he wouldn't last while BD (sorry, TMI).

But, he is with me on not circumcising DS unless something happens like repeated infections or something like that.

[canberramomma]

I had heard this ages before. Hubby, who is American, says that the Marines always used to insist on men being circ'd for this reason. It was a matter of course for it to be done when he was born and in WWII the Germans thought that all US soldiers were Jewish due to the high circ rate.

I am of two minds to this, but the operation appears to have no long term detrimental effects to males, unlike female circumcision which makes sexual activity painful and the operation itself can often be fatal.

That said, I haven't had DS done and, should we have other sons, I wouldn't get them done.

We aren't religious and really don't have any traditions in relation to this issue.

[MotherNurture]

There's an interesting article about circumcision on the ABC website:

http://www.abc.net.au/health/thepulse/stories/2008/01/31/2150927.htm

At least it makes me feel better about DH's insistence that we get DS done. One thing I notice keeps popping up is that women apparently prefer circumcised men. I hear this from so many circumcised guys. Is it true? I wouldn't know because I've never seen an uncircumcised adult penis. And I believe I'm not the only one! :laughing:

If you go looking for an article to justify getting your son circumcised, your bound to find it. It's a controversial procedure; opinions vary widely...still, no major medical organization in the world recommends the routine circumcision of healthy infants. Frequently men want their son's to undergo genital reduction surgery (precisely what circumcision is) for selfish or misguided reasons.

Does he want his son's penis to match his own? That's selfish. Parents are human, parents make mistakes, medical opinions and recommendations vary and change. We should make medical decisions for our sons based on current medical information and ethical standards.

If he's circumcised himself, does he have a clear understanding of what he lost, or, rather, what was taken from him? Is he aware the foreskin is laden with blood vessels and nerves and has multiple sexual functions? Does he know that the glans (head) of the penis is designed to be an internal organ when not in use and that the foreskin is designed to slide back and forth over the glans during sexual activity providing smooth, comfortable, pleasurable stimulation?

Does your husband think circumcised penises are cleaner or that care of an uncircumcised penis is complicated or difficult? He needs to do more research. Foreskins are as normal and easy to keep clean as the female labia or clitoral hood. Actually, more so. To care for an intact male infant you just wipe off the outside of the penis like you would a finger or give it a quick swish of plain water in the bath; you do not manipulate or try to retract the foreskin *at all*. When he's older and can retract his own foreskin comfortably, sometime between toddlerhood and puberty, all he needs to do is "retract, rinse, replace" in the shower or bath. That's it; easier than brushing teeth or tying shoes.

Women tend to "prefer" what they're used to and have experience with, however, surveys and studies have shown that women who actually have experience with both prefer the normal, whole, fully-functional variety.

Some good articles to get you started:

http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/circumcision/circumcision.html

Circumcision isn't like immunization; a circumcised penis is NOT immune to the HIV virus. Even if there were a 70% reduction in risk, that still means that if you have sex with an infected person your risk is 3/10. Those aren't good odds. It's like playing russian roulette with a half-loaded gun. In addition, circumcision does *nothing* to protect women; in fact, it makes sexual intercourse more abrasive because it removes the physiological gliding mechanism of normal intercourse making sex more abrasive and thus increasing the risk of abrasion and tearing---entry points for infections of all kinds. All of the studies are relatively short term and the fact is, when you have surgery on your penis you have a.) A wound that needs time to heal and b.) Often a temporarily hypersensitive glans that may impact duration, frequency, and sexual confidence. These issues make it very difficult to accurately compare circumcision's potential impact on HIV risk because the circumcised group is likely to be having far less sex for a significant amount of time after the surgery. The studies in Africa *only* apply to *adult* men in an extremely high risk area; more recent research has shown that the supposed protection of this very specific population does NOT translate to other cultures: LINK (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22096758/).

Circumcision "protecting" against AIDS is a very, very dangerous mispresentation and misinterpretation of the research.

I encourage anyone considering circumcising to research just how much skin is actually removed (up to half of the skin on the penis), it's sexual effects, and to watch a video of the procedure; it's far more than just a "little snip".

Link showing on an adult, intact penis exactly how much skin is removed during an average infant circumcision:

foreskin.org/3zones-c.htm
(To view: C&P the link into your url window; hit Enter/Return)

Anatomy and Functions of the Male Foreskin:

noharmm.org/anatomy.htm
(To view: C&P the link into your url window; hit Enter/Return)

Short video of a Plastibell circumcision from Birth As We Know It, with commentary:

youtube.com/watch?v=XmX6RdRNoqk
(To view: C&P the link into your url window; hit Enter/Return)

Best wishes,

Jen

[OJandMe]

I've had experience with both... and prefer the circed variety.

I think it comes down to personal choice... just like not all guys like big boobs, not all women like uncirced/circed penises

[MotherNurture]

I think it comes down to personal choice... just like not all guys like big boobs, not all women like uncirced/circed penises

Amen.

Jen