Circumcision - To Cut or Not to Cut
There was an interesting article about circumcision in the latest issue of Time Magazine. In 1965, 85% of U.S born babies were circumcised. It has been a downtrend since then. 77% in 1971, 65% in 1979 and finally 57% in 2005. It’s probably going to be below 50% in less than a decade. Of course, most of the decline came from immigrants who have babies in the U.S .
The anti-circumcision group claims that the procedure will leave the baby psychically scarred and sexually disadvantaged. Some medical professionals even consider the procedure genital mutilation. These parents want to keep their baby fully intact, just like how God created them. They also claim that sometimes boys get genital disorders due to botched circumcision.
The pro-circumcision group claims that uncut boys are at a greater risk for kidney infection as infants. And for penile cancer, foreskin disorders, HIV, and other STDs as adults.
Another big factor is the dad. If the dad was cut or uncut, he’ll probably want the same for his baby.
Personally, I’m not 100% sure yet. I need to look a little farther into this issue. I do like the idea of keeping the baby fully intact. But I want the baby to be 100% healthy too, even later in life.
November 6th, 2007 at 12:40 am
We had our son circumcised. Our decision was based entirely on how it looked. There are pros and cons to both, but neither outweighed the other in our opinions. I am cut (I bet you wanted to know that!) and my wife thinks they look gross uncut…so our son got cut. Simple as that.
November 6th, 2007 at 1:02 am
Luckily I didn’t have to make that decision, because I really think it is a tough one.
November 6th, 2007 at 8:21 am
Thanks Jared for sharing that. I was always wondering if you were cut or uncut. Well, a few more weeks to decide.
November 6th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I don’t intend to do it to my son. Nobody in my family was circumcised and having asked around -nobody has developed any medical complications as a result. I don’t see it as being any different to female genital mutilation.
November 6th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I would never circumcise a son unless he needed that surgery as a treatment for some condition for which there was no more conservative treatment. That’s amputation of a body part, a very sensitive one with practical mechanical function too. I wouldn’t remove his lips, cheeks, eyelids, or the covering that protects his penis and provides pleasure.
Americans really seem to struggle with this, but why? Why even consider it? The real question is, why the hell do doctors even offer this unnecessary surgery in the first place? Sounds pretty unethical, just like modifying the genitals of a baby girl unnecessarily.
Any doctor or institution that even offered it to me for my newborn son (without a real medical reason to recommend it) would lose my business and find himself/themselves the subject of a letter to a state medical board complaining of the unethical practice of soliciting for unnecessary surgery. Same if they offered to give him a nose job or ear reshaping.
There is simply no excuse for offering to remove parts of you kid’s body when there’s no need for it.
November 6th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
Those are some strong statements. And I agree to some degree. Anyone like to debate his points? Clerk, what country are you from?
Here’s an interesting UK Times article about it:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/article2761868.ece?print=yes
They mention that these actors are uncut: Nick Nolte, Leonardo DiCaprio, Willem Dafoe, Emilio Estevez, Nicolas Cage and Keanu Reeves.
November 6th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
I’m from the United States, and I’m not at all proud that my country is the only one in the world in which the medical establishment is so cavalier about this issue. The upside is that we’ve been getting better lately, *maybe* even approaching a tipping point beyond which this won’t be considered the “normal” thing to do.
I can’t even recall how many times I’ve heard people say “I’m so glad I had a girl so I didn’t need to make that decision.” I just think, why should you even accept the notion that it is YOUR decision to make, when it isn’t your penis? People think they need to decide because the medical establishment asks them decide, instead of respecting the fundamental rights their patients (newborn males).
Thank goodness for organizations like DOC http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/
November 7th, 2007 at 8:34 am
I think there are benefits both ways. I am lucky to be a female!!
November 7th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
The pro-circ groups severely exagerate their position.
The rates for penile cancer in Denmark, where circumcision isn’t done, are similar to the United States. Penile cancer is also a disease of old men. Check the American Cancer Society web page. This is a nonissue. Teach your kid to wash himself (you’d do that anyway) and chances are, he’ll never get penile cancer. And even if he does, he’ll be a very old man and the cancer will be eliminated in a simple outpatient procedure.
Foreskin ignorant doctors cause most foreskin disorders. The worst thing they advise is to retract the foreskin. At birth, foreskins are fused to the head of the penis like a finger nail. Premature retraction is similar to ripping back your fingernails. Its very painful and will lead to infections. Worse, a prematurely retracted penis may never retract properly on its own and require additional intervention. As the AAP says, never retract the foreskin. Your boy will do it when it is ready.
Foreskin ignorant doctors also needlessly fret over congenital phimosis. Most boys retract by age 5, but some take though puberty. If a boy doesn’t retract by puberty, simple stretching exercises and/or a steroid cream will quickly and painlessly resolve the condition. The only phimosis worth worrying about is the ones that doctors cause through lousy advice. If your doctor recommends circumcision for phimosis when your son is one, find a new doctor.
As far as STDs, condoms, sex ed, and self respect go a long way towards preventing STDs and HIV. Circumcised American men aren’t immune to STDs and our HIV rates are much higher than in noncircumcising Europe. Check the CIA Factbook if you don’t believe me.
UTIs are about 4 times more common in girls than in boys. Girls are treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics work fine for male UTIs. Breastfeeding is a great preventative of UTIs in both sexes. Recurrent UTIs are generally the result of some internal kidney problem and have nothing at all to do with the foreskin, labia, or external genital structure.
Most of the world does not circumcise including all first world countries but the United States. This ought to tell you something.
I’m an circumcised American male with a healthy intact son. No problems there. I think the “Look like daddy” thing is done to please the father who is doesn’t want to face the fact that someone cut off part of his junk. A intact baby would be a constant reminder that he isn’t whole and that his circumcision cost him something.
There is nothing tough about this decision. Just don’t do it. When your son is a man, he can choose for himself.
November 8th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
You should at least consider having him circumcised, as it may save some hassles down the road. I wasn’t circumcised as a baby, and finally had it snipped when I was 21 (it would have been a lot easier to get it taken care of as an infant).
When I was three or four and taking a bath with another boy, he pulled his foreskin back and his mom showed me how to do it. My foreskin swelled up and wouldn’t go forward, and I ended up having to go to the emergency room to have a doctor pull it forward with forceps after injecting shots of saline solution.
I always washed under the foreskin with soap and water, and even pulled the foreskin back when I peed to help it dry off and to keep the pee from swirling around under the foreskin. However, I once got the equivalent of a yeast infection under my foreskin after having sex, which was quite painful and resulted in a torn frenulum, which in turn made sex a bit painful even after the yeast infection was cured by an antifungal cream. So I finally got circumcised. Sex is actually a bit better, as the head is always exposed and there is a bit more tugging along the shaft of the penis.
Needless to say, if I have a son, I will definitely have him circumcised. My wife is in full agreement, as she thinks uncircumcised penises are gross herself.
November 9th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Nathan,
Most of the world’s men are intact and do not have the problems you described. Such problems in the United States often result from improper care. What you describe sounds like improper care. The foreskin separates at different times for different people. Premature retraction (i.e. forced, by another person) is improper care. Sorry about what happened to you. Actually, care of an intact infant is easier. Here’s what you need to know about premature forcible retraction: Forced Retraction
November 13th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Interesting arguments.
Being European, there was never a 2nd thought given to the notion of circumcision when I was born. 30 years later I’m still fully armed thanks to the simple ability to clean myself.
For me, a complete non-issue.
November 24th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Both of my sons are not “cut”. I was “cut”. My father isn’t. It’s a choice you have to make but I’ll be honest, there is no medical facts that state circumcision is necessary for the health of the baby. Care of a non-cut penis especially when in diapers is just like caring for a cut penis. Keep it clean, simple as that.
December 26th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Cut only if it is a medical urgence !
January 28th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
If there is no pressing medical reason for amputation of part of your son’s body, I suggest you do not do so. It might have become socially ‘acceptable’ but taking away choice from a human being because your wife thinks “it looks gross” is incredibly irresponsible; some might think a vulva without labia is more attractive, but you’d never dream of amputating those from your daughter. The argument of hygiene and disease is a red herring, compared to the difference a decent hygiene and sex education can make; likewise the argument of sexual pleasure is completely subjective. Sure, most guys who have been circumcised don’t “miss it”; they wouldn’t miss their little toes either, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok to amputate them. I still find it incredible that a country cuts their babies for no particular reason.
May 17th, 2008 at 10:54 am
There are pros and cons to both sides. Some say its medically necessary, some say its not. Some men who are cut experience problems, and some men who are intact experience problems. I myself am cut and have never had any problems. I don’t resent my parents for doing it and am quite frankly glad it was done.
I chose to get my son circumcised based soley on the fact that I was. Yes, both my wife and I thought it looked better, but this was not the deciding factor. Our main concern was that we wanted to avoid him possibly having to have it done in the future. At least now having it done as an infant, he won’t remember the experience. People close to us have had to have their sons circumcised at an older age, and the children are now scarred from the traumatic experience.
Parenting is hard enough that we don’t need to be judged for our choices when it comes to our kids. I’ve noticed in the short time I’ve been a parent (5 1/2 months) that parents are judged for EVERYTHING they do.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
If I think my daughter’s labia should I have them shipped?
No. thats crazy. Circumcision is the only non necessary sergry that can be justfied if the parents think their son’s penis is gross. So forcing cosmetics on him will “ease” their minds. If the child were to ask why he was what would his parents say if they did it because they think its gross to have a whole penis.
I’m glade I gave my sons the right to chose. Though in the beginning I also thought it was gross, and they should look like me. But then I though. And I was like why the hell am I comparing my child’s penis to my own. Thats sick. And I don’t want him to have a bad body image because think it “gross” to have a foreskin.
July 27th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
“When I was three or four and taking a bath with another boy, he pulled his foreskin back and his mom showed me how to do it”
I believe thats called child abuse in most countries.
July 31st, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I am happy to have my foreskin! As an American born in 1974 when most of my peers were circumcised I am happy that my parents decided not to have me cut. My father was born in the 1950’s and was circumcised, but at the urging of my maternal grandmother my parents decided not to have my penis circumcised. While I did feel a little different than those other boys around me growing up, it was not an unbearable social stigma, nor did it affect my ability to interact in gym class at school or keep me from showering as part of the football team. I was sexually active beginning in High School and I was actually quite happy to be the “odd man out” that had something a little extra that the girls (and boys) talked about. I’ve never decided to get cut, and have never had an infection or any problems with my foreskin. I am actually very “attached” to it. I think that it should be a very personal decision to either have or not to have a circumcision. It shouldn’t be a parents decision to have it done to a child simply to “look like his father”. I mean honestly, how often does one see one’s father’s penis? When I did see my dad naked and the question arose “Why does his look different” it really was quite easy for my parents to tell me when the question arose “You have foreskin. Daddies penis doesn’t. Some boys have it and some boys don’t.” End of subject. They taught me how to clean my penis the same way that they taught me how to brush my teeth or wipe my butt. Easy as that. So when I have a son I will do the same thing. I’m happy to have been given the choice about my foreskin and thank God my parents gave that to me!
August 8th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
It is totally beyond comprehension in the 21st century that anyone would cirumcicise their child and dprive him of the most sexually erogenous part of his penis. Those who say the practice is a parental choice one have lost the plot. Do they not realise that in Europe neonatal circumcision was stopped over 50 years ago due to the damge being done to these babies. Circumcision is harmful to the developing child and any doctor who would suggest it as a “health” measure could and should be charged with ignorance and malpractice. Wake up most men are not circumcised and many European women feel nothing but pity for those who are.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
We had both our sons circumcised, mainly because it was something my husband felt much more strongly about than I did. It is such an individualized decision and I believe the numbers are getting closer to 50/50 now of men who are circumcised and those who are not. It is interesting how both sides tend to say varying things in regard to the potential health benefits of circumcision. I found a really great debate about whether to circumcise or not at www.opposingviews.com/questions/should-boys-be-circumcised. Experts from both sides debate the issue and provide counterarguments to the other side. A really valuable read!
September 18th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Interesting thread on an interesting site. I just had a son 3 months ago. I always thought that if I had a son the no brainer decision would be to not have him circumcised simply because it is unnecessary. However, after we found out via ultrasound that my wife was carrying a son the decision did not seem as clear cut (sic). I was circumcised as an infant, and my wife prefers the look and there was some vanity on my part in that I wanted my son to look like me. After much thought and deliberation the only valid reasons we could come up with to have the surgery done were 1) he would look a little different than me and 2) there is the possibility it could mean less oral sex for him. We decided to leave him intact and we are very happy with the decision. Poor thing cries enough from gas and it just slays us!
With regards to reason 1, I will someday have to explain to him what circumcision is and that it happened to me when I was a baby but we decided not to do it to him. In fact, I wrote him a note explaining the reasons for that day when he wants to know why. I also plan to use it as a segway to start talking to him about sex, because we believe that talking about it early and often will equip him to make better decisions regarding his sexuality.
As for reason 2, we figured that someday he will fall in love with a woman (or man) who loves him for who he is and that possibly foregoing some promiscuity in his earlier days may not be such a bad thing, besides, having the foreskin intact will likely preclude some sexual challenges that cut men face.
Having said all that, I would not publicly judge other parents if they chose to have their son circumcised for non-religious reasons, but would engage them in respectful conversation regarding the reasons surrounding their decision. My bet is that most reasons are as shallow as my reasons above.
November 5th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I have a 11 yr old boy he was premature and weight 2lbs, I wanted to have him cut but doctors didn’t even ask…Now I hear all my friends talking about the ugly dick, and the good looking dick etc and it makes me wonder should I have my son’s thing cut now? my husband is cut and it looks great, I heard too that if its cut its much bigger and better, if not cut it looks small and nasty any hard decision since my son is now 11 I asked him and he said yes…so I dont’t know now since reading all this.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:33 pm
Wendy, def. cut your sons penis!! I saw the first uncut penis and it was the grossest ever!