How do you feel about circumcision?

Question

I am having a baby boy in less than a month and have been seeing a lot of pros and cons to circumcision. Some people say it is mutilation, some people say it is needed so they do not get yeast infections or other problems that could arise from bad hygiene caused by being uncircumcised. Men, if you are circumcised, are you happy about it, or did you wish you had been able to make the decision yourself as an adult? If you aren't circumcised, do you wish you had been? Women, if you had boys, did you and why? If you haven't had any boys yet, do you plan on it? Why and why not?

Mesonfielde · Accepted Answer

I am pretty much the flagship of anti-circumcision around these parts, so kudos to @Red_Dragon for the mention.

I made quite a long post on why circumcision has potential problems here
www.girlsaskguys.com/.../q1162355-are-you-planning-on-having-your-baby-boy-circumcised-why
This is mostly based on the statistics behind possible psychological harm, feelings of inadequacy, being unhappy with the PERMANENT alteration of your body without your consent. Some people eventually grow to accept it, but some people stay depressed about it for their entire lives, or end up trying to get their foreskin restored for YEARS and some people can't even put on a device for it initially: www.foreskin-restoration.net/.../showthread.php

The "hygiene benefits" are fairly pointless if you follow two simple rules, which is that you don't let pee linger around under your foreskin by pulling it back before you pee and using toilet paper to remove the residue rather than just "shake it off".

The supposed "it is difficult to keep it clean" argument is nonsense, by that logic we should have all of our teeth removed, as washing underneath the foreskin takes like 10 seconds maximum while washing your teeth takes 2 minutes or more. Pulling the foreskin back takes 0.5 seconds. It's not difficult.

Phimosis is not as common as people make it seem, and it can be treated with steroid creams and other things, they don't necessarily cut your foreskin off unless it's necessary. pediatrics.aappublications.org/.../...ull.pdf+html

By the way, in Europe , the "practice" of Circumcision is done only in medical emergencies, otherwise nearly everyone is uncircumcised. Funnily enough, people don't seem to be getting more infections and people still don't have penile cancer. :P

The foreskin protects the penis https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9393302 and provides the gliding movement which makes sex more enjoyable for both parties: www.birthtakesavillage.com/function-of-foreskin/

Also

www.mothering.com/.../...n-s-please-post-here.html

www.mothering.com/.../...ircumcised-post-here.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLcdFZNID6s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bw24j0Litlc https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjkd30_infant-circumcision-injection-and-procedure_news

Think about it. Would you really want to have parts of you removed for no other proven reason than "because it looks better"? It's your body, you should be the one to decide, don't you think?

Shpongolia · Accepted Answer

Lots of US WWII soldiers had to be circumcised due to infections they got when they fought in the south pacific, because they were not properly acclimated to the tropical climate, did not have much luxury of staying hygienic in their living conditions. My grandfather was a WWII surgeon in the South Pacific and he performed lots of circumcisions. Because of this, he had his boys circumcised, and advocated his grandsons get circumcised at infancy so they would not have to go through the trauma of recovering from circumcision.

Obviously I'm circumcised because of this. But I wish I would have had the choice to be circumcised or not. I don't resent my parents for it because I've accepted it and there's no turning back.

My sister circumcised her first born son, even though I strongly advocated her not too. But that didn't matter because her husband wanted his baby circumcised. Ironically, he is uncut himself. Yet he gave the circumcision the green light. They circumcised my nephew despite my viewpoint, and guess what happened: They nicked an artery and the baby nearly bled to death. They didn't realize it until they changed his diaper and found lots and lots of blood loss. They had to rush him back to the hospital. When I found this out, all I could say was, "See, I told you so."

I wish I had the luxury of switching back in forth between cut and uncut to see how it really feels.

renogaza · Accepted Answer

i dont care what the bible or any other religion says or what any doctor in the medical industry says, if i were you i would never make that decision for my offspring, even as a parent i do not deserve the right to dictate what is good or bad for them, thats for them to decide, in my opinion i think circumcision is bullshit, its a concept that existed 3500 years ago to decrease the number of infections in men since they had extremely bad hygiene and health care at the title, they incorporated circumcision into all manner of religion and culture to ensure that it would be followed for as long as necessary, unfortunately even the majority of modern mankind today still blindly believe in religion and blindly follow their culture and force their children to get mutilated, listen.. guys only get infections there if they dont take care of it, all they have to do is peel it back and scrub it clean, as far as STD's, do you honestly think that guys with foreskin have higher chance of contracting std's? because i think its a load of bull, ANY amount of CONTACT will give std's and is much higher if it enters the bloodstream, which means it doesn't matter if he's circumcised or not, he'll still get std's if he mucks around all the time.

if god never wanted foreskin to be there then why on earth did he make all men have it? i'm pretty sure god's not a sadist that wants men to mutilate their dicks for him, dont forget who covets the bible, quran and other biblical scriptures, they can say whatever they like as long as they proclaim it is the will of god, so they can easily enact edicts concerning health care among other things in the name of god, since that's pretty much the only law they followed until the age of kings (middle ages)

dont be a bunch of blind sheep, its obvious that circumcision only existed in the past to prevent decease, we now live 3500+ years in the future in the modern age where practically everyone is a clean freak, circumcision is no longer needed.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

If I have boys, no, I'm not planning on it. I think it's unnecessary, unless it's a rare case and there's some medical need for it. My future husband will have to let me know what he thinks, but I'd be really against cutting of a part of my baby boy's genitals, especially for purely aesthetic/cultural reasons. There are millions of little boys who grow up uncircumcised and do just fine. We'll simply teach them good hygiene habits, as should be done anyway.

If he wants to do it when he's older that's his decision, and it might be less pleasant, but at least it's up to him. If I choose for him and he wishes I hadn't, there's no way I can give that back to him.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

i vote no because it is the more irreversible decision all else aside, he can cut it off if he wants to when he is older. I've heard men very upset because they felt robbed of the decision and feel they are missing out on sensitivity. We have soap, we have condoms they even have gardisil for boys now. He should learn how to clean his dick anyways some men dont do that lol. And that urinary infection thing is really rare never had a one with my boy. I know its a hard choice but just do what feels right for your little guy.

Where i live in Canada its down to like 30 % for circumcision.

WhatisMisophonia · Answer

It amazes me how little people understand the logic of how we (generally) do medicine in the western world, and why it is that we are still debating about circ. If you want to cut off a perfectly healthy piece of tissue from another persons body, those in the medical field have to be able to all but unanimously agree beyond a shadow of a reasonable doubt that the part of the body in question either is completely vestigial and useless, or is more harmful than useful. I find it worth mentioning that we do not feel this way about ANY part of the human body in this day and age other than the foreskin. It is precisely because the risks of circ are known and the benefits are hotly debated and not at all agreed upon that this practice should be illegal on minors. by the way, I am cut, not happy about it, and wish that I'd had the rights to my entire body.

Fezziwig · Answer

Save the anteaters! He can do the chop-chop later if he wants.

ThePragmaticRomantic · Answer

Why not lopp off a couple of fingers and his nose while you are at it? And if you have a girl down the line dont forget to get her genitals trimmed as well.

parkway · Answer

I was circumcised and the choice was made by my parents. When I was old enough to know, I was told that I was promised to God and was a member of the Christian family. I was also baptized and it was not my choice and I can say the choices they made for me gave me much more success than other people around me and a feeling of being proper and privileged. I have never had an infection but do know that guys who sleep around have a greater chance of holding what ever virus in the foreskin and letting it fester and grow, taking it over to the next woman.

I attended private schools and all my friends were circuncised and I want to say most all I know are worth over a million and have good lives. I have made a few million and don't want to say loss millions but I am still in play. I have taken months off work to live outside the USA so possibly I spend too much money. Outside the USA women think a circumcised man has more going for them and as a whole treat them better.

When I have a son He will be brought into the family fold in a correct way and part of that is being circumcised.

OldNerd · Answer

I was circumcised and so was my older brother and father and I had never seen photographs of uncircumcised men, so in high school gym, I was quite surprised to learn that the foreskin of the penis even existed. I had always assumed that all we males were built that way (without a foreskin), since I had known of no other way that the penis was built. After learning of the foreskin, I never felt that my parents had mutilated me moments after birth and my wife and I matter-of-factedly and without any thought about the subject did so for our son some 27 years ago.

Having never had a foreskin, I can't say for sure, but I would think that I can more easily wash the head of my penis without it.

lumos · Answer

If you had a daughter, would you cut off her labia? No? Then don't cut off the skin on your son's penis. Simple as that. There are no benefits, unless it's done because your son's foreskin is too tight and actually causes him pain (which, by the way, is sort of rare anyway). The benefits people usually talk about is pure propaganda. Do you know how much money people spend on circumcision? A lot. It's all about the money, really.
Let him grow up intact. Maybe he'll want to get it circumcised as an adult. His body, his decision. You have no right to mutilate your kid like that against his will. It's disgusting.

LastGirlScout · Answer

Circumcision isn't necessary. Why would you want to do that if it isn't medically needed? Living in Britain I can tell you I have never met an unhygienic penis. Ever. I've never had a guy tell me he's had trouble washing it or with infections.

abzence · Answer

Unless there is some required medical issue then I'm again genital mutilation.

I'm not circumcised and I've never had any problems with it.
Bad hygiene? I can still wash those parts, you know.

If a problem arises then fix the issue when it arises. Don't fix what isn't broken.

kheserthorpe · Answer

I had it done as an adult.  There are pros and cons to each though they are relatively minor.  I'm happy with it done. But I'm aware some people prefer being uncut.

Outofthegrey · Answer

It only makes a difference if you have nothing at all to do all day except whine about your penis. Honestly, I'm circumcised and I don't care, and if I was uncut I still wouldn't care.

DarkHumorRUs · Answer

I'm circumcised, honestly I think it might be better to not risk getting made fun of somehow. Most girls in the U. S. are used to it too...
Of course, in most countries besides the U. S. everyone is uncircumcised so it depends where you live.

Red_Dragon · Answer

@Mesonfielde Here you go bro.

Klaatu51 · Answer

it's better to decide as an adult if he want to be circumcised. but i can't resist to tell you that you're TOO YOUNG for a parent :-P

footballfan993 · Answer

Personally, I am not circumcised, I have been told that still having my foreskin is very pleasurable for women, and the foreskin is packed full of nerve endings so it is also pleasurable for myself having that extra bit of skin. In my personal opinion, I like not being circumcised, and I have no plans on circumcising my children, when I have them.

TripleAce · Answer

Its bad and dont do it!!

Its not the child's choice, its against his will at that age

AND men have less sexual sensation on their penis head, which means sex feels less good

Nature wanted skin there, that means it should be there... How would you like it if cut off a part of you?

abundantlyrich · Answer

The doctors and hospital profits from it all. If you do go ahead with it, you'll keep them in business.

Armada · Answer

I think I like being circumcised but I would leave the choice to my son.

Jewluminazi · Answer

I am a huge advocate for it. :P

evenlift · Answer

Circumcision is totally unjustified. We do not do operations on children on the basis of some possible future medical problem, but rather on the basis of current or imminent medical problems. Circumcision is an aberration. By the way, any part of the body can develop problems. As for yeast infections, a man is likely to get a yeast infection only if he's having unprotected sex with a woman who has a yeast infection, and a circumcision isn't going to save him from that. As for hygiene, fingernails require more cleaning than an uncircumcised penis does. Of course, if a male wants to get rid of his foreskin or his fingernails, that's up to him. But, no one else should make that choice for him.

As for circumcised men saying they don't mind having been circumcised... ask a man who doesn't remember having got his little toe amputated as a child, whether he minds not having a little toe. He will probably say 'no'. But, that's not an argument for routine amputations of little toes. We can't expect someone who doesn't remember having had a foreskin to long for one, though some circumcised men with good imaginations do.

Even back when people thought that the appendix had no purpose (now there's some indication that it does have a purpose), children did not have their appendices removed unless they developed appendicitis. Why then should it be acceptable to remove from a child a healthy foreskin (which does serve purposes)?

Mexicoman101 · Answer

I never had it done, I also never had issues with sanitation or infections. I heard it reduces sexual pleasure so i'd never do it to one of my kids. Honestly I don't have a problem with it, I know most women prefer them that way (but I think that's more because that's how most are in general). I just think that it should be a choice a man makes later in life, involuntarily cutting a babies foreskin off is wrong to me especially if you aren't really into it for religious reasons.

How do you feel about circumcision?

Most Helpful Guys

Most Helpful Girls

Related Questions

What Girls & Guys Said

Latest Questions