WTF? "Half of all uncircumcised males will, over the course of their lifetime, develop some kind of medical issue related to their foreskin."

[missingwelliesinsd]

Question as a Brit in the USA. I just read this news article on the never-ending debate (in the USA at least) of whether it's better to circumcise male babies. Some paper just issued by the Mayo Clinic concluded that the benefits out weigh the risks 100-1 and it would be unethical to not circumcise a male baby just it it would be if you don't get immunizations for your child. WTF?

I know that circumcising can help reduce STD transmissions - but hey, just use a condom! What I can't believe is that "50% of non-circumcised males have medical issues with their foreskins." That would make 50% of most of the male population of Europe having foreskin issues at some point. Can this be right? I tend to think it's just American prejudice against foreskins after decades of snipping. I'm TTC and if I do and we have a boy, no way am I snipping the poor thing.

Here's the article:
jezebel.com/circumcision-rates-decline-in-the-u-s-1557539810

When you've got a poster claiming that other people have prejudice and blinkered thinking whilst advocating religious/cultural mutilation you know it's hit silly land.

And for that reason i'm out and have a sigh of relief that i've not beenbrainwashed.

thebody

Nooo, nothing sexual about age of medical consent. Why would you think there is?

YOU gave consent to your 9 year old mutilating herself piercing her ears, not the 9 year old. That was the point being made. You made the call that it was in her best interest to take the medical risk (what are the benefits other than cultural?) of having her ears pierced.

I'm also breathing a sigh of relief caruthers that I haven't been brainwashed and that I have the training and ability to assess evidence for myself.

What worried me here are seemingly educated people thinking it's perfectly normal to allow another person to strip your days old baby, cut off bits of his penis, without pain relief or any medical reason.

It's one step off FGM and witch burning.

Anyway off out now with my dh and 2 grown up sons who I can look in the eye and know that whatever I have done in my parenting I never ever allowed anyone to cause them pain or to mutilate them.

And funnily enough as far as we all know, and all the other men in my family too, they are still happy healthy and have intact foreskins.

Well,it's not surprise that decisions made in the context of loving relationships generally produce less issues.

Of course my DH doesn't know what it's like not to be circumcised. Just like a non circumcised man doesn't know what it's like to be circumcised.

Other than one poster earlier whose husbad was circumcised as an adult for medical reasons and who said that sex was still great.

Er I absolutely did not make the decision got her!

She made it herself and so I consented to agree with her.

Seriously can't you actually tell the difference? Really?

It's one step off FGM and witch burning.

Only this...

Being educated obviously doesn't suggest that the 'educated' person has a grasp on reality.

That's just your prejudiced opinion thebody.

I find it quite worrying your reliance on the 'power of the Jewish lobby' to discredit research you don't agree with. I'm not sure you should be quite so smug and pleased with yourself.

Not sure what reality the 'educated' person (I like the need for inverted commas because we don't really believe that someone could be educated and yet disagree) does not have a grip on. The 'educated' person likes scientific evidence not hyperbole and hysteria.

Oh of course you can't. shak that is the complete difference between us.

You actually can't see the difference between a baby being cut without his knowledge or consent and a 9 year old choosing to have her ears pierced.

Also ear piercing isn't permanent.

Anyway out of this now as it's pointless.

But your evidence doesn't stack up and you've taken something away from your child because of YOUR opinion.

I bet you're proud.

Never been smug or pleased but do know I haven't mutilated my babies.

Of course there are differences but there are also similarities.

Did your daughter get any medical benefit from having her ears pierced? Did you discuss and assess the risks such as infection? Why ruin a perfectly healthy ear lobe?

Why did you not insist that she wait until she could fully consent at the age of 16 (nothing to do with sex by the way)? YOU signed the consent forms, she didn't. She was a child, she may have wanted it but YOU made the decision.

Hello old friend!

I'm actually very proud of my children, Caruthers. They're pretty amazing. They're also not circumcised.

And you haven't said why the evidence doesn't 'stack up' caruthers. I think it does. I don't think it's strong enough or unequivocal enough for it to be routinely offered but it IS strong enough for male circumcision to be a valid choice.

It's not prejudice at all, jesus christ just because something is done by a certain religion or culture does not mean it is prejudice when someone is against it.

Shakshuka do you think those who are against FGM are prejudice?

And now it's getting silly, a 9 year old is old enough to voice her opinions on something... a baby is not. How can anyone with any logic compare the two.

The evidence side of this debate happened up thread and it has been discussed already.

Do you suggest any other body parts be cut off as a precaution whilst we are on the subject?

I can't believe that i'm having this discussion with a scientifically trained professional albeit a deluded one.

As a poster said earlier this is akin to witchcraft and foot binding.

coruskate

all the circumcised men i know are also happy with their situation (not that it's really a common topic of discussion). Maybe there is some bias but not enough to account for me not actually personally knowing anyone who wishes they hadn't been done as a baby.

OK, they don't know the counterfactual, not much to do about that one. To be honest, I don't think they give it much thought.

As I said, there was an earlier poster whose husband was circumcised as an adult and all is going well.

My bet is that most of the circumcised men who aren't happy about being circumcised probably have some kind of dysfunctional background/childhood

baby ok one last time dear.

Surely you can see the difference between cutting a baby who has not consented causing permanent mutilation and a fully informed, consenting, eager 9 year old girl who is happy, smiling and doesn't need holding down and doesn't scream and cry, having her ears pierced that is in itself not permanent.

Please tell me you see the difference.