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Original poster

To hope that we can follow Iceland in banning male circumcision

999 replies

GladAllOver · 19/02/2018 16:10

It really is time that this nasty practice is stopped.
www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/18/iceland-ban-male-circumcision-first-european-country

OP posts:
SersioulycanitgetWORSE · 19/02/2018 17:39

out that's really interesting maybe this is why it's been looked into because more people within the faith don't want it either

WazFlimFlam · 19/02/2018 17:40

But these two situations can occur concurrently: banning circumcision is both a progressive step forward for recognising children's right to bodily autonomy, and religious persecution.

noeffingidea · 19/02/2018 17:40

As for the USA, infant circumcision rates are dropping there as well, to around 55%. If they continue to fall being intact will become the norm.

Morphene · 19/02/2018 17:40

Banning male circumcision is as anti-semitic or anti-muslim as banning FGM is anti-christian (yes, FGM is a primarily christian faith driven activity).

If people wish to celebrate their Jewish/Muslim/Christian heritage by lopping off bits off of genitals, then they are perfect free to do so in my book, just as long as the genitals in question are their own, and they are considered mentally competent to consent to the process.

Hoppinggreen · 19/02/2018 17:40

Well if people of any religion refuse to live here purely because they aren’t allowed to mutilate their children then I’m quite happy for them to not come/bugger off elsewhere.

PrettyPeggySue · 19/02/2018 17:41

Thank you Toad for putting my thoughts into words far more eloquently than I am able.

It’s possible to disagree with things without being offensive.

Jessikita · 19/02/2018 17:42

Bluelady I completely disagree. It’s not religious persecution don’t be ridiculous! That’s like saying banning corporal punishment is religious persecution as it’s inter grail to being brought up in the Christian faith.

Child abuse is child abuse no what way you dress it up or excuses you make.

We should not be mutilating children’s bodies.

Foot binding use to be acceptable in China.

Times change.

noeffingidea · 19/02/2018 17:43

Waz then people that practice that religion have to find a way to adapt their beliefs to conform to the laws of the society they live in. Some Jewish communities have already started to do that.

larrygrylls · 19/02/2018 17:43

So many women with opinions on a purely male issue, and issued so vehemently. I can I can imagine the furore if only males were discussing a purely female issue.

It is a very minor issue. The vast majority of circumcised men are very happy with the way they are (including me). There are valid reasons (non religious) to have it done. They are not totally compelling but compelling enough to allow parents to make the election for their male child.

zzzzz · 19/02/2018 17:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nonibaloni · 19/02/2018 17:46

Great to hear it’s becomming less common already. I’d like to hear an argument from someone in favour of it. Well probably not but it would bring some balance.

HostaFireAndIce · 19/02/2018 17:46

Banning male circumcision is as anti-semitic or anti-muslim as banning FGM is anti-Christian

That's nonsense. FGM is a cultural practice, practised by Muslims and by Christians in particular areas. It is not mentioned in the Koran or the Bible. Circumcision is, as Bluelady said, integral to the Jewish faith. Whether or not you agree with that, I don't think that any of the other attempted comparisons on this thread comes anywhere close to being a true one.

SersioulycanitgetWORSE · 19/02/2018 17:46

It's not a male female issues it's a baby being sliced up issue. Having life changing surgery without medical need. On yesterday thread a few parents came on to say they had to get thier babies done for medical reasons and they couldn't believe people without medical need would put their babies through it.

TheIcon · 19/02/2018 17:47

I'm a 41yo man and I was circumcised six months ago. Best thing I ever did. I had a tight foreskin and it hurt when retracted amd erect. But little boys dont have a frame of reference so I thought it was just normal. I'm also diabetic and had started to get ever more regular cases of thrush.

I eventually spoke to DP and she was understanding and encouraged me to get circumcised. I wish I had done it 25 years ago.

BarbarianMum · 19/02/2018 17:47

Has it occurred to you that the men you know might not want to discuss the state of their penis with you because basically it is none of your business. Doesn't mean they are happy with it.

No. I mean that that men I know who are circumcised and have been happy to talk to me about their dicks (ie my husband, several former boyfriends) have not had a problem with being circumcised. Hmm

Vitalogy · 19/02/2018 17:47

@ABypassRunsThroughIt

A s a survivor of actual child abuse, I find that comment a little offensive. A tiny baby will not remember being circumcised. Child abuse survivors do not have that luxury. I'm sorry for what you went/going through and that you find my comment offensive. Even if a barbaric act isn't remembered by the baby it still doesn't make it right and is still abusive. IMHO that's exactly what circumcision is.

HostaFireAndIce · 19/02/2018 17:48

Thank you Toad for putting my thoughts into words far more eloquently than I am able.

And yes, this.

NewYearNiki · 19/02/2018 17:48

TheIcon

That's because you had problems with your penis for most of your life.

I have never met a man with a healthy penis who wanted it cut.

Bejazzled · 19/02/2018 17:48

So many women with opinions on a purely male issue, and issued so vehemently. I can I can imagine the furore if only males were discussing a purely female issue

You have absolutely no idea if everyone posting is female.

Genital Mutilation can happen to both female and male children, it is abhorrent.

Nonibaloni · 19/02/2018 17:49

So many women with opinions on a purely male issue, and issued so vehemently. I can I can imagine the furore if only males were discussing a purely female issue

I assume that’s a joke? No one has men’s opinions aren’t valid. That’s exactly what’s being said. A MAN should be able to chose what to do with HIS penis, it is HIS in its entirety if HE wants to chop a bit off fine.

G5000 · 19/02/2018 17:49

Your freedom to practice your religion ends where someone else's right to keep all their body parts begins.

SersioulycanitgetWORSE · 19/02/2018 17:49

Thelcon mauve you should have but that's no argument at all for babies to have it done. And you could have chosen as an adult

dadshere · 19/02/2018 17:50

Too right, absolutely abhorrent practice. Any adult males who want to lop off the end of their penis, by all means go ahead, like piercings and tattoos, adults should have the right to mutilate and abuse their bodies as long as they have the ability to make rational decisions. Children should be protected from this foul and backwards 'tradition'. If god didn't want little boys to have foreskins, why did he give them in the first place?

Garmadonsmum · 19/02/2018 17:50

Thelcon the proposed ban wouldn't affect someone like you, who has had this done for medical reasons.

beepthemeep · 19/02/2018 17:51

BarbarianMum is going to run out of hmm faces at this rate. Did they have a comparable? Or had they been circumcised at such a young age that they'd not had sex with and then without a foreskin?

I've had partners who've been cut and uncut. There is a noticeable difference in sensitivity, albeit that could of course just be due to those individuals as it's not a large pool.