How do you talk relatives out of ritual circumcision of a child?

[UrbanDad]

A (non=-ewish) female friend of mine is married to a quite nice jewish DH. They have just had a baby boy and DH's parents and aunts/uncles are putting pressure on him to have their DS circumcised. DH is equivocal but my friend is dead set against it. I think it's barbaric - how would you react to a member of your family putting pressure on you to mutilate your child's genitalia? No apologies - it's child abuse pure and simple and should be criminalised. Religion is no excuse for this mediaeval, unenlightened superstitious crap.

Has anyone got any experience of talking moronic religious extremist relatives out of this stupidity? (Apologists for/proponents of/justificants of ritual circumcision please don't even bother responding to this post.)

Yup, my most recent ex was circed as a child for 'medical' reasons.

He said wearing a condom was enough to knock out what was left of the pleasure quotient almost completely.

It wasn't much fun for him.

""

Yes -- see my post below. My ex was incredibly frustrated by his lack of sensitivity and inability to climax.

If you think it should be done without consent on a tiny child for YOUR sexual preference then that is staggeringly selfish.

Why, Anna?

Yep. Would be the answer. Obviously more experience of intact foreskins, however, because have no religion and am British (so no "cultural" trend for circumcision).

Anna, would you really encourage it purely because you reckon men who've had it done grow up to be, I'm not sure what you mean - better lovers or something?

To the OP, when I read the thread title I thought that you were under pressure from relatives. However, you are actually trying to interfere? Incite a riot on MN? It's not your child, and whilst I understand why you feel the need to support your friend, surely this is a discussion and decision for her and her husband. Nothing to do with you.

Because I think that circumcision is esthetically preferable; much more hygienic; and makes for much better lovers.

That is really quite sick, Bonsoir. We're talking about removing the foreskin of 8 day olds boys without anaesthetic and without their consent as part of some religious ritual, and suddenly you're bringing sexual preferences into it?

Weird.

even if I agreed anna it wouldn't be enough to convince me to cut bits off a baby boy.

Anna

So your sexual preference dictates what you would do with a male baby who cannot consent? That is grim.

Why is that sick? Circumcision is all about hygiene and sex...

It can be harmful. The operation itself. It's far more potentially harmful than say, just leaving it alone, fpr instance.

And it's really not about 'harm - it's about personal autonomy and the way religion specifically targets youngsters. People too tyoung to protest or have an opinion. Its not enough that they indoctrinate them into the religion and it's beliefs,they actually seek to mark, or in this case scar, the child indelibly so it cannot just walk away from it, if they so choose.

We have ouraged discussions on MN about piercing babies ears. No one ever says, 'it's a chav ritual, its part of their culture'. That is seem somehow as bad parenting. What about baby tattooing?!

If one of them is bad parenting, isnt the other? Or is it relative?

Imagine the outcry if a man suggested a woman had her labia surgically trimmed because he preferred the 'look'.

Well I can't speak for the Chief Rabbi paolosgirl. Perhaps you should start a campaign to lobby him about it?

As I said, I'm not Jewish.

How is circumcision about sex?

Also, the hygiene thing is such a red herring. I'll say it again. Instruct your sons in how to clean a willy just as you would instruct your daughter how to wipe herself hygenically, and your children how to wash their hands before eating. And then when they're older, about safe sex.

It's not just Jewish boys who are circumcised. My DP is Jewish and so are my DSSs and they are all circumcised, but so is my (100% British) father and plenty of Muslims I know. And Americans.

Perhaps I will Georgi, you never know.

Bonsoir, you're posting for effect here. Grow up.

But there is nothing beneficial whatsoever about piercing a baby's ears. They don't even look nice.

Any more pointless comparisons you want knocked down? We've done female circumcision (knocked that one down already wordgirl, perhaps you should read the thread), done brest removal and double , now we've done ear piercing.

No I'm not. The trouble is that a lot of posters know nothing about circumcision.

Erm no Anna, it's a divine command.. Now thats great isn't it? Noone's accountable

Yes, you are Bonsoir. You are not contributing anything effective to the debate.

Georgimama - wordgirl was not referring to female circumcision in her post. Labia trimming is a very different procedure indeed.

How about a Jewish Feminist Perspective?

I've not read this so it will be a suprise to me too.

Ah - you mean that thinking that circumcision isn't all bad is not an opinion on this thread?

Oh, another circumcision thread...

Anna, it is absolutely NOT all about hygiene and sex. It is ritual genital mutilation. You can look for ways to justify it all you like but you cannot change the fact of what it is and always has been.

It became rampant in the US in the Victorian era b/c Dr. Kellogg (yes, from the cereal family) advocated it as a way to prevent masturbation. FWIW, he also recommended the female version as well but I am tremendously thankful from a personal standpoint that that practice was discontinued here.

You can think it's great. You have your reasons. They just aren't why the magority of people circumcise their kids is all.