Cross your legs and dab your eyes
Today class we will talk about circumcision.
In the first world circumcision is a widespread practice and considered the norm. But just because a practice is widely accepted, it doesn’t automatically make it right. Slavery used to be widely accepted, and in some parts of the world, it still is. Everything should be questioned.
I put this to you: Why is female circumcision considered genital mutilation while male circumcision is not? This seems like a sexist double standard to me. Also a lot of people don’t realise that this delicate operation can easily go horribly wrong, scarring a man for life, and in some cases entirely destroying the penis. Surely with so much at risk, the patient should get to choose when he is at an age to make such a big decision?
I remember as a little girl finding myself at a Jewish circumcision ceremony. I asked what they were going to do, and when they told me, I was horrified! I begged and pleaded with them not to do it. They giggled at my naivety and told me it would be perfectly fine, and because the baby is so small, it would only hurt a very tiny amount. I didn’t understand how that could be true. I was small, and when I cut myself or slammed a finger in the door, it hurt like hell. It didnt hurt less because I was small.
I’ll never forget hearing the baby scream. I cried for him. The adults got annoyed with me and ushered me to another room. Why should such a painful operation be forced on a defenceless baby WITHOUT any anesthetic? Why do we just accept this as normal?
I am not against circumcision or any form of body modification. There are pro’s to being circumcised, just as there are to going natural. What I am against is forced mutilation.
If we left it up to the adult male to decide the fate of his member, I wonder just how many would go through with it after all. If you decided to go through with it later in life, I bet you’d demand anesthetic and take painkillers home with you.
olivia
Thanks Robert. I totally agree with you.
robert
circumcison is unneccesary.
if hygiene were really an issue don’t you think pharmecuetical and other companies would have jumped on this and told every one how important it is to buy their products in order to fix it?
it would also be a big topic of discussion/jokes by men about men, raunchy stand up comics, unfunny comedies etc. but i don’t recall seeing or really hearing about it.
it’s like people who believe it is important to be circumcised have to make up reasons for it.
how do you think males have lasted this many millions of years with out it?
on the planet a majority of males are left natural. why should we listen to this kind of pressure from society?
piss off.
there is also an issue about liberty. and acceptance.
we aren’t good enough…
clean enough…
doesn’t look the way a neurotic society wants it to.
what we need to cut off is cultural indoctrination.
Hans
There is absolutely no medical reason to justify (male) circumcision nowadays. A minimum amount of cleaning of the foreskin is all that is needed to avoid disease. Circumcision in the US has been driven by market forces in the medical profession. It is now declining. In most of the rest of the world, circumcision is not standard practice. I stand proudly uncircumcised!, Hans
olivia
You got me right on the first part, natural is always better, but the second youre wrong. I wouldn’t do it. I thought I’d put it out there since a lot of people arent aware why women might choose to do such an extreme thing.
And I think fly is right about humans generally being a lot cleaner than they used to be, that it is no longer necessary for hygiene reasons, except for extremely grubby people who dont like to shower very much at all. Well even then, circumcision wont help them past day 5.
Gross.
nathan
Wellivia, if I let my armpits get all crusty with sweat, there’s very little likelihood that they’ll get infected with urine and cause my arm to fall off.
But Mr. Slaptacular, well, he’s a much more delicate subject.
It seems that you’re advocating that men should consider staying natural because of the danger of it and because, well, it’s natural – but that women should cut off the hood because their men don’t know how to get them to scream madness during sex…
fly*
hehehe…you know how to pick em Olivia…..quite a….errr sensitive topic…. :o)
I was circumcised when I was a baby…I know nothing else so what do I care (im talking about myself of course)….and I think thats why its done when you are so young….I cant remember a thing and i’m quite happy with that and the fact that im circumcised…An uncle of mine had to be circumcised at 30 for reason unknown to me….I can remember quite clearly that he was not a happy camper for quite a while….
I think nowadays its not as necessary to be circumcised, in general we are cleaner human beings than we were say 2000 years ago…..and thats why im guessing it was done in the 1st place…..and it stands to reason why its still done in africa and why its seen as an initiation to manhood (as dangerous as it is :-/ )
1 thing….and this might seem to sway off topic….
Have you ever been to a sheep farm ??? if you have you will know that sheep actually have tails ?!…and that they are docked when they are very young….as far as I know its purely for hygenic reasons, that and a sheep would look very funny with a tail… ;o)
I figure its the same with circumcision…. :o) rather safe than sorry I guess…
Miko
Not done in Japan (but then, they need all the help they can get!). It’s really gone out of vogue in many Western countries, too.
Bsti
I’m with Nathan. Even at this age, I’d prefer to see my helmet than shroud it.
quiddity
Have you read Desert Flower? It’s a fascinating account of how FGM is used to repress women and deny them freedom to embrace their sexuality.
It seems to me that because ‘female circumcision’ is a term which covers so many practices, it functions merely as a euphemism and has little value apart from this. Genital mutilation is much more apt for many of these practices because they are designed to harm and to deny women sexual pleasure.
As far as i know, circumcision for males carries far less risk and doesn’t impair sexual function/sensation. Although, when my nephew was circumcised (for medical reasons) aged 4, it was really traumatic for him and all the family. He woke up from the anaesetic screaming and was in pain for ages. If I have children (and I’m doing my best to avoid this!) it is not an option i would choose lightly.
Fuschia Faery
What a lovely conversation. I’ll finish my dinner now 🙂
olivia
Many adult women these days are opting to have the hood removed by a surgeon, either to increase sensitivity in the area and/or to correct the problem of a “hidden clitorus”.
And Nathan, men and women who have a thorough daily shower have nothing to worry about. That gross image you have in your mind is the result of years of circumcision propoganda and advocacy. You could choose to shave your armpits so that waxy sweat secretions don’t layer up there either, but you wouldn’t.
nathan
Hmmm. Circumcision is pretty much the standard here in the US of A. I’ve never seen anyone with that foreskin dripping off the front.
I suppose that I should be the type of person who is like “Hell, if it’s there to begin with you should leave it there” but as I haven’t had it since as long as I an remember, I’m pretty happy the way it is.
No gross crusty cum or rotting pee getting stuck in there, you know?
Jam
It’s just sore, no matter which sex you look at it from….
Lola
I have wondered that as well…
olivia
I know what you mean Jam, although there are different forms of female circumcision. I am referring to the removal of the hood (ouch! I cant even write that without wincing) which I think is the same as the removal of the foreskin.
There are other forms of female circumcision which are collectively referred to as Type IV for reasons beyond my knowledge. This includes a diverse range of practices, including pricking the clitoris with needles, cutting off the clitorus, burning or scarring the genitals as well as ripping or tearing of the vagina. So I agree with you, it can be worse for women!
Jam
The problem with female circumcision is that it results in women being unable to feel any sexual pleasure at all – men are still able to. In South Africa, male circumcision in Xhosa culture is quite common too…it often results in death as circumcision is performed in unhygenic conditions by inexperienced people. I think that ALL circumcision is barbaric, but it does seem to me that philisophically it’s even worse for womenl.
nathan
HAH! “Get to choose when he is at an age blah blah blah”
The last thing you do to a person is start chopping at their rimrammer after they’ve figured out all of the things it’s good for.
A former friend of mine wasn’t circumsized until the age of 4 or 5 and now he listens to Pink Floyd records and plays pool for money!!!
Think about that, Smarty-B-Good!