I personally prefer circumcision and this news might make me more likely to have it done for any sons I might have but I still wouldn't do a 'clitectomy'. I understand your hypothetical question but it's hard not to think "but those are two different things" or "but it doesn't work that way". less

I refused to have my son circumsised. I still stand by my choice. That's his body and I have no right cutting off parts of his anatomy. If, he has issues later on in life then I will support him in any decision and deal with it if and when it happens but honestly it completely did not make any sense to me to do that to him. I have no qualms if anyone else chooses to do so but I'd hope I was respected for making an informed choice. Doctors here are very hard to find as far as those who will do the proceedure nowdays. We would have had to go out of town to get the circumscision done.

Daughter or son, I don't agree with deciding/having that kind of power whether or not their anatomy stays intact or not. I gave birth to them I don't however have power over their asthetic body choices.

But hey thats just me. less

a 1 in 725 chance is not enough to make a huge decision like that for your child. We ended up having a girl, but we had already made the decision to not do a circumcision if the baby was a boy. I honestly think that people should be required to research circumcision and really understand what it is and how it is done before they have it done to their child. less

a 1 in 725 chance is not enough to make a huge decision like that for your child. We ended up having a girl, but we had already made the decision to not do a circumcision if the baby was a boy. I honestly think that people should be required to research circumcision and really understand what it is and how it is done before they have it done to their child. less

Because most circumcised men still enjoy a happy and healthy sex life where doing the same to a woman is much more likely to wreck hers irreparably? I mean your blog post makes it seem like cut men cannot enjoy sex and woe is them but that's news to my husband who certainly has no issues. He was circumcised as a young teen, by his choice, and believes so strongly in it that I think it could be a breaking point in our relationship if I wasn't okay with it as well.

I honestly feel like the facts for either side measure up pretty equally so it comes down to personal preference. With that said, I wouldn't "discriminate" against partners who weren't cut and would have no problem with letting my son choose for himself as opposed to doing it when he's a baby. less

Because most circumcised men still enjoy a happy and healthy sex life where doing the same to a woman is much more likely to wreck hers irreparably? I mean your blog post makes it seem like cut men cannot enjoy sex and woe is them but that's news to my husband who certainly has no issues. He was circumcised as a young teen, by his choice, and believes so strongly in it that I think it could be a breaking point in our relationship if I wasn't okay with it as well.

I honestly feel like the facts for either side measure up pretty equally so it comes down to personal preference. With that said, I wouldn't "discriminate" against partners who weren't cut and would have no problem with letting my son choose for himself as opposed to doing it when he's a baby. less

As you might have heard, the CDC is considering advocating circumcision for American infants, citing some reports that it can reduce HIV transmission by as much as 50% for men.

Now, you all know my feelings towards circumcision (if not, read it here link) But I'll stick to facts, rather than opinion.

I would like to ask a hypothetical question.

According to 'Guidelines for the Management and Post Exposure Prophylaxis of Individuals who Sustain Nonoccupational Exposure to HIV, ANCAHRD/CTARC Bulletin, February 2001' a uncircumcised man has a 1 in 725 chance of being infected with HIV from having unprotected intercourse (with him doing the insertion.) That's each time - obviously it's like playing the lottery every time you have sex.

Based on the CDC assumption that circumcision cuts that risk by 50%, a man has a 1,250 chance of getting infected.

And, finally, assuming that a man's foreskin (containing 50,000 nerve endings) is equivalent to a woman's clitoris (also containing 50,000 nerve endings) I asked the following:

If you knew it would reduce your daughter's chance of HIV infection, should she choose to have unprotected sex with somebody who was possibly infected, from 1 in 750 to 1 in 1,250, would you advocate a 'clitectomy' - removing her clitoris - at birth, like the CDC is advocating boys are circumcised?

Now, don't worry too much about the facts. I'm sure they're debatable and I accept that I might have made a few assumptions. Just concentrate on the question.

If it reduced the risk, would you cut off your infant daughter's clitoris?

I apologise in advance for anybody I offend with this question, but it's something I'm very passionate about and am curious. less

Unfortunately, foreskin does not equal clit. It equals clit hood and inner labia (if I understand correctly, happy to be shown the error in my ways).

And I could see having a very long narrow clit hood making it difficult to clean out pussy jam, and wanting it to be trimmed back or removed to aid in cleaning. I could see it becoming so troublesome, infection would be a concern. And I could even see parents making that call.

I think there *is* strange societal pressure about circumcision, as in, I think a lot of North American families tend to do it because it's the norm (religious reasons aside), but what do I know?

and yeah, I totally just used the phrase "pussy jam"... less

This reminds me of a little story I read in my psychology book.

These parents wanted their boy to be circumcized. The doctors effed up and actually cut his whole thing OFF. Not knowing what to do, and with the ok from the parents, they also took his balls off and sculpted him between the legs to look like a girl. The parents gave him a girl name and raised him as a girl.

Years later there were problems. He was very aggressive, tried to wear men's clothing, and as he got even older, was attracted to women. He couldn't understand what was wrong with him, etc. His parents finally told him. Outraged, when old enough he saw a doctor and they graphed new male genetiles on him. He got married but I guess he still had problems with things? He ended up commiting suicide later on.

That's just somewhat of a synopsis from what I remember, it's been a while since I read that story.


As for having it cut, IF my bf and I have a child and it's a boy, we're NOT having the skin cut off. My bf is uncut, as is the men in his family, and same with my family, they're not cut. Oh wow, it'll cut down infection, blah blah, then why not cut a whole slew of other things off us while we're at it? Nails have bacteria under them, let's cut them off the fingers! [/sarcasm] It's no different than cropping a dog's ears or tail for asthetic purposes. (In my opinion.) less