Circumcision should be outlawed

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soemone could also make a list as to why its a good thing,I suppose it's possible. What would the reasons be?I would certainly not get a circumcision for myself. After having read about it a lot, it does appear to serve a good purpose. I also would not have it done to a child, although he would be free to get it done when he's old enough to make an informed choice.To me, the reasons to keep the foreskin outweigh the reasons to snip it off, but everyone should be able to decide for themselves.

ok, list of pros for a circumsision-Hygene-suposedly reduces (but doesn't elliminate) the risks of contracting HIV and HPV-Non-circumcised boys and men tend to have higher rates of various infections and inflammations of the penis, and of the foreskin, than circumcised men-lowers the chance of penile cancer-eliminates risk of Phimosis and paraphimosis-reduces risk of urinary tract infectiongee, sounds liek a good thing, dont it?

Keep in mind that not all items on lists have the same weight or significance.

> -Hygene

People with foreskins claim it's not that big a deal. You roll back the foreskin and give it a good rinse every day.

> -suposedly reduces (but doesn't elliminate) the risks of contracting HIV and HPV

There is good evidence that circumcision reduces to some extent the risk of contracting HIV (not sure about HPV, but it seems reasonable). Still, you need to use a barrier method if you're having sex with someone whose history you don't know. If you're with someone who is known to be HIV-free, then you can't catch anything. In either case, it's a moot point, as far as precautions are concerned.

> -Non-circumcised boys and men tend to have higher rates of various infections and inflammations of the penis, and of the foreskin, than circumcised men

How high is "higher"? A little bit higher? Ten times as high?

> -lowers the chance of penile cancer

This is such a rare condition that it's hardly worth discussing.

> -eliminates risk of Phimosis and paraphimosis

Just as removing your left arm prevents the possibility of having a broken left arm. If you get phimosis, which is relatively rare, you can treat then. You can even get a circumcision, if it turns out to be the best course of action.

> -reduces risk of urinary tract infection

To what extent? A little? A lot?

To me, none of those things come close to balancing the sensation that may be lost from the procedure. As someone who was circumcised as an infant, you have no basis of comparison. It's clear, though, that a huge number of nerve endings reside in the foreskin, and that the head of the penis (a mucous membrane) becomes less sensitive after it dries out post-circumcision; it is also subject to continual abrasion from the underwear, which reduces sensitivity. If you're a premature ejaculator, reduced sensitivity might be a virtue, but there are better ways to deal with that problem.

I'm with you here man. When I was born my dad wanted me circumsized, because he was circumsized as a boy and was convinced that was the best thing to be done. The doctars just said no, they werent going to do an entirely unneccesary operation just on the whim of the father.

I have sicne devoloped phimosis. Does this make me angry at the doctars for saying no to my father? No. I am still glad to have it. My GP says I can have an appointment to have my foreskin stretched by some sort of machine and then I'll be set. He also said that the difference in levels of contracting std's was very over-blown and that its a better choice to avoid circumcision when there are sensible alternatives.

Ha. I was circumsised, and, I am not pissed, or angry at my parents.C'mon, Do you honestly want to pull back skin everytime you want to wank?

Do you honestly want to pull back skin everytime you want to wank?For almost all uncircumcised guys, it's not a problem. In fact, the foreskin often retracts on its own during an erection. Also, some consider it an aid in masturbation.On the other hand, would you trade lost sensitivity for slight convenience?

C'mon, Do you honestly want to pull back skin everytime you want to wankAnother uninformed response. You have no concept on what it is like.. so why do you even respond?Having a forskin, if anything, makes it alot easier to "wank".

-Hygene - bah! anyone who bothers to wash donw there can keep it clean just like between the toes. And I have run across more cut guys who don't wash thus stink than I care to think about.-suposedly reduces (but doesn't elliminate) the risks of contracting HIV and HPV - yea but a reduced risk (if the studies are in fact remotely true) isn't worth the cost; give me a solid relationship and/or a box of condoms any day.-Non-circumcised boys and men tend to have higher rates of various infections and inflammations of the penis, and of the foreskin, than circumcised men. Well since cut guys don;t have foreskin, I can concede they won't have as many foreskin problems. However, anyone who doesn't look after their equipment is going to have problems regardless of the presence or absence of foreskin.- lowers the chance of penile - ah yes, so since about 3% or so actually get penile cancer thus we should automatically give lots of credence to circumcision as a preventative. Oh and since pretty close ot half of those with penile cancer have no foreskin, maybe we better remove more a whle lot more to be sure to prevent this one.- eliminates risk of Phimosis and paraphimosis - yea okay it eliminates the risk but so does proper care of equipment as well as a little more attention to genital exams by medical people and a little stretching. Give me foreskin anyday. and if i get too tight I can at least have some fun doing the exercises.-reduces risk of urinary tract infection - yea well, these are largely due to improper hygiene so if you eliminate dirt and what have you, then you reduce this. So cleanliness is the main preventative; not circumcision. And most of these infections occer because of dirty diapers and the like in infants. So since you think it's more convenient for you to have your sons circumcized than teach them about proper care of their equipment, might one also surmise you won;t find diaper changing convenient either; in which case expect lots of nice infections.-

C'mon, Do you honestly want to pull back skin everytime you want to wank?Oh yes! Back and forth with the skin makes wanking way more fun and saves on lube too.And hey. if you don't know the pleasures of having one's skin retracted for things sexual, you might just be missing something. Not saying you don;t enjoy sex or whatever, just that it is possible you aren;t quite getting the full spectrum of pleasure you might if you had a foreskin.

well, yea, were uninformed, give us a minute while we go back in time, tell our parents to drop the scisors and coem back. I fail to see why we're arguing, I really don't care if its cut off or not

But your son might care, should you have one. I know I would if I were your kid. In some cultures, your parents arrange your marriage. Would you want that, or would you rather be able to make your own choice?The important thing is to become informed, rather than jumping to conclusions, unless you're trying to win debating points.

Jeez! This is why it's easier to have a girl! No hard decision to make that alter life forever! Do Jews and Mosloms give their boys the choice?

yea, may as well just have a girl so i can stop this dumb argument

Do Jews and Mosloms give their boys the choice? Not if they're religious, although I don't think Moslems always have it done during infancy.You can argue whether religion is a good justification, but if you're not religious, I find it hard to justify circumcising your child.

isnt it spelt Muslim? I hold very little faith in religion, they all seem foolish to me, no offence intended to anyone who is religious.

It's a word of Arabic origin, and can be spelled a few different ways.

ah I see, I've just always seen it spelt Muslim, i supose it doesnt really matter

Until a few years ago "Moslem" was the most common spelling. However "Muslim" is a better transliteration from the Arabic, and is favoured by scholars and preferred by Muslims themselves.

ah, you learn somethin new every day

I saw it different ways as well. The book I read had 'Mosloms' so I spelt it like that