Circumcision
 

It's my understanding that around 85% of American males are circumcised.

My 9 year old son isn't. I'm getting comments from other parents who have routinely had their son 'done'. They make me feel uncomfortable by implying that my son will somehow be traumatised in high school due to his not looking like other boys. That I've somehow doomed him to a life of ridicule and without acceptance.

A quick google and I found this:

http://www.circlist.com/preferences/preferences.html

and these people:

http://www.norm.org/

What is happening??????:eek::eek::eek::eek:


What are your thoughts on this?

Re: Circumcision
 

leave the kid alone.

Re: Circumcision
 

My son is not done and he was born here. We are also expecting another son in Jan 2006, he will not be done either. Since we have no religious reasons to get it done and we have access to soap and water ( before that old argument comes up again) I see no point. I also read somewhere that circumcision desensitizes the penis for obvious reasons, possibly leading to more bizarre sexual practices in order to attain gratification. I am too lazy to look up a source for this - plus this statement might attract a crowd, as I'm sick of Cindy Sheehan ;)

Re: Circumcision
 

I agree, we had to have one of our sons circumcised the bill was $14,000 fortunately we have insurance so our co pay was just $2,000 :rolleyes:

Re: Circumcision
 

there is no logical reason to do it imo.......I guess Americans did it/do it for sanitary reasons but I belive that started many years ago.......I personally would not put the kid through it for no reason at all

Re: Circumcision
 

That would be at least partly down to the high Jewish content and therefore influence in the USA at a guess.

Dont do it. Stuff the other parents its got nothing to do with them. Theres a high chance he will hate you for it later on in life.

Re: Circumcision
 

Whoaaaa! Hold on a minute. I am NOT thinking of having my son mutilated. Oh No. Not ever. Phew, glad I got that one off my chest. No worries there.

I'm just fed up with the messages and the comments. Infrequent but enough to make me feel uncomfortable. I'm just fed up and it bugs the hell out of me that someone who has allowed their child to be tied down and ripped apart for no good reason should make me feel uncomfortable.

Just found this:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282862

Now that makes me feel uncomfortable!!!

Re: Circumcision
 

Welcome to the board AWP. Interesting choice of first post.

Re: Circumcision
 

Jews make up less than 1.5% of the population of the USA. I would not call that a high content :confused:

Re: Circumcision
 

I am expecting my sacond baby in April, should it be a boy, he WILL NOT be done either... unless it is done for religious reasons or geuine health reasons it is nothing more than mutilation.

I also disagree with parents having there babies ears pierced.

Ash :)

Re: Circumcision
 

The "high Jewish content" of what... American dicks? I suggest you try guessing again. Perhaps you'll get it right this time, and avoid sounding quite so ignorant.

Re: Circumcision
 

How funny, 15 years ago my Religious Education teacher at secondary school made the exact same statement about circumcision leading to de-sensitisation of the penis, and hence to homosexuality and buggery. I remember her little rant like it was just yesterday! Mind you, she got fired for it, so something good came of it in the end. :D

Re: Circumcision
 

I see nothing funny. I didn't mention homosexuality? The OP also referenced this in her 2nd post, perhaps you can dissect and disproove these points, that might make funny reading?;

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282862

Looks like you are outnumbered, however you have the freedom to do what you wish with your penis( if you have one?) or your sons.

Re: Circumcision
 

I didn't think this was an us-against-them kind of discussion. It was funny that you made the same statement that got my rabidly anti-semitic RE teacher fired. If you like I'll go back and edit "exact" to read "nearly", but it hardly seems worth it.

Whether you feel strongly that it's mutilation or not is entirely a personal opinion, I guess.

Re: Circumcision
 

I see you've edited your post to be even more confrontational, but to be honest Lionheart, I just don't have the energy or inclination to be your sparring partner. Go pick a fight with someone else, eh?

Re: Circumcision
 

Read my previous post as I edited it. I did get the impression it is an us against them type of post as the OP is getting flak from the us' for not having her son done. It amazes me that female circumcision is considered mutilation but the jury is still out on male sex organs being altered from their natural state. You do whatever you want

Re: Circumcision
 

I beleive you joined this thread after me and initiated the conversation by quoting my post :confused:

Re: Circumcision
 

Yup, I did. With an observation about the similarity between what you had said and what an ex-teach of mine said. I guess I'm just not looking for a fight today. Sorry. You're welcome to try again tomorrow. :D

Re: Circumcision
 

Then why do you keep quoting me while at the same time acting like the victim :D And you are welcome to do what you want with the members of your families penises :D

Re: Circumcision
 

You're right, I should stop quoting you entirely...

Damn, there I go doing it again.

I'm not sure how you've concluded that I'm acting like a victim, but you can rest assured that I certainly don't feel like one. Quite the contrary, actually.

Re: Circumcision
 

Long live the foreskin.... :beer:

CA what has happened to your mind...? :confused:

Re: Circumcision
 

Poll opened inTIO
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=328372

Re: Circumcision
 

Are you still here? You have called me confrontational and stated you are not looking for a fight ( poor me)..... sounds like a victim to me. Still waiting for you to dissect the OP's 2nd post, where she references reasons not to get it done, instead of having to hear yet again about the mental scar some RE teacher left you with. :D

Re: Circumcision
 

To answer your question directly: I'm circumcised, and feel that it is part of my Jewish heritage. I've never really understood why the majority of American males are circumcised, but I think some of the articles linked in this thread go some way towards explaining - however, it's worth bearing in mind that some particularly aggressive criticism of the practice stems from anti-semitism, rather than a particular concern for other people's children's dicks! :)

The long and the short of it (sorry, couldn't resist) is that America is full of parents who will do anything to find a way to criticize other parents and their children. Usually it's over things like clothes, what church they go to (or don't), how they talk... I'd be interested to know how you responded when other people started talking about your son's penis - personally I would have been quite furious, and would have told them to mind their own f**king business! What the hell kind of parent criticizes another's choices over such a personal issue?

When it comes down to it, your decisions regarding all aspects of your son's life are yours, and yours alone, to make. I would never accept another parent's criticism of my children's upbringing, and neither should you.

Re: Circumcision
 

Circumcision may also lead to angry outbursts :D

Re: Circumcision
 

I would be questioning why they are interested in my son's penis if I were you... kinda twisted if you ask me. I know I don't go around questioning who have and have not had their son's done.

Ash :)

Re: Circumcision
 

Quote returned to appease sense of humour failure.

:D :D :D :D :D <--- note smileys to denote how funny I find myself.

So, I've read the article linked by CaliforniaBride, and I find myself in broad agreement that circumcision of the majority of Americans is unnecessary. I don't agree with the strongest terms - that it's "barbaric" etc., but I see no good reason why a non-Jewish child should be circumcised, and if I had sons I would think hard before having them snipped... but would probably have the procedure done on religious grounds.

One thing that I'm surprised by is the account of how the circumcision is actually performed over here. I'm not sure if the account is of the generally accepted practice, but it's quite different to how it is done by GPs in the UK. There a small plastic ring is inserted under the foreskin, and a tight rubber band is placed over the foreskin, pressing hard against the ring. After a week or so, the foreskin simply falls off. No blood, no restraining the poor screaming child, and apparently pretty much painless.

Re: Circumcision
 

I don't remember 'demanding' you don't quote me? 'Funny' how you twist my words........

Re: Circumcision
 

That's my last quote of you, Lionheart, really.

Now that we've calmed down a little, I'm genuinely interested in the meaning of your line about "bizarre sexual practices" - what on earth do you mean by that? I'd love to read any articles you can link to that will tell me all about what a pervert I am without my foreskin!

Re: Circumcision
 

It was a joke, FFS. Grow up.

Re: Circumcision
 

Who's we? How many of you are there typing there? Tell me what you like to do with your uncircumsized penis, we can compare notes and I'll be happy to tell you if it's bizarre and perverted. :D

Re: Circumcision
 

Great reply. Bravo. I've seen reports that men with foreskins glow in the dark and suffer frequent urges to sodomize penguins... but I can't be shagged to find the link right now.

"We" is me and my lost ring of skin. I keep it in a jar and weep at its sad loss daily. Actually, I'm considering restoring my foreskin using Tug Ahoy (no, seriously, that's a real product boys and girls!)

It's some consolation to me that I lost a foreskin as a child, but avoided becoming a complete twat! ;)

Re: Circumcision
 

You are right, you are not a complete twat. You only had part of your dick removed :D

Re: Circumcision
 

After reading your posts dbj1000, I think you seem a bit sensitive on the subject? Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think not really liking circumcision is as particularly anti-semetic as it is anti-Catholic, another faith that, in the USA are just as pro-circumcision as the Jewish faith. I think that Angry White PJ's may have been talking about the Jewish influence on the nation as a whole, culturally, which I think is quite a significant and profound influence. Jews are prolific and sucessful in every corner of the USA, despite their minority status.
It was a job working with Orthodox Jewish Senior Citizens that brought me to America in the first place, and I then met my USC husband who worked at the same place. I'm working there again on Monday, I can ask them what they think about it. Now that would be a conversation starter! :D Oi vey!

Re: Circumcision
 

I still have the little skin overcoat on my knob.

I ave no idea what the purpose of a foreskin is, except too help keep out the lint.

To be serious, i see no reason why anyone should have circumcision done in this day and age, but sometimes it is down to tradition. I have no idea if in the Jewish faith it is part of the religion, or just because it is something that has always been done.
I do belive a person should have the right to choose though.

Re: Circumcision
 

Since he was an American born in the 50s, and a WASP my ex was circumsized. His mother said something about less chance of cancer? I have no idea. As a matter of course my son was as well, as a newborn of course. It was a given.
However my mother said my dad wasn't. I don't know why or why not.
Sign of the times?

Re: Circumcision
 

I believe bush was circumcised, trouble being they threw away the wrong bit.

Many people may well be circumcised for medical reasons.

Re: Circumcision
 

The parents of kids of any religion or none should wait until their kids are adults and capable of making their own decision as to whether they want to be circumcised. (There might not be very many that want it then). If it's medically neccesary then it should be done. It just seems cruel to cut babies unnecesarily whatever the religion.

Re: Circumcision
 

My son has just started High School and I have just this second asked him if all his friends have been circumcised. After getting over the initial shock of his mother asking him such a question at 7.00am he told me that most of them have but there are quite a few who haven't. Being a Brit my son has all his tackle intact and nobody has ever ridiculed him so the OP needn't worry about her son when he goes to High School.

Re: Circumcision
 

Or, after reading this thread, it seems theres also a high chance that having him done will leave him mentally scarred, bitter and twisted and apt to spin off on rants at the drop of a hat.

While the jewish population of the USA may only be officialy 1.5% their influence is much much greater on the whole of US culture, world policy and lifestyle. Thats not anti-semetic its a fact. In the same way the spanish population of areas like south florida are only about 15% yet no one can deny the Huge Spanish influence on the area. But thats another discussion im sure.

Oh, thanks for the welcome california bride and good luck.