I've seen both sides of this issueDec 25 '99 (Updated Feb 18 '00) Write an essay on this topic.I have 4 sons, 3 of which are circumsized due to my ex-husband's insistance. My personal opinion is that this is a cruel practice, which is why I didn't have it performed on my oldest son. He has never had any infections. I've always ensured that I drew back the foreskin and cleaned beneath with each diaper changing and when I bathed him. When he got older, I taught him how to care for it himself. With my other children, of course, teaching them to care for their genitals was a slight bit easier, but all in all it wasn't hard or time consuming either way. When my second son was born and my ex-husband insisted on our son having a circumsion, the hospital had me hold our son during the procedure. Their view on it being that me holding him would make it easier on him and less traumatic. Well, I don't think it had the desired effect, because he screamed himself hoarse. It hurt me to see him go through that. I felt like running out of there with him, but of course, running out of there while he's being cut isn't really feasible. When our 3rd son was born, that hospital had a different policy in which the parents weren't allowed to be in the room. I thought that would make it easier for me to endure, knowing he was going to be in pain, but not there to see it. But I was able to hear my son's cries from outside of the room. I cried too. As for all the talk about how circumsision prevents the baby from getting infections on his penis, that's a falsehood. I've known many women whose circumsized child got infections on the head of their penis. I've known women whose circumsized child's foreskin began to grow back and had to have a second procedure. I personally think that a child is better off without it. And for all of those out there that want to address how it will effect the child when he is an adult, think on this, uncircumsized males' penises are more sensitive and they experience even more satisfaction sexually. When you circumsize your child, the exposed penis head is being rubbed against diapers, underwear etc for years. It deadens it to sensation. I think that circumsision is a cruel procedure for males. As is cutting off a female's clitoris and labia majora is for females in some middle eastern countries. While I realize that these two procedures are no where near alike, and that the reasons for doing them are a world apart, I am just trying to say that I think that both are cruel, needless procedures. While I still don't think circumcision is necessary, I do understand that for some, it is a religious necessity. However, most of the time, it is done for cosmetic purposes and I feel that is unnecessary.  |
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