I have two intact sons. My primary reasons for leaving them the way they came to me were:
1) There are no medical reasons to subject my newborns to surgery and the risks caused by the surgery. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that uncircumcised male children run the risk of UTIs, however, this risk is nearly non-existant and may very well be caused by vigorous "retract and cleanse" routines.
Never retract a foreskin (unless it's your own)!!
2) I know many adult males who have serious issues regarding their circumcisions. Many of my "clipped" male friends have been horrified to learn about what they lost. There are a number of organizations springing up to support men who wish to restore the foreskins they were deprived of.
3) The foreskin is to the glans as the eyelid is to your eyeball, it cleans and protects delicate tissue. Saying that circumcision is a hygiene issue makes as much sense as saying that slicing off one's eyelids make the eyeballs cleaner.
4) The foreskin plays an important part in adult male sexual function.
5) The history of circumcision in America is a disturbing one to say the least. If you haven't yet read "From Ritual to Science" , I highly recommend it.
6) Infant circumcision violates both the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child AND the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The fact that it is not considered a crime is a statement about how little we value our children, not about how benign circumcision is. See: Male Circumcision and the Rights of the Child
7) Although I couldn't have known this before I made my choice, I think it speaks to all the "He should look just like Daddy" thinkers out there.
At age 4 my oldest son noticed the difference and asked me "Why?" I told him that some mommies (including Grandma) thought it was good to cut the skin off a baby's penis. He was both horrified and comforted. Horrified to think that some people do such things and comforted in knowing that I wouldn't do it to him. He's PROUD of his foreskin because I'M proud of it.
Children learn what we teach them. The idea that intact boys might someday be made to feel that there's something "wrong" with their genitals is based in the assumption that the circumcised penis is "normal". It doesn't take much effort to teach an intact child that their genitals are the normal ones in the gym class locker room.
8) Even members of the Jewish community are starting to speak out against infant circumcision. See: A Source of Jewish Pain
, A Jewish Woman Denounces Circumcision, Why are We Doing This? and the "Circumcision and Religion" link at NOCIRC
Even long after we have chosen to leave our sons intact many doctors (who don't understand the foreskin, never studied its function in medical school and are likely circumcised themselves) will still try to convince us to make the cut. If you choose not to circumcise your newborn PLEASE READ THIS it could save you and your son unnecessary heartache later on.
Whatever you choose, think about the fact that your tiny son will be a sexually active man with access to all the information about foreskins and this procedure someday. I am confident that my decision to allow my sons to choose for themselves is the perfect choice for my family. May we all find that much confidence in our complex family decisions.
