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158

Leave His Penis Alone!

I did NOT circumcise my son... and it's none of YOUR business!

Submitted by MariMK

I was at a friend's beach house the other day, and our sons decided they couldn't wait for each other to pee, so they started peeing together.

"Oh," said my friend. "You didn't have him circumcised."

Now, said friend is as blunt and out there as one can be (which I generally appreciate), but perhaps I am a little overly sensitive on this topic. I just don't understand why leaving your son's penis intact is such a major issue.

Before we even conceived, my husband (intact himself) made it plain that were we to have a son, we were not going to circumcise him.

"He'll be different from some of his friends, but with regard to sensation, he'll appreciate it later in life." No biggie for me; I had no opinion one way or the other, and since there was no religious reason to circumcise, why not? When we did find out he was a boy, I didn't think twice. Of course, the little handout the Bradley teacher gave us, with anti-circumcision propaganda on it (supposedly sized to the amount of skin removed during circumcision) reinforced my decision.

"People rationalize this by saying things like 'most boys are circumcised' and 'his nerves aren't developed yet; he won't feel a thing,'" she told us. "But these babies pass out from the pain … whether it's in a hospital (they burn it off) or in a religious rite (sliced off while onlookers nibble hors d'oeuvres), it doesn't matter."

When he was born and remained unsliced, my family went into one of its major panics.

"He'll be ostracized."

"He'll be different from his friends."

"It looks weird."

"Um … smegma."

OK. I realize that there are reasons for circumcision, like cleanliness (if you clean yourself, this should not be a problem, and dad has taught him how to clean his own penis, thanks), or because it is a part of one's religion. I don't buy the "camp follower" viewpoint myself, but if he wants circumcision later, when he's old enough to ask for it, that's OK by me. But for those who feel I am ruining his life by not slicing his foreskin off, hey, take it to the guy who designed the thing.

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11/18/2009 - 11:58AM
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P.S. My husband is circumsized, and he doesn't even mind leaving our son intact.

11/18/2009 - 11:57AM
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Teach the boy how to clean himself well, and he'll be fine.  Women clean themselves fine down there, and when we're young we're taught to clean in the smaller places to reach like in between our toes and behind our ears, aren't we?  As far as the "creepy" uncircumsized penis comment... I've seen a few and they're fine.  There's nothing creepy about looking natural.  It also looks just like a circumsized penis once it's errect.  Also, by the time any of our babies are old enough to start having sex, it won't be so out of the normal to have an uncircumsized penis.  And the whole sensitivity thing, think about any guys who are virgins, they don't last long at all!  They learn how to make themselves last, it's just the same thing that'll have to happen with an uncircumsized boy, he'll learn to make himself last.

11/17/2009 - 3:00PM
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We are having our son circumcized because it is cleaner and boys and teen boys can be very dirty, going even a week without showering. un circumcized boys have amuch higher change of developing a penile infection. this has nothing to do with religion.

as for the pain, do you remember being born? me neither. he's never going to know. its wont scar him for life. hundreds of thousands of babies have this done and none are hurt long term by it.

i have seen a circumcision and the baby cries for about ten seconds, if that.

as for sensitivity, why would a man want to be more sensitive? hell have trouble keeping a girlfriend if he cant last long.

11/15/2009 - 6:50PM
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Honestly, shouldn't the baby identify with his father? He needs to be able to see his daddy and know that they are the same, cir'ced or uncir'ced

11/13/2009 - 10:31AM
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hum...I wanted to circumcise my baby boy I just didn't want him to suffer the pain.So now ...I don't know.

11/12/2009 - 12:10PM
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Honestly, how many people are actually going to see his penis and comment on it being "different." I have always thought that was such a silly reason to do it.I know from my own husband and kid, guys in an athletic locker room are doing everything possible to not see that part of their teemmates. And nowadays, showers are not required after gym class, or after practices. (Trust me, the smell in my car alone when I drove the guys home from practices every day would attest to that. Nothing like an open window when it is below 0 degrees outside!)

While my son is circumcised, I left the decision to my husband and didn't have an opinion one way or another. I figured it was something to let Dad decide on since he had one himself. LOL  He did his own research and made his decision. I am sure that fact that he is also impacted that decision.

But either way, I think either decision is fine as long as people put some thought into it and research it a little. ANd those with religious reasons should be allowed to follow those guidelines as well.

11/11/2009 - 11:37AM
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I think God made our bodies perfectly just the way they are.  My son is not circumcised and I was told those stories too. 

When in reality, if other parents or kids have a problem with it, they should keep it to themselves or like MariMK says; go to the creator Himself if you don't like it.  Otherwise, I think we should all teach our children to be sensitive to those who may look different and not to name call or make fun of them.  It's the mature thing to do and it's quite funny to see adults follow in the path of their little one's when it comes to issues like this.

I don't fear for my son at all when he goes to school.  He will be very confident in knowing that his parents decided to leave God's creation alone; after all it is PERFECT just the way it.

11/9/2009 - 4:30PM
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I have that debate in my household. My father is uncir'ced, my husband is cir'ced, my oldest son is cir'ced, my youngest son is uncir'ced. I thought that cutting my oldest son's penis would be great for him but for a week he bleed and I was scared he would get an infection but he was fine. Our second oldest is not cir'ced because I don't want the same experience I had before and as long as he cleans himself well during showers and shake well after peeing I think he will be okay. I just don't see it as a necessary procedure and hubby is not stressing it as well so I say let him be.

11/9/2009 - 11:50AM
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I agree with some of you of how big of a deal this issue is. I think what it boils down to is the parents. They are more concerned about what other people are going to think. Who cares what other people think or believe, this is your child and what you think is best for him, it's not like the little guy is going to be running around in the nude for everyone to give their opinions!

For the ladies that have had issues with men who were not circumcised that is your preference. Men need to be clean and they know what they need to do, it's not something out of the norm. About infections, the men are probably not paying that much attention to that area as they should be. It's like other body parts, same attention is needed for both men and women. So if the men are not cleaning there, maybe they need a refresher course and it's not the penis that is the problem is the person who has it that doesn't care how clean it is!

So if you like circumcision or not that is up to you! If you think it's better looking, that's your opinion! I don't think this is something "gross" as boys are born with this skin and it's part of the body. I also think that the majority of the opinions (especially of those who are not parents yet) are more of ignorance.

11/5/2009 - 11:39AM
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I am having my second son-and I decided to have them both circumcised for many reasons. My fiance wasn't too keene on the idea because he asked me to consider not doing it with our son (my second). I told him that after what I've seen when working at a derm clinic-I shivered and said no, he's getting snipped. Sure, it may increase sensation-but really, how proven is that? Men have no problems getting 'there' in no time flat, whether or not they have the foreskin. If it is true, in my experience - I'm doing my son's future wives a favor by not making my boys minute men.

11/1/2009 - 12:21AM
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My husband is circ'ed and he is against it.  My brother is not circ'ed and he is against it.  I have a friend who was circ'ed and he just spent a year and a half restoring his foreskin.  I am an RN and I am against it.  The three pediatricians I work with are against it.  The 2 doctors and the midwife I work with are against it. 

A boy simply needs to clean himself, just like a girl.  A girl's labia puts her at higher risk for all the health problems that a boy can get from a foreskin, but you don't hear many people clamoring to have the labia cut off their newborn daughters.  Currently only 55% of newborn boys are being circ'ed in America so your son will be different than about half of his peers either way. 

I have assisted hundreds of circumcisions as part of my job.  I no longer do for ethical reasons.  I now consider newborn circumcision without medical need to be child abuse and a human rights violation.  I'm not trying to upset any mothers who have already had it done, just trying to educate those who still have the decision to make.  I believe that mothers are doing the best they can with the information they are offered.

10/19/2009 - 3:40AM
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Wow, I never thought the entire circumsision issue was this crazy.. When I was pregnant with my first child, I didn't know what sex it was and when the hospital gave me papers to sign whether or not I wanted to circ my baby if it was a boy. With out a thought in my mind I opted for yes, go for it. Thankfully it turned out to be a beautiful little girl. But Now that I am expecting again, and I have had time knowing that infact it is going to be a boy, I started to really question whether or not I should. And if it is really really necessary. I started talking to many moms who have, and some who haven't had their sons circ'd, and I get lots of mixed replys. Even a few horror stories of a circumcisions gone completely wrong.. But after hearing over and over that the baby will be injected with a needle on the tip of his little tiny penis and then cut, as if he were raw poultry. I can't help but think that I should not go through with it. Even if he's an infant, and won't know the difference. It's hurts me just thinking of the type of pain, this little baby, I've been carrying will feel once he makes it to the real world. I don't think that's what I want for my baby to feel for the first few hours of his life. I'm sure he will already be trying hard to adjusting to the outside life. Then having to deal with being altered immediately afterwards, along with feeling intense crazy pain.. No.. No.. My decision is made.. No Way!! It's not for me..

10/17/2009 - 6:00PM
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from misusedsenior's fiance;

I actually think that this is something that SHOULD be people's business. It's important for people to have all the facts before butchering their child. I have changed people's minds by talking to them about it. A lot of people just assume it's something people still "just do" like they did in the 70's. But that's not true anymore. If you choose to circumcize your child, he is going to be the one who looks "different". Only 10% of Canadians do it anymore, and that 10% is for religious reasons. Your doctor will try to talk you out of it.

I am pro choice, which means NOT that the parents should choose, but that your child should be the one to decide if he wants to be cut or not. Would you remove your child's tonsils of appendix at birth "just in case" they cause problems in the future? Would you give your kid a tattoo or piercing at birth because of the way it looks?

I beg everyone to at least look into it more before making such a permanent decision on your child's behalf. Tragically, I couldn't talk my sister out of it because she is so stubborn. But if I can change even one person's mind here, that's one less butchered child in the world.

10/17/2009 - 5:43PM
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I was happy to here that kids can now sue their parents and doctor for mutilating their genitalia.

10/14/2009 - 12:45PM
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I'm not getting my son's cut, if the little thing in my abdomen is a son. His father isn't cut, either. If you're getting infections and whatever from a guy's penis, that's not because he's not cut, it's because he's too stupid to clean himself. *Shrug* honestly, though, as long as people don't harass me about my decision I could care less what they do. I mean, seriously. It's not like this conversation comes up in normal conversation.

10/7/2009 - 3:06PM
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My fiance isn't circumcised and we are not circumcising our son. I left the decision up to my fiance because I felt that he was the expert when it came to penises. LOL! The only thing that I was worried about was possibly being teased by his peers but my fiance said that he wasn't ever and I feel that our son should be like his dad. I thought that he also might wonder why he isn't the same as his dad. Alan is very clean and I don't think that it looks ugly...mind you I don't stare a penises all day long. As long as his penis does the trick I really don't care what it looks like. I think it is so funny when people say how ugly uncircumcised penises are. I mean really who concentrates on how a penis looks? I haven't been with a whole lot of guys and Alan is the first I have ever gone down on but still the look of it doesn't bother me one bit. When it's hard it looks the same as a circumcised penis and when it's not hard my man is still sexy as hell! Really anomore I've read that only 40% of boys in the US are circumcised so I think it is sort of a dying thing.

10/2/2009 - 12:56AM
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I've seen exactly ONE uncircumcised penis in my entire life & it was the creepiest thing EVER. When I have sons they will be circumcised for sure.

9/21/2009 - 1:51PM
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I agree with MrsKDTaylor, me and my brother were both born in Honduras and they didnt offer it in Honduras. My brother was circumcised when he was 10... He claims it was the worst pain EVER he missed schooll for 1  week and a half, and was crying, couldnt sleep, couldnt pee, bathing was a BIG issue, and I felt bad for him... The reason he got circumcised was because he ended up with a really BAD infection due to not being cirsumcised... Soo its your opinion I respect it. so Good Luck...

9/19/2009 - 9:41PM
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I have a son and my husband and I chose to get him circumcised when he was born. Just understanding the procedure and talking in great length to my OBGYN (she actually did the procedure) they have pain medications that they gave my son before, during, and after. After the procedure, I put vaseline on him and a tiny gauze square for a few days and that was it. There was no ongoing pain nor meds needed. His father is circed and we didn't think twice about it. I have a cousin who got circed when he was 12 and I personally feel that is one of the worst things you can do to a boy/guy - wait till he's older. For one thing he'll remember it a LOT more and goes through a lot more than when they are infants. If this child we expect in a few months is a boy, we are def having him circed as well.

9/18/2009 - 7:57AM
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I have been so surprised by the number of debates on this. Especially in the "he'll be different" remarks. From my personal experience more men I know aren't circumsized than are. My brother never was, my dad isn't (I've asked as an adult ;) ), my husband isn't, and my son won't be. From the stats I've seen online it's 50-50 in Canada - so the "he'll be different from his peers" comments don't apply. In fact, I can't attest for everywhere in Canada, but I know in my city the only hospital that even performs circs is the Jewish General. If you want it done, and give birth anywhere else, then you have to go to an outside source.