Saturday, February 5, 2011

Why Infant Circumcision is wrong

1. Circumcision does harm, it causes severe & acute pain at time of surgery (a pain study of infant circumcision was halted early when a recognition of the severe pain was established) and chronic pain for months, (as found by Taddio et al who found circumcised infants had far greater pain response than intact infants, at 6 month immunizations).  It also harms because it removes healthy functional anatomical pleasure nerves, and deprives the male of this sensation & function throughout his life. Over a million years of evolution, the glans of the penis was designed to be an internal organ, circumcision externalises the glans leading to keratinization, drying and numbing. Circumcision also has complications from excessive bleeding and infections to more serious complications including death.

2. The Foreskin is functional human anatomy providing a protective covering for the glans throughout the life, it has over 20,000 specialised nerves which provide sensory pleasure, and the foreskin's gliding mechanism facilitates the mechanics of masturbation and sexual intercourse, enhancing the sexual act, and providing pleasure for both male and female alike.

3. Circumcision of infants has serious ethical violations in that it removes functional anatomical tissue from a being that cannot consent to this procedure, and this individual may want the full intact male anatomy for himself when he is an adult.  Many adult men resent their infant circumcisions, and some even go through the laborious process of restoring their foreskins. Doctors who perform this are performing a Non-Therapeutic surgical procedure, on a perfectly healthy infant, which many have argued is tantamount to a violation of the hippocratic oath.

4. The supposed  health benefits of circumcision can virtually all be achieved at far superior levels =  through general hygeine practices & healthy living, (which are still required of the circumcised) safe sex practices (also still required of the circumcised) education, and conservative medical practices. (The healthiest longest lived people, with lowest HIV, STI's, lowest infant mortality, & healthiest children come from Non_circumcision cultures of Europe & Japan). The USA with highest circumcision rates in the developed world also has the highest rates of HIV/STI's, among the lowest Longevity and highest infant mortality.  Circumcision is not required for good health!

5. The statement that circumcision prevents STI's & HIV is a dangerous public health message, only safe sex practices which use a skin and bodily fluid barrier method offer effective protection & prevention against STI's & HIV.  Recent evidence from Africa has shown that intact men who were HIV free before their circumcision have now become HIV infected, proving circumcision does not prevent HIV infections.

1 comment:

  1. I am a victim of Genital Mutilation .. I was not given a choice! =( Anger is my most powerful emotion !!

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