Circumcision
Most people feel they have their minds made up regarding circumcision. HOWEVER, please do me the favor of watching the circumcision video that can be found at Intact.ca. If you are choosing to circumcise your son, I feel you should at least see the procedure first.
The Truth about Circumcision
Circumcision is more than just a snip of a little piece of skin. Today fewer children are being routinely circumcised than ever before, but that simply is not enough. Most parents do not realize exactly what circumcision entails and simply choose to have their son circumcised because they feel that is the most accepted or even only accepted penis type. I hope that the information and resources provided here are helpful in making an informed decision about this controversial issue.
According to Thomas J. Ritter, MD, and George C. Denniston, MD in Say No to Circumcision! 40 Compelling Reasons, circumcision "removes a piece of skin almost equivalent to a 3 x 5 index card." Even more, one piece of skin "the size of a quarter contains 5 million cells, 12 feet of nerves, 100 sweat glands, 50 nerve endings, and almost 3 feet of blood vessels" according to Ashley Montagu and Floyd Matson in The Human Connection. Putting all of this together, one 3 x 5 index card will hold 15 quarters with room to spare!
*The above information was taken from In Memory of the Sexually Mutilated Child.
What does the foreskin do?
During infancy, the foreskin is attached to the glans (head of the penis) to keep urine and feces out. Throughout life the foreskin keeps the gland soft, moist, and protects from abrasion, trauma and injury by the mucous membranes covering the inside fold. The glans of the penis was intended to be an internal organ, except when aroused, like the female clitoris. Nerve endings in the foreskin also enhance sexual pleasure for the adult man. A significant drop in sexual pleasure and fulfillment is reported by men who were circumcised later in life and have experienced sexual intercourse with foreskin.
It is also important for parents to expel the fears and misinformation surrounding circumcision. Circumcision is an extremely painful and frightening procedure. Even when performed with anesthesia, the process of administering the anesthetic can be painful. Also, in order to perform the procedure, babies have to be tied to a board (called a circumstraint) by having their arms and legs firmly restrained. This in itself is extremely frightening for a newborn baby. Most babies scream uncontrollably or go into shock so they cannot scream.
The most prevalent myths about circumcision are that it prevents male and female cancers, the transfer of STD's, and promotes better hygiene. The truth is that the penis, like the vagina, is made to be self-cleaning when left intact. It is important for parents of intact sons to know that all babies have unretractable foreskins. If you choose to leave your son intact, NEVER retract his foreskin yourself or let anyone else retract it. Your son, through natural play, will retract his foreskin himself usually by age ten. The foreskin is almost always fully retractable by age 18.
IMPORTANT SITES ON CIRCUMCISION:
National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers - Great information including great downloadable brochures as well as a great links section.
In Memory of the Sexually Mutilated Child - Very moving site with great information.
Intact.ca - Most important thing on this site is the downloadable video clip of a circumcision. A must-see for any parent considering circumcision.
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