HIV and Circumcision.

removing the tonsils and appendix used to be a regular childhood surgery. Its just a matter of time before circumcision goes the same way in the “need to only” type of surgery.

Hopefully this barbaric practice of mutilating male genitals will end soon.

It’s hard to explain any of this to people that think it’s the “right thing” to do. They also don’t understand why I [a girl, lacking a penis,] care about this subject in the least bit haha.

The same people who approve of male circumcision recoil in horror when they hear about girls having their clitori and labias chopped off. Ain’t it a world. ~

a hysterectomy vs. circumcision is rather different. men can still reproduce with that procedure. i’m not saying i disagree with you. i understand your point of view. i just wanted to point out the extreme difference. btw: your entries are fascinating.

agreed.

The way I see it is thus: if circumcision as it is performed now were done to adults, that is, without their consent, it would rightly be called sexual assault. How is it any different (or better) when done to infants?

*giggles* Sorry to be immature, this made me giggle. It makes sense. I never quite understood the point of circumcision. I feel a little less idiotic, knowing there isn’t one.

Cancer of the penis is three times more common among uncircumcised men than circumcised men, among whom the disease is virtually nonexistent. There are more medical reasons than STD’s and masturbation. I have an idea why don’t we go after parents who pierce their child’s ears! It’s mutilation too isn’t it?

I’m female and this is a sore subject for me. As this is mainly an American thing now. My x hubby was English and that wasn’t a common practice there. Not to mention the procedure is barbaric. Anyway awesome entry.

^^ Three times a ‘virtually nonexistent’ number isn’t really a huge figure itself, either.

All I know about circumcision is, as a Jew, I know that the males are required to be. I do not think it will be “faded out” as a religious practice, and we do not see it as mutilation. Besides, it’s a religious ceremony done when the baby is 8 days old – hardly traumatizing! – and it is in no way a “major operation”. It is done by a trained professional with a small razor and the whole thing takesall of a minute.

I second puffin, Fire Faerie. Penile cancer is extremely rare. Your argument is like saying we should remove the breasts of all women because then breast cancer would be mostly nonexistent. And breast cancer rates are MUCH higher than penile cancer rates.

I see what you’re saying and I agree with talking to your children and educating them about sex and masturbation. I know I will. However, circumcision is elective, at least where I live. My parents didn’t really give us much of a sex talk but its very apparent now that it needs to be done in detail these days. Great entry. maybe it will make some parents think more about it. Kudos!

this entry is on the front page for reader’s choice you’re famous!

RYN: It’s a little bit hard to give a mastectomy to an infant seeing as how they don’t have breasts. Rare or not it is still a valid medical reason. Especially in families prone to cancer.

I am in favor of circumcision. But hey, that is my opinion. It has been found through research to help slow the spread of AIDS and HIV. It does not prevent it. As you say, ultimately education is the answer to prevent the spread of these diseases. I agree it should be a voluntary thing, not mandatory. Where I live the doctor asked. If a doctor told me it was required, I probably would have changed doctors just because this is a personal choice and not a choice I want a doctor to make for me. In some cultures though women are still subjugated. Men have no respect for women and women are treated as if they have no rights. Circumcision is one way to slow the spread of disease as these men will not use any protection. To them it is unmanly. Again, ignorance and cruelty.

wow. amazing how small minded people really are, isn’t it? as for penile cancers, come on! cancer is capable of spreading to every part of the body. or even being found there for that matter. so lets just say that as soon as baby is conceived, we abort it. that way we don’t have to worry about it getting ANY diseases whatsoever. geez people, grow up! circumcision is barbaric, religiously or not. the foreskin isn’t hurting anyone, especially the person it’s on. and for babies, there’s little to no required care for it. people talk about educating themselves regarding breastfeeding and all that. why not educate themselves when it comes to this as well?? newborn penises do not require ANY attention whatsoever. retracting the foreskin when they’re that long can cause permanent damage. therefore, it’s not dirty to keep it. timmy, people on this site are stupid. period.

ryn I do, especially after learning that the foreskin has the most nerves in the penis. ~

I couldn’t agree more, the whole concept is ridiculous. It drives me nuts that so many people think circ’ing is no big deal. The Jewish cat ^^up there seems to think it’s ok with the religion excuse, but I bet they’d be singing a different tune if a new religion that required girls to have their clits hacked off at 8 days old popped up. Just because it’s an old tradition doesn’t mean it’s ok. Chopping off people’s hands as punishment for theft is an “old tradition”, but that doesn’t make it right. It’s still barbaric.

*claps* when i got pregnant and found out i was popping out a boy, i didn’t know where i stood on this issue. i researched and researched and researched some more. what i came up with disgusted me – there was no reason whatsoever to mutilate my perfect infant sons penis. i’m very proud of my decision. i detest the excuse “well if i don’t circ then my son will wonder why he looks different then theother boys.” argh.

lol I can’t believe there are even THIS many people up in arms against circumcision. What in the world makes you think it was begun as a cure for masturbation? I’m glad I’m circumcised. definitely do what you want though, lol.

American’s don’t want to face the fact that circ. is unessisary mutilation because then they’d have to deal with the idea that THEY themselves were violated so deeply, or allowed their child to be. Another thing people don’t take into consideration is that those numbers are reflective of men (in Africa!) who contract HIV through heterosexual sex while in the U.S. the top two forms of HIV transmission are gay sex and dirty needles. For that reason, circumcision would have little impact here. Also, the studies that supposedly show that circumcision can slow the trasnission of AIDS are not conclusive. Many of the men who chose to undergo circumcision went off the grid and were no longer considered in the study, therefore it’s impossible to determine whether or not it actually prevented them from contracting HIV at all. It’s nuts to me that people would base a decision as important as that on such studies. fun fact: A man is more likely to develop breast cancer than penile cancer. Circumcised or not.

Dont know why they still remove foreskins ? Used to be for religeous reasons A tradition Still dont why ? Close contact such as kissing or touching a person NON sexual can transfer HIV not just sexual intercourse Worked in hospitals Gowns Masks and gloves were always worn whne treating HIV patients for that reason

this was readers choice…interesting

ryn: yeah, my friend has had it several times and they finally decided to take them out after the 5th round. yeesh.

Circumcision should be a choice an adult male can make for himself. Anyone that thinks Circumcision will prevent HIV/AIDS is silly in my opinion since having sex with a person infected is caused by their sperm and precum. Do men that are circumcised not cum? I am not a man so I had to ask that last question and I have never been with a man that was uncircumcised.

I had my son a month ago come the 24th. Everyone I knew, aside from my mother that is, has the same feelings about circumcision.. They wanted me to do it. Even my son’s father wanted it done. I however, do not. I don’t want to put my newborn through that and from a girls point of view.. it doesn’t matter what the penis looks like.. as long as you know how to use it. If my son wants it done later in life, so be it.. but it will be his choice. Case closed. I really think this is the most interesting entry I’ve read in a long time. Hope you don’t mind I’m adding you to my favorites. Ciao for now X’s and O’s ~S~

I’m circumcised, and I’m glad my parents had it done. Mainly ’cause I think it looks good!

just so you know, you inspired me to be vocally opposed to circumcision ages and ages ago. your anger on the subject was more galvanizing than dating an uncut dude (and being a big fan of the intact penis). people are stupid, but it’s always worth it to at least try to educate them. keep it up, timmy.

I highly recommend to ANYONE to watch Penn & Teller’s Bullshit episode on Circumcision. If you watch and see what your baby’s penis will look like before/during/after circumcision, I sure hope to god that you will change your mind of getting it done to your baby. It will turn you away from the thought of ever wanting to put your baby through that. It is horrific, pointless, and wrong.

I thought circumcision helped prevent cancer and other diseases in the man’s partner.

Assuming the man’s partner is a woman. I have no idea what it would do for another male.

I may not know much about the subject, but circumcision DOES decrease uropathegenic organisms to 0% (http://www.springerlink.com/content/wfaruqt6q505pcye/). I do agree that a key component in reducing STDs is education and protection. Also, masturbation doesn’t need a “cure”. To Naturescurl: how exactly would the effects of circumcision be any different for gay sex than hetero?

i feel absolutely cheated that i was circumcised as a baby! IF i have son, he will NOT be cut at all! I cant believe how some of the readers still believe this is a good thing. There are prolly the same people who believe in the sky spirit. The cutting of foreskin is not painless procedure and babies go into shock after getting cut. they recover quickly but there are infections and sometimes veryrarely death has accured due to shock or infections. Wake up people and smell the year 2009 and 509! Lets leave the backwards religions and thier practices behind us.

I do think you have a very good point. Being an english woman, rates of circumcision over here are only done [i believe] for religious reasons. But circumcision is not something that is majorly talked about – because its not something that our “main” religious practice. I’ve yet to sleep with an circumcised man! With Sex and Masturbation it helps with the friction and the feeling of it! Iveheard stories that circumsised men get sore-r during sex due to lack of foreskin! But thats only hear-say! My kids if I have guys wont be circumsised! I believe that its their own choice if they want it doing, but I have no reason for them to have it done anyway!

Good good. Very intersting entry.

very interesting. i saw you in readers choice. I guess I had never given it a whole heap of thought. If I have a son I wouldn’t have it done because I don’t see a point. I can respect it as a religious practice – I don’t see Judaism as a “backwards religion” as one noter described it. As for HIV … well that does sound just downright silly! And I do agree that talking to your children is a much more effective solution than any sort of surgury.

I don’t think most people in the U.S. atleast have their kid get circumsion because of the fear of HIV. The people I’ve talked to usually blame it on cosmetics with the occasional religious reasons. Most of what I get is “A kid’s penis should look like his dad’s.” The story I believe you’re referring to is mostly based on Africa. And it says it can decrease risks, not remove them altogether. In a culture where men are wildly promiscuous and the leaders themselves say there’s no real threat, any little thing helps. It’s not that they’re uneducated either. Just indifferent.

ryn: Yes, that is pretty much true, but you can’t get your heart rate over 130, 140. What an odd entry you ended up reading from my diary… heh heh. Yes well.

I like all these people debating back and forth about whether or not it’s good or bad. In the end, it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. As it stands right now in the US, circumcision is a personal choice made by the parents, not some creeper on OD. My son is cut, and I’m glad he is. Just like my husband is glad HE’S cut. Your entry, in the end, says very little – ok, theAIDS study was done in Africa, not very relevant here. And? You really think that’s the only reason anyone circ’s? You think that’s the only study that’s ever been done? You think you just changed everybody’s mind? Yeah, bravo. And just FYI, we DO preemptively remove things. My MIL had her breasts removed because of the SEVERE risk of cancer she had. My friend’s mom had her uterus removed because they thought she was developing uterine cancer. My cousin just had a hysterectomy because every other woman in our family has had to have one. Blah blah blah – in the end, the choice isn’t yours to make.

one noter said that i called Judism a backwards religion. I did, but I am calling all of them backwards. God is a delusion, but that is another topic. one noter said that she was glad her husband and her son a cut. Assuming she lives in the us, thats the standard practice is circumcision. Most people get it done becuase it just is that. standard practice. another noter had said that she heard men get sore from the friction sometimes and yes we do. I also have to go harder than I need too sometimes(and thats ok sometimes). there really is less pleasure from sex after getting cut. The agurments that it helps in not getting disease is crap, it lessens sex pleasure and TBH your cutting skin off for astectic reasons. Take the whole baby home from the hospital!

The religious aspect of circumcision is a very valid one. It’s very close-minded for a person to say that one’s religious views and traditions don’t matter. Some people’s lives are completely focused on their faith. For someone to say they need to renounce their faith and traditions because someone else (who most likely isn’t part of that faith) says their traditions are barbaric is just stupid.

Great entry! I made the HUGE mistake of getting my first baby circ’d.. I married a Jew and his family was up in arms and so was he about the fact he should be cut.. so I went along with it. (I was 19 and willfully ignorant on the subject).. I was THERE. and it was horrific. Just horrific. Screw ANY religion that demands mutilation. Some people use Islam to justify cutting people’s heads off. When my second son was born 20 months later he was NOT CUT.. and he’s almost 16 years old and thanks me for that. I will NEVER get the horror my poor little baby went through due to MY ignorance out of my mind. No anesthesia. nothing. I’m all for the choice… even if a boy at 13 wants to be cut and knows the risk then more power to him.. but let it be HIS choice…

.. and guess what.. My husband’s family (and my X husband) still totally accept my son, foreskin and all. Seriously, the religious argument is just SOOOO ridiculous. Makes me want to pull my hair out.

ryn: Are you honestly trying to tell me that you mourn your foreskin? Please.

i thought about the restoration but i wont do it. i dont want to do the surgury or the skin stretching. i just wont put my son (if i have one) through the pain of a circ.

I will never circumsize any baby boy I ever have because of you. Not that I’ll ever have a baby, but you have written so intelligently about this subject over a long period of time that you have educated me. Go on, Timmy.

ryn, absolutely.. and especially if they held their precious baby down while someone tortured them like I did. I’ve actually heard some women argue it was just fine claiming to have been there when it was done. That really scares me.. who are these women with no connection to their children? To be fair, I’ve heard that in a religious briss, rabbis use a different method than the drs in a hospital. but still…. it is mutilation. It seriously haunts me almost 18 years later.

re: to be honest, i have no idea. i was circumsized at birth and that was the only reason i was. *shrugs* it really makes little difference to me. – noah

Husband is circ’ed and he’s happy with it. To each their own. I don’t like it when people degrade others for their choices, on both sides of the issue.

Got here via RC. It’s a personal choice that should be made within a family – just like anything else involving one’s body. Sorry, but I don’t believe people should get to have input on this sort of thing. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, sure – but if anyone ever tries to TELL me one way or the other, and then call me names and put me down for whatever choice I make, I very likely won’t listen. Why? Because anyone who can’t debate without insulting the other side obviously lacks intelligence and therefore their opinion cannot be taken into consideration.

They look nicer circumcised, someone had to say it.