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| Circumcision |
| For years the medical profession has come up with many resons to support and encourage the tradition of circumcision. A few examples of these reasons are curing insanity, lowering risk of cancer, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), stopping masterbation, and lowering chances of unrinary tract infections (UTIs). Circumcision is the surgeical removal of the forskin of the penis. In the Jewish tradition this may happen at a blessing ceremony called a "bris" when the child is 8 days old. The tradition of circumsicion began a long time ago when humans were moving from a herd mentality to the start of self awarness. At this time in history guilt and sexual shame were rampant. Sex was dirty, women were dirty, and babies were dirty as the result of sex. The only way a baby could be "cleansed" was to be cleansed of the sins of their mothers by either baptism or circumsicion. Humanity has grown beyong this barbraric mentality. Women are no longer considered "unclean" in most cultures. Science is proving this procedure to be unnecssary and possiably harmful to infant health. Despite these modern revelations millions of men are still circumcised today. Many Africans, Americans, Jews, and Muslims still being circumcised. Many people are unaware of the impact and danger of circumcision. Religious leaders and doctors are still misinforming people with inaccurate "studies" and false statistics. Many medical organisations, such as the Amaerican Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Pediatric Uriologists Association, and American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology have stated that there is no reason for routine circumsicion in infants. Also, there are many dangers assoicated with circumcision. According to Frank Garcia, an anti-circumcision adovocate, every day at least one hundred infant circumcisions will result in complications, penile loss, irrvesable surgical trama, and even death. Half of all infants circumcised will have meatal ulceration, or inflamation of of the urinary opening. Meatal ulceration does not occur in infants left in tact. This condition occurs because when the forskin is absent, the delicate glans is constantly exposed to urine, abrasive dipers, and feces. Along with the aformentioned dangers of circumcision, there are also sexual effects. The removal of the foreskin destroys millions of nerve endings that are important to sexual satifaction. Along with the forskin the glans is also affected. It's been estimated that about 75% of the nerve ending in the glans are destroyed in the years after circumcision due to rubbing of the glans against rough clothing. Not only this, but circumcision is an extremely painful procdure, and is preformed without anestetic. The lack of anestetic is because anestetics have not been tested or apporved safe for infants under six months. In fact, anestetics are very dangerious to children this age. Among Jews this tradition has been debated for years, it is really necessary? In Europe many Jews have abandoned this practice considering it barbaric and unnecessary. However, among American Jews questioning circumcision seems to be the ultimate taboo. Some anit-circumcision Jewish writers specualte that the reason for this is "circumcision is seen as a symbolic loyalty oath stating that one belongs to the Jewish tribe. It is easier to do so by circumcising one's son than by demanding of oneself to pray three times a day or to observe the dietary laws or the Shabbat each week." (Nelly Karsenty). Another theory is that the tradition of circumcision is a major way in which Judaism is different from Christianity. Some Jews may feel abandoning circumcision is an embracing of Christianity. Other Jews may simply believe that circumcision is mandeated by God. Some of these, such as Dr. Henry Rombery, may insist upon tradition methods such as the use of fingernails for cutting instruments and taking the bleeding penis into the mouth to suck the blood. Many non-Jewish families circumcise their sons. There are many reasons for this, but among many are the myths of cleanliness and disease. Quoting the AAP "Circumcision is not essential to a child's well-being at birth, even though it does have some peotential medical benefits. These benefits are not compelling enough to warrant the AAP to recommned routine newborn circumcision. Instead, we encourage partents to discuss the benefits and risks of circumcision with their pediatrician, and then make an informed decision about what is in the best interest of their child." - Carole Lannon, M.D., MPH, FAAP, chair of the AAP's Taks Force on Circumcision. Circumcision is not a Western tradition. In the Roman and Greek cultures laws were passed to outlaw circumcision when people of the Middle East came in contact with these cultures. In later times the Catholic Chruch passed many such laws. In America the tradition of circumcision began in the Victorian era when some select doctors began circumcising boys as punishment for masterbation. Eventually circumcision was a "cure" for many conditions. Even in the 1970s medical books were recommending circumcisions as a way to prevent masterbation. Incidently, masterbation is the natural occurance of young men coming into sexual maturity. The forskin is a very important part of male gentalia. To stress how important this organ is, it is the equivilant of the female clitorius, which is the part that is cut off in female circumcision. Without clitoral stimulation a woman cannot orgasm, though this is not true for males, the forskin is extremely important for sexual enjoyment. The foreskin has many other, nonsexual functions also. A very important function of the foreskin is that of protection. The foreskin protects the glans and keeps it's surface soft, sensative, moist, maintains pH balance, optimatal warmth, and cleanliness. The glans has no sebaceous glands (glands that produce sebum, or oil, that moisturises skin) and the foreskin produces sebum for the surface of the glans. Second, immunological defense is yet another function of the foreskin. The mucous membranes lining the body are the first line of defense against disease, glands in the forskin produce antibacterial and antiviral proteins like lysozyme. Next, erogenous sensitivity is also part of the foreskin's job. It is as sensative as the fingertips or lips of the mouth and contains more specialised nerve receptors than any other part of the penis; that can sense motion, subtle temperature changes, and fine gradataions of texture. Also, the foresking provides coverage during erection. As an erection occurs, the penile shaft becomes longer and thicker; the double-layers of the foreskin provide the necessary skin for the expanded organ and allows the penile skin to glide freely, smoothly, and pleasurably over the shaft and glans. Another important function is that of self-stimulating sexual functions due to it's double-layered sheath that lets the penile shaft skin to glide back and forth over the penile shift, all the way or almost back to the base of the penis and slipped forward beyond the glans. The wide range of motion is how the penis and orgasmic triggers in the foresking, glans, and frenulum are stimulated. Other functions are those involved in sexual intercourse. The foreskin makes possiable smooth, gentle movement between the mucosal surfaces of two partners during intercourse. It enable the penis to slip in and out nonabrasively inside a sheath of self-lubricating, movable skin and stimulates the female by moving pressure rather than friction. Cleanliness is not an issue for the uncircumcised child. When the penis is left in tact is needs no special care, it is not advisable to retract a child's foreskin and wash the glans. All the is needed to keep the penis clean is immersion in plain water durning a bath, for it is self-cleansing. There are studies that suggest is is best to not use soap on the glans or foreskin's inner fold as forcibly retracting and washing a baby's foreskin will destroy beneficial bacterial flora that protect the penis from harmful germs and can lead to irrittation and infection. The best way to care for a baby's intact penis is the leave it alone. After puberty, males can gently rinse their glans and foreskin with warm water according to self-determined needs. My personal view on circumcision is that it is not a healthy practice. If whatever god you believe in, or we as humans have evolved then why would it be there if it is unimportant? There are many vestigial organs in our bodies such as wisdom teeth, body hair, and the appendex, but I do not believe the foreskin is one of them. We as humans have evolved as we have for a reason, or our gods have made us the way we are for a reason, it is not our job to go messing with that. Also, there are many risks involved in any surgeical procedure ecspecially with a newborn. Our children are in enough danger from the outside world without us exposing them and their genitalia to extra threats. If you are still unsure about circumcision or merely curious I have provided a link that shows a circumcision being preformed. I enourage you to take a look, however painful it may be. If you are going to have this done to your child, you have a right to see what will happen to him and what you are asking for beforehand. View a Circumcision |