CIRCUMCISION: His PENIS, His CHOICE

In light of various articles and studies discussing this topic, I decided it was time for me to voice my opinion on Circumcision as well. Let me first state that this topic of discussion has always been VERY personal to me. Even though I am pro-choice when it comes to male infant circumcision my thoughts on this topic are not meant to persuade folks toward or away from Circumcision. Circumcision is an important topic to me for three main reasons. The first is that I am a MAN. The second is that I have a penis (a very large penis at that HAHAHAHAHA) that I use to have sex with an absolutely gorgeous woman most every night . And third which is perhaps the most important is that my wife just made me a father of a healthy baby boy which brings our total to three children, two daughters and a son. With those points made, I believe circumcision is a male's decision, more specifically the male whose penis is on the chopping block (play on words intended). Similar to the way that the choice of having an abortion should ultimately be made by a woman. I believe when a male is old enough to completely and fully comprehend what the act of Circumcision entails, he should then be left to choose if Circumcision is what's best for him and his penis. This issue has personal and deeply moral positions tied to it, so before we dive into the discussion of whether it is the boy or parents choice to make, let's look at the history and the procedures of Circumcision. Circumcision can be traced all the way back to ancient Africa, the cradle of civilization, more specifically the Egyptian culture. The ritual was performed commonly as a religious sacrifice. In various tribes it was done as a rite of passage from boy to manhood. In a more sinister act it was performed as a way to humiliate enemies and slaves. Back then it was believed that it was also performed to weaken the man's desires and ability to perform sexually or enjoy sexual pleasure, the equivalent to what is called genital mutilation in present times. But what is circumcision exactly?! I'm glad you asked but feel sorry to tell you that a Circumcision is the act of forcibly removing the natural intact foreskin that covers the glands and head of the male penis by painfully cutting it off. In adult males the process requires anesthetics to assist in pain management during the surgical removal. Four to six weeks is also required for the penis to fully heal for sexual intercourse and masturbation to resume. With infant baby boys the process is similar except the child is physically restrained to a table with straps preventing the movement of their arms and legs. Pacifiers are giving in an attempt to soothe them during the painful surgery. The process of removing the foreskin is extremely painful regardless if performed on the male in his infancy or in his adulthood. The healing time however for an infant is seven to ten days which is considerably shorter than the recovery time for an adult male. Now that we have briefly explored the history and saw the visual process involved with Circumcision, perhaps we have the proper information to now begin the debate on male infant circumcision. 

 Lets step out of the past and into the future now. As a parent if you decide to circumcise your baby boy for religious beliefs this topic is not for you. If you choose circumcision because of an emergent issue affecting your infant's immediate penis health, then this topic is also not for you. However if you are a parent that believes circumcision will make your son healthier or it will be more visually appealing then you should take a seat on the front row because THIS TOPIC IS SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU. Lets bring this topic down to it's most basic divide...choice. Infant circumcision is a decision solely made by the parents and guardians of the baby boy. Even though the baby cannot verbalize his thoughts about the matter HE is the one that will have to live with the effects of either remaining naturally intact or having his penis surgically altered. Infant male Circumcision is performed more in the United States than in other country in the world. Which is odd because the main religion is Christianity not Muslim or Jewish which practice Circumcision as a covenant corresponding to their religious beliefs. So if not for religious reasons why would circumcision need to be performed? Perhaps for medical reasons then. There was once a thought in the less-informed years that removing the foreskin made the penis cleaner and prevented diseases such as Syphilis from spreading. As recently as the present day some parents are told that circumcision reduces the risk of penile cancer and UTI's (Urinary Tract Infections) in their baby boys. Unfortunately that is a partial truth. The likely hood of developing penile cancer is so minute that if it does occur it doesn't end well for either the uncircumcised or circumcised male. How about UTI's then?! Even though UTI's are more common in children under the age of two. Baby girls are 8% more likely than baby boys 2% in developing a UTI. So based on those statistics parents should be circumcising, correction allowing their baby girls to have their genitals mutilated to keep them healthy. That's barbaric and disgusting you say?! But if girls have numerous folds and crevices shouldn't they also have their clitoris and labia's cut off in the same name of cleanliness?! HELL NO!!! You say?! So why are parents using that as an excuse to cut on their baby boy's penis?! Thankfully as medical knowledge has advanced there has not been a proven case in which circumcision (infant male or female) has prevented the person from contracting diseases or enjoying a healthier life. Oh what about that "study" in Africa about how circumcising adult males prevented the spread of HIV/AIDS to their partners?! Oh yeah about that...ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! How many baby boys are having sexual intercourse at 3 days old? How many infant males are spreading HIV/AIDS and other STD's to their "friends with benefits"?! Yeah that should be a great reference tool for you to use in deciding whether to go all "Freddy Krueger" on your newborn son. If male circumcision is such a revolutionary way to prevent the spread of SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES how is it that in the United States of America, which has the HIGHEST RATE of circumcised males, one can also consistently find the HIGHEST NUMBERS OF HIV/AIDS and other STD's CASES among it's adult population in the WORLD?! Where as in Europe and other countries with relatively high numbers of uncircumcised adult males the HIV/AIDS and STD's numbers are extremely low...Riddle me that Dr. Dumbass?!

 So again what reasons would a parent have to cut their newborn baby boy's penis if not for parental religious beliefs or emergency medical necessity? Could it be cosmetic? Does a surgically altered penis look better than a natural penis? Does a cut penis perform better sexually than an uncut penis? If that is the only valid question that a parent is asking before deciding on a painful surgery inflicted on their infant son, a young boy that wont even be able to become sexually active for at least 12 years, then that baby boy is in for way worse from his parents. Shouldn't he be left to make that determination once he actually understands what his penis's purpose is?! My father showed me how to wash and groom myself as a young boy so having a dirty penis was never an issue. As I got older he explained to me the changes my body was feeling and what my penis was ultimately for. He showed me how to properly use condoms (which actually ARE proven to reduce the transmission of diseases as opposed to circumcision) once I became of sexual activity age and mindset. I asked him once why we looked different "down there". He told me "My parents made a choice for me when I was a baby, but God made you a certain way so it will be YOUR choice to remain that way or change it if you want." Honestly I didn't know what the hell he was talking about until I got older and started having sex. As with most lessons learned, I learned about my "visual difference" from a girl that I was having sexual relations with. But to her it wasn't a difference, we laughed when she told me "I don't care what it looks like as long as it doesn't burn me (give me an STD), get me pregnant and it stays up for the task. It's alright with me!" And the more encounters I shared with different women of different backgrounds, different beliefs the more I realized how absolutely correct she was. Grown men and women have preferences regarding the body types they prefer for sex. They have that right to choose what they like. As infants it doesn't matter because neither infant males nor females are remotely concerned with the design of what's in their diapers. Which begs the question why are adults so obsessed about it?! As a parent or guardian if you are NOT making the choice to circumcise your son based on proven medical evidence that will benefit him or due to the beliefs of your religion what other reason would you really have to subject your baby boy to an unnecessary surgically cosmetic procedure. Would you give your baby girl breast implants just because you think it may help her self-steam as she crawls around in her onesie? And even if it is religious based...is it really fair to force your beliefs on him in such a physically non-reversible way?! All I am suggesting is considering your son's feelings on the matter. Because as I watch my own son wiggle, squirm and sleep in his nursery bed I finally understand what my father meant about choice. I realize as his father there will be decisions I will make that can ultimately affect his life well after I am dead and gone. But circumcision isn't one of them. That is one decision that my son can make for himself when he is ready. And regardless of his decision whether he chooses to be natural or surgical I know it will be a decision that HE WILL HAVE MADE using his own information, based on his own beliefs and understandings. Cause in the end when it comes to my baby boy and circumcision, it's his penis, his choice.


Be Safe. Be Blessed.
TWIL