Genital Mutilation

[spathiphyllum]

I've said many times how many young boys have their genitalia mutilated. I usually bring up this fact during discussions about Female Genitalia Mutilation and people suppress the fact it happens to males. yes it may be in better conditions and circumstances, but it still happens.

Now the BBC is reporting on it. -> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-47292307

Circumcision is normalised. Should it be?

[spathiphyllum]

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/cpsprodpb/33D0/production/_106346231_circumcision624x340.gif

[ummmm]

It happens a lot in the US.

It can be for health reasons. My daughters cousin was circumcised because he kept getting an infection.

Chopping off a bit of skin is completely different to FGM. Maybe you should study what they actually do to females.

[spathiphyllum]

This isn't about females, maybe you shouldn't compare them?

[Calicogirl]

No in my opinion it shouldn't be, but nor is the information suppressed, it's readily available and common knowledge. Is male circumcision comparable with female circumcision- no it's not, which is why FGM gets more press, but plenty of people elect not to circumcise their sons even amongst the Jewish community, so the disdain of it is spreading.

[Sqad]

By "normalised" do you mean that ALL males should be circumcised?
If you do, then the answer is NO.

If you mean are there indications for circumcision then the answer is probably.....Yes.

Tight foreskin causing symptoms (phimosis) gets a yes from me.
Retracted tight foreskin ( Paraphimosis) also gets a yes from me.

Operation on religious grounds doesn't bother me one way or another.

[spathiphyllum]

Sqad i'm talking about doing it because it's a social norm.

[hc4361]

My life was vastly improved after I was circumcised for medical reasons as an adult.
That this young man committed suicide is tragic, but who knows how he would have dealt with his situation had he not had the procedure - he had it because he was having problems with his penis.

[spathiphyllum]

For example, in Nigeria 95% of men are circumcised. I'm not sure why though, i'm sure we can all think of a reason or two.

But then in Korea 60%?? That's still a huge majority.

Then we look at the UK, a rather civilised developed country.. only 8.5%

[ummmm]

You mentioned it, Spath!

Do you know what they do to females? There are different types of mutilation!

A boy missing his foreskin, done with real doctors, in a hygienic environment....you're comparing the two.

[spathiphyllum]

Medical reasons, are perfectly justified.

[Sqad]

I didn't know circumcision was a social norm, but if you say it is and your graph seems suggest it may well be, then, no, I don't think that it should be.

[spathiphyllum]

Ummmm read my OP a bit more slowely. " I usually bring up this fact during discussions about Female Genitalia Mutilation and people suppress the fact it happens to males. yes it may be in better conditions and circumstances, but it still happens. " "yes it may be in better conditions and circumstances, but it still happens. "

"a boy missing his foreskin" how can boys miss something that was stolen from them at birth??

[spathiphyllum]

Sqad ,it's not in england by any means. In america, most men are circumcised. A lot of films suggest the females prefer it also, because it's a norm.

[Calicogirl]

Aesthetically penises are interesting, you can have very beautiful ones and very ugly ones, much like their female counterparts I imagine, that can be true whether they are circumcised or not.

[ummmm]

But bringing FGM into your post suggests you're comparing the two.

Many boys are not circumcised as a baby.

[spathiphyllum]

Of course. And not for one moment am i saying MGM is in any way comparable to FGM. FGM is obviously a lot worse, more harmful and barbaric.

But I do feel MGM is something to be aware of especially because of how normalised it is.

[hc4361]

The BBC also reported that circumcision reduces the risk of HIV and other STDs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/782656.stm

[spathiphyllum]

"Many boys are not circumcised as a baby."

That doesn't matter, because many are.

[Calicogirl]

But the principle behind male circumcision is not to deprive the male of sexual pleasure whereas that is a fundamental reason for female circumcision, it's an attempt to control girl's behaviour amongst other things.

[MWG14]

My wife had to plead for our son to be left alone when he was born in Australia. He was going to be circumcised as a matter of course.