SO how did you learn?

[NamastePlatypus]

I know that not all of us were lucky enough to be raised in an anti circ enviroment so how did you learn about it.

My lil bro was intact but I didn't know. I thought that is how they looked and then when I saw boys in my teens ( all cut) I though they grew into that.

When pregnant with my first my aunt told me just to look into it before I decided, just like everything else. I thought it was a small snip cut deal that wasn't much. I was horrified with what I learned instead!

Now I am a strong intactivist and pairing with with a good friend to start Arkanasas first NOCIRC:

[becca_howell]

My family is very pro-circ, so I educated myself. I had a few friends online that were anti-circ and when I found out how seriously passionate they were, I figured, "If we agree on other things, we may agree on this." I was NEVER as pro-circ as my parents. The thought of the process of a circ makes me sick. Watching a circ on YouTube was enough to convince me, even before reading all the rhetoric of the pros and cons.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I heard about circ at a pretty early age because of having a older brother who was circed at 3yo and my mom brought up the horrible surgery in the hopes I would remember and circ at birth

I still didnt know exactly what it was just cutting something off the penis. I didnt get the net until 2001 and didnt start researching circ even then but I knew I would never cut on a newborn because: knife + healthy newborn genitals = : to me.

I only learned exactly what was done and how after joining mdc for the cac forum when ds was a little over a month old.

[Fyrestorm]

I unfortunately learned about it at a very young age. I attended a ritual cutting ceremony. I was about 10. Even then it seemed really wrong to say 'Welcome to the world, lets see how loud we can make you scream' then we'll serve weiners in blankets and celebrate all the blood and screaming. I didn't even know what they were doing to this poor baby, I just knew it was wrong.

Then when I actually found out what it was, I almost puked! (i was about 13 at the time) I remember feeling really badly for most of the boys I knew because I understood on some level that they too were tortured in front of friends and family as an infant.

Then, my brother had a boy....that is another thread!

[Marnica]

I researched EVERYTHING to death while pregnant. This was one of them. I had planned on circing. Didn't really think about it. What I learned made me ill. So glad I learned before I had my baby!

[Picturesque]

I took a Human Sexuality course in college in which the topic was discussed. I did further research when pregnant and quickly decided that it wasn't for us. I didn't really know how horrible it is until after ds was several months old and I began reading more about it here. Now I'm the obnoxiously anti-circ mom who approaches both friends and strangers alike and forces them to justify their pro-circ notions.

[AutumnMama]

I was pg with DS1 and my Midwife gave me Dr Fleiss' article "Where is my Foreskin?". I read it and then went online and researched intensively for several days.
That's actually how I came to MDC

[Theia]

Several years ago, I was on a 2 week meditation type course and I met a much older gentleman. He was so kind and we had some really interesting talks over dinners. He is retired and his hobby is hot air ballooning. He said he had written a book on it and wanted to send me a copy. So I receive the book after the course and wondered what would come up if I googled his name. I expected more on hot air balloons, but most of it was about circ, and he was an intactivist! He was a Dr in Seattle and has/had several webpages against circ. His name was Dr George Denniston. Before meeting him, I was not procirc, but I hadn't ever given it much thought as I wasn't planning on being a mom anytime soon. Meeting him and then seeing his webpages convinced me that I wouldn't ever circ. And he did it without speaking a word of it to me and doesn't even know that he did it.

eta: Is he a nocirc celeb in Seattle? I think I remember reading some of his history that understated his role, but I felt like he was a much bigger deal than he was letting on.

[Sk8ermaiden]

Originally Posted by NamastePlatypus

I thought it was a small snip cut deal that wasn't much. I was horrified with what I learned instead!

Me too!!!! Ugh. It really wasn't on my radar at all until I stumbled across Mothering. Any kids of ours wouldn't have been anyway because DH isn't, but I really didn't think it was that big a deal until I learned what it really was.

I got into a brief conversation with my (16 yo) sister two days ago, when she mentioned that the first boy (and only) that she'd "seen" wasn't circ'd, and I mentioned that DH wasn't either and told her what they actually do when they do it. She asked why they do it and I gave her the historical context and then the current cultural brainwashing. She was totally grossed out by the whole idea and I really hope that will be a seed planted that stays with her.

[chaoticzenmom]

My mom was always very pro-circ and would always tell the story of how she couldn't afford to have my brother circed when he was born. He always felt like his foreskin was a sign of our poverty. When I got pregnant, I just assumed I'd circ. if I had a son. My dad wasn't, my brother wasn't and my husband wasn't, but I just assumed that if you could, you did. When it came up during discussions with my husband, he was like "um, no way we're circing our son." And that was that. I didn't argue because I didn't care either way.

My husband was terrified to be giving birth in an Arkansas hospital. He didn't let our son out of his sight for fear that he'd be "accidently" circed. As it turns out, our son was the only one of 8 born that day not circed. Since it was such a routine, I'm glad that my husband was so diligent about keeping an eye on our son. The nurse wasn't happy and made sure to let us know how different we were.LOL

Later, when I realized how nice my son's intact penis is compared to other little boy's penises I saw, I realized how different circed is from intact. I saw little boys with nothing but nubby looking button things that didn't resemble a penis to me. My son was running around naked one day at the age of 2 and a neighbor said "Whoa! that kid is well endowed." It's not that I realized, it's just intact.

[Drummer's Wife]

my mom was strongly against circumcision and has been in the "birthing" business since before I was born. My brothers are intact, so to me, it was normal. I recall reading no circ literature as I got older and only then did I really understand that it was done and that there was activism against it.

I never questioned whether or not I would circ once I got pregnant the first time and didn't have to convince DH of anything. He is also intact.

[My*Scorpio]

I'm from a pro-circ family, and never really thought much about it. When I was pregnant, one of my coworkers told me that she thought it was cruel and unnecessary when she heard I was having a boy. The more that I thought about it, I can't separate how it can be ethical and just to do it to a boy, but illegal/unethical/unjust to do it to a girl. Of course, an adult can do whatever he or she wants to him or herself!

Of course, my mom and aunts all told me that "it has to be done." I just rolled my eyes and ignored them!

[kriket]

When I met my husband his circed penis scared me My ex of many many years was intact so I assumed they all looked like that!

So I guess I never had to learn about being intact, I had to discover circumcision!

I had heard about it, but I didn't think there was such a difference! Dating an intact boy in HS you were occasional privy to the "whats it like" questions and conversations. I was always clueless

[barefootpoetry]

I was VERY mainstream when I was newly pregnant with DS1. I planned on circing him for all the stupid reasons. Two internet friends ganged up on me and beat me over the head with facts until I finally saw the light! And I say that lovingly, because although it did feel like an attack at first, I am very grateful they did it. I've tried to do the same with other expectant moms but unfortunately I haven't had as much luck.

[Arduinna]

First exposure to intactness was as a teen by my boyfriends family, he has much younger sibs that were little intact nekkid toddlers, then much later first hand experience with my intact ex.

[Theoretica]

I grew up really soggy mainstream, but I always thought it was weird to wack off the end of a guy's weiner just because it's there.

Then when DH and I got together he wasn't circ'd, as it's not common in Asia. When I told him my above mentioned theory he laughed and totally agreed. So we've been anticirc ever since. I didn't see the videos etc until I came to MDC, but it's really opened my eyes about how traumatic it is for the bb. It's a shame how rampant and automatic it is in this country.

[Sijae]

I had only ever heard about circ as a jewish thing and really had no idea what it entailed until I was reading a semi-alternative birth book which had a short section on circ. I don't think it had many details but I was pretty horrified to learn that cutting boys genitals was a standard thing for most births. There was never a question in my mind of course. It was a no-brainer. It puzzled me (and still does) how anyone could for a second consider it in any way reasonable. Now I have studied circ extensively and am more horrified than ever because I know "exactly" what is involved.

My kids were all born at home and I've never seen an OB so I've never encountered any kind of pressure to circ. I also avoid seeing boys being changed unless I know it is "safe" (I get very upset to see a circ'd baby).

I don't know what my brother and sister would have done without my "trail-blazing" (my brother is circ'd to my mothers regret) but I had the first baby (a boy) and none of my nephews have been circ'd so we are a 100% intact family in the next generation (including my cousins kids)! A total of 9 intact boys

Laura

[LiLStar]

My nephew was born 2 days before I turned 14. His penis looked different, and I was kinda scared to ask why. Eventually I figured out that either every other penis I'd seen was circumcised and his was not, or vice versa. But I wasnt sure if he was cut or not! I was scared to ask. Thinking about it I figured that since I saw him at an hour old, they probably would not have done it THAT early, so he was probably intact. When my 2nd nephew was born (different parents) and WAS circumcised, it definitely confirmed my thoughts since it was all red and raw and bandaged.

One day when I was probably 16ish? I was walking down the street kinda pondering it. Here's what I knew
-proponents of circ claim that its "cleaner" and prevents infections
-its controversial, and plenty of people are against it
-circing is the "norm" thus those who refuse it are going against the grain

So, I kinda figured I needed to decide which side I was going to be on. It all boiled down to common sense and logic. Did I believe that boys were born with a part of their body that, for their health, NEEDED to be removed? That just didn't make sense. And that was that, I decided that I definitely would not circ any sons I had. When I actually learned more about it online, it only made me feel more strongly opposed. Another helpful source for cementing my opinion was reading circ debate boards. most of the pro-circ arguments seemed so irrational and ridiculous to me, and even the ones that didn't and were easily refuted by the anti-circ side.

[urchin_grey]

I didn't learn until DS was nearly a year old. Thankfully, we did not circ at birth because of his birth defects and the hospital he was born at never asked. If they had asked, we probably would have gone ahead and did it. Then when he had surgery on his feet at 3mo, we were going to have a ped urologist do a circ while he was already under but the doc didn't show. So after that, we just said "well, we'll get it done eventually". But then I learned the truth because someone on the americanbaby.com forums had a pro-intact blinky in her siggy. I thought to myself "hmm, so there are other uncirc'd babies out there by CHOICE?". I had no idea! Everyone in my family is circ'd, that I know of. And then maybe a few weeks later, that same mama posted a link to a webside of a doctor that did foreskin restoration. It wasn't even an anti-circ site at all, just a medical site on the anatomy and what is lost during circ, and what you can gain back with restoration. I was horrified that I ever considered taking that away from my son, horrified that I didn't know something so simple, and horrified that it was taken from my son's dad. I made him sit down and read that page and within 2 minutes, he got up and said "yeah, we're not doing that to him" and walked off. So luckily, I didn't have to fight with him on the issue or anything. Now my family, that's another story! Because of what I learned though, my sister is also pro-intact and has an intact 17mo.

[MommytoB]

I knew nothing of circumcision even after I met my son's father I didn't think I really realized at the moment that he is intact . I just thought all penis proably looked different because no one ever mentioned word foreskin and I heard the word uncut when I was younger but thought that meant something else.

The mention of circumcision was directed to me as it was done to baby boys before they left the hospital that was from my mom.

When I saw shows especially the seinfeld one getting his thumb cut after the baby was supposed to get circ it made me cringe but still my brother said it will have to get done if you have a boy.

I say I'm lucky my son's father is with a foreskin because I just hope I would have researched it if he wasn't because I always liked reading up on medical stuff in book stores.

Anyways, I was knowing with my son's father being intact even putting in words how to clean/care for a uncircumcized penis thinking i would have to pull it back and clean under.

It showed I didn't so I was at many boards and started reading circumcision discussions at the time i was like didn't care if someone did it or didn't do it til I saw that so many people were passionately against it and it was causing a debate between those who were for it .

So out of my curiousity I looked up the information circumcision and found truly what it was and I'm like horrified and shocked that lil baby boys were treated like that.

After realizing that I became against it mentioned it to my mom that i wasn't circumcising but she was like you better using all these scare tatics that he is gonna have so much issues with his foreskin, have diseases, infections and she even used the he's not gonna get any dates with a foreskin . I'm like Laughing so bad at her talking here I'm pg by a guy who has a foreskin who hasn't had any issues at the time he was 37 when brendan was born-10 yrs older than me and here i had first hand experience but she told me I better research it more.

My mom didn't really hush up til i mentioned that her twin brother didn't like being circumcised .

But I'm for sure if my mom knew what was done involving circumcision she would be with out rage because my mom just sees it as if doctors allow it that it must not be that bad but she's not gonna research it because she doesn't need to learn about it!

So I'm for sure my brother/sil are gonna end up circumcising a boy if they have one no matter what information I give them.

My brother is circumcised and i just hope maybe since I left my boy intact and he has had no issues for 5 yrs maybe he will say No but they are not strong enough as I am to fight the abnormal cultural society.

I will find out what they are having at the end of this month so I'm hoping for a girl but I doubt it.

I saw their u/s picture at 13 wks and was thinking I saw something as in what would be considered to be a boy since i seen what boys look like in u/s.