"It's not just about whether circumcision hurts (which it does) or whether it has multiple risks (which it does). It's about the loss of the foreskin, and the complete change in the way the penis looks, feels, and functions." Quirky
I thought that should be repeated, its not as simple as pain now, or possible trauma later. Its a loss of a body part that is there for a reason, so there should be a very good reason to lose it.
Even if you look at pro-circ info for research you will find that every decade or so another "benefit" to circumcision is promoted. UTI's are almost unheard of in intact breastfed babies, they simply pee too often, so that one has been dropped as a big benefit. In circed boys that are older than 1 year, the UTI risk is now higher than intact boys. Plus, antibiotics are easier than surgery.
STD's, if you go back and look how that one started it was just one person who declared that circ lessens the chance of STD's & they've been trying, to no avail, to prove it ever since. In our generation ( women in their 30's ) the HPV rate in women is about 80%, yet 90% of our generation of men was circed. So, the whole cervical cancer argument of circ is pretty nuts. Penile cancer also happens in circed men and is super rare. HIV is the latest and it is truly the last stand of RIC in America. After these studies are completely disproven, which is already happening,it will go away.
Also, it is hard to find un-biased info about circ b/c there is money in it, a lot of money for an OB who performs them, even more for the hospital, which can make up to $2million a year from circs b/c baby boys who get cut require more time being observed, more nurses and longer hospital stay for mom. The intactivist side has no money driven agenda, we are not selling parts of kids to cosmetic companies, we are simply stating the facts of what is lost in a circ. Its an uphill battle, b/c in America, circ has been pushed on moms since the beginning of the last century & it was very hard to get the facts.
My own mom had my first brother circed, but not my second brother. For her it was the pain that bothered her and she hated seeing him cry at every diaper change while he healed. When she was having her second boy she asked the OB if it was necessary and he said there were no medical reasons at all for doing it and that he hated doing them. She learned more about normal intact care, which was a cakewalk compared to circ care & she left him alone. My dad was like, "not necessary? Well, cool!" My brother is 25, just got married, and has never had a problem. He loves educating pregnant coworkers too
