What better way?

[Love&consciousness]

What better way?
By Wayne Hampton

If we wanted to mess up boys' heads, what better way to do it than to flood their baby brains with pain chemicals (e.g., cortisol) by clamping their genitals and slicing part of them off?

If we wanted to teach boys that their wishes don't matter, what better way to do it than to cut a healthy, normal, pleasurable part of their body off when they are too young to protect themselves?

See whole piece here:

http://www.sexuallymutilatedchild.org/whatbett.htm

[bubbamummy]

I might be weird, but even reading about cric upsets me, makes my heart race and my eyes sting. I am SO very against it I find it hard to even talk about gaaah!! Im trying to read the posts in this forum but I find many of them so upsetting haha...Im a freak!

But thanks for posting

[123]

You're not a freak. I couldn't even read this forum when I was pregnant with my last one. I got way too hormonal.

But that article certainly makes one wonder what effects (subtle and otherwise) such a traumatic early experience causes in an older child and an adult. Obviously that would be different with each individual and thus difficult to objectively determine. But it's still something I wonder about.

[Love&consciousness]

Originally Posted by sophieslion

I might be weird, but even reading about cric upsets me, makes my heart race and my eyes sting. I am SO very against it I find it hard to even talk about gaaah!! Im trying to read the posts in this forum but I find many of them so upsetting haha...Im a freak!

But thanks for posting

I can so relate, Sophie, as I know most on here can.

I go back and forth, between only wanting to contribute positively toward manifesting "Genital Integrity for ALL children", to stumbling upon something that focuses on the not-so-pretty aspects of circ. and wanting to share because maybe that particular piece might just make a parent-to-be decide against it.

Some days I feel like crying and screaming about it, and I actually have days now where I don't think about it at all which has stemmed from me making a conscious decision to no longer be "against" anything (hence, I'm not loving this forum name--I'd rather see it change to "The Case for Genital Integrity" but that's a different thread) but rather focus on what I am "for". Now I realize that this article is a negative one...I'm still trying to find that balance between feeling a desire/urge to share info/resources that I think can help but also not wanting to feed into the negativity of it all. I've tried to brainstorm on how I can contribute without focusing on the negative aspects, and the best I've come up with is to focus on the restoration part of it/healing, etc.

But personally, I do feel like it is so important for any that are passionate about this issue and believe that thoughts and intentions matter, to not try to dwell on the horrifying aspects but have moments where you visualize the tide changing...change is coming! And it is sooo overdue! :

[latinalonestar]

This is brilliant. Thanks for posting!

[PuppyFluffer]

Originally Posted by Love&consciousness

I can so relate, Sophie, as I know most on here can.

I go back and forth, between only wanting to contribute positively toward manifesting "Genital Integrity for ALL children", to stumbling upon something that focuses on the not-so-pretty aspects of circ. and wanting to share because maybe that particular piece might just make a parent-to-be decide against it.

Some days I feel like crying and screaming about it, and I actually have days now where I don't think about it at all which has stemmed from me making a conscious decision to no longer be "against" anything (hence, I'm not loving this forum name--I'd rather see it change to "The Case for Genital Integrity" but that's a different thread) but rather focus on what I am "for". Now I realize that this article is a negative one...I'm still trying to find that balance between feeling a desire/urge to share info/resources that I think can help but also not wanting to feed into the negativity of it all. I've tried to brainstorm on how I can contribute without focusing on the negative aspects, and the best I've come up with is to focus on the restoration part of it/healing, etc.

But personally, I do feel like it is so important for any that are passionate about this issue and believe that thoughts and intentions matter, to not try to dwell on the horrifying aspects but have moments where you visualize the tide changing...change is coming! And it is sooo overdue! :

Brilliant indeed. I share your thoughts on this.

[Frootloop]

Originally Posted by sophieslion

I might be weird, but even reading about cric upsets me, makes my heart race and my eyes sting. I am SO very against it I find it hard to even talk about gaaah!! Im trying to read the posts in this forum but I find many of them so upsetting haha...Im a freak!

But thanks for posting

Please don't feel weird or like a freak, I can assure you that you're not.

In fact, your reactions to something as serious as circumcision truly is, are perfectly normal. The reactions of those who have been desensitized to it are the abnormal/weird ones.

Myself? Well, I go through phases -

Some days, I can't stand to even think about circ, much less read threads about it. Other days, I can't seem to, nor do I have the desire to shut up about it.. I have to fight with myself not to start 10 threads a day in here that are chock full of snark and hatred. I have rage and I have sorrow. I have love for those who want to circ because they truly feel that it's the best thing for their children because they love them and want to protect them from hurt... and then I have hate for the medical profession who have taught them that way because they are uneducated fools who have no business going anywhere near a child's genitals without understanding their natural functions.
Sometimes, I want to scream my head off and beat the hell out of anyone who dares speak of it in a nonchalant way.. while other times, I want to get on my knees and plead with people not to hurt their little boys.

When I do try to actually talk to someone about it in person, my heart pounds, my eyes well up with tears, my palms get sweaty, I tremble, and I stammer.
BUT!!! Every negative reaction that I and others have toward circumcision is normal. All of it.

If you're a freak, well.. I guess all of us on this board are