Some New Faces? -- Lurkers - Page 3

[tireesix]

Originally Posted by GoBecGo

I'm lurking!

I'm goBecgo. I'm in the UK. Because i am surrounded by uncirc'd men i have always been vaguely horrified with the idea that a whole society so similar to my own would routinely do it, so i suppose i lurk to read about you all fighting the good fight for all those little boys. It's strange to think of people having such strong beliefs about amputating a little baby's genitals in an educated country - i know that sounds weird and judgemental but it's late and i'm a bit clumsy with it. It's almost like hearing someone say the world is flat, i feel like "wow, do they REALLY believe that!?" because it's been many decades since routine circ'ing happened over here, there is NO segment of society that would ever think this was necessary/a good idea. I literally know NO little UK boys who aren't intact.

My dad was circ'd late due to repeated infections and scarring because his parents used forced retraction to "clean" him. His brother (20months younger) is intact so they obviously learned their lesson thank goodness!

I tend to post on AUstralian sites a lot too, and they also still have a circ'ing culture (it's slowly changing) and i like to post the link to The Prepuce video as it's such a great piece with all one needs to know.

I lurk, occasionally post.

I agree with GoBecGo. I am in the uk too and just kinda horrified about circumcision. I just cannot wrap my head around it at all.

My step brother was circumcised and from I can gather (he dated an x friend), he has sensitivity issues. I don't know if it was a truely necessary circ, I don't think it was but its a bit late now to ponder it.

My DH is so anti circ its amazing, shame we don't live in America! Could do some intactivism.

[proudmomof4]

I've posted before but anyway: I have a daughter : and 3 boys :. We (including DH) are all German, so it wasn't an issue with my first son. (He was born in Germany and circumcision is not a "routine medical procedure" there.)
My 2 youngest children were born in Grand Rapids, MI. With all of my children born at home I never had to "defend" this topic against e. g. nurses in the hospital - but I pointed out very clearly to our pediatrician in Grand Rapids that I didn't want a circumcision done (I put it in writing).
I still remember my horror at the sight of my friend's son's circumsized penis when I changed his diaper. I sometimes tried to point people in this direction while I lived there but this proved to be tricky as I was - well, from a different country and culture.

[mama24-7]

I'm Sus - I've been on MDC a while & mostly just lurk here, but have posted a couple of times.

I have two dcs, my oldest a girl, & youngest an intact boy. I knew when I was pregnant w/ dd that if the baby was a boy, there'd be no circumcision. I researched it enough to know that it was unnecessary, but I've learned so much more since then. When ds was born at home, there was no question. Dh hasn't really been pro or con circ, but he knows that I do the research. He has said that if we were Jewish. like his father's family, we'd do it. I know we still wouldn't. I'm expecting again in July & once again, there'll be no mutilating of our perfect child :.

Since trying & failing to educate a family member expecting two boys I've decided I need to do more than just try to educate one person at a time. Here's what I've come up w/: 1. Add links to my email signature 2. Get involved in a nocirc or some other sort of group, maybe sending ltrs to hospitals, insurance companies, gov't., etc 3. Possibly put magnets on my car saying something like "his penis, his choice." Dh is worried someone will try to hurt our car if I do that. Thoughts?

Sus

[listipton]

hello I lurk frequently and like many of you, was vaguely aware that there was a circumcision debate but didn't look into it until it directly affected me. During my second pregnancy I was researching natural childbirth and when our ultrasound confirmed we were having a boy, my husband joked that I would next demand that our son not be circ'd. I kind of laughed and said, well of course I'm not going to push it and dropped the conversation (thinking in my head of course that circumcision MUST have some sort of medical benefit or it wouldn't be done routinely..... ). When I brought the conversation up at work, the ladies all literally shuddered and said "well, that's just something that needs to be done" and the way they all reacted to just mentioning circ (not that I was considering leaving our son intact, but just saying the word) inspired such aversion, I decided to research farther. All I can say is thank you to all the people who regularly post on this board and provide information and support. I am sad that I ever thought it wasn't a big deal and so thankful that my daughter was born first and that I had access to information like this board before I had my son. Thank you.

[Rhiannon77]

Hello all! I lurk and post on occasion. I first began researching circumcision and the reasons not to when they showed a video of the procedure in a birthing class while pregnant with my first child (a girl). Prior to that, it wasn't something that I'd given much thought to. In fact, I'm not certain that I'd ever even seen an uncircumcised penis and had even attended a bris. The video was so horrifying that my husband and I had to turn away. We immediately decided together that if our child was a boy, we would not have him circumcised. I poured over research and could find very little valid reason to circumcise. When we found out that our 2nd child would be a boy, we knew our choice. I was occasionally swayed by the locker room saga and whatnot...but held strong. Even our OB gave us lots of bs reasons why we should do it and I recall a nurse at the hospital touting the locker room excuses again. I could one lone nurse that actually agreed with us. Isn't that sad? ONE! Since then, I've put myself out there to anyone who would listen, hoping that my persistence might actually change a mind or two...or at least help anyone wavering to feel that they wouldn't be alone in leaving their son intact.

[Geigerin]

Just Curious

I just discovered this community. My husband and I are TTC and just starting to explore what comes down the road. I had no idea there were such strong opinions out there.

My husband is circd, but I had boyfriends who weren't. I was aware of the sexual and cultural differences, but little else. After reading these threads and sharing them with my husband, we've decided not to circ when we do have a son.

So, you have successfully converted at least one family!

[PuppyFluffer]

Geigerin,
Welcome to MDC and to TCAC forum in particular!

It's so wonderful to hear feedback that the information provided here has helped a family to learn and make healthful decisions for their children. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Best wishes TTC. I wish you a fun conception period, a healthy and comfortable pregnancy, an amazing birth and a healthy child!

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by mama24-7

I'm Sus - I've been on MDC a while & mostly just lurk here, but have posted a couple of times.

I have two dcs, my oldest a girl, & youngest an intact boy. I knew when I was pregnant w/ dd that if the baby was a boy, there'd be no circumcision. I researched it enough to know that it was unnecessary, but I've learned so much more since then. When ds was born at home, there was no question. Dh hasn't really been pro or con circ, but he knows that I do the research. He has said that if we were Jewish. like his father's family, we'd do it. I know we still wouldn't. I'm expecting again in July & once again, there'll be no mutilating of our perfect child :.

Since trying & failing to educate a family member expecting two boys I've decided I need to do more than just try to educate one person at a time. Here's what I've come up w/: 1. Add links to my email signature 2. Get involved in a nocirc or some other sort of group, maybe sending ltrs to hospitals, insurance companies, gov't., etc 3. Possibly put magnets on my car saying something like "his penis, his choice." Dh is worried someone will try to hurt our car if I do that. Thoughts?

Sus

Hi Sus, Welcome to CAC MDC. You're so lucky and so is your future little man for leaving him intact. Re: your bumper sticker idea, I say go for it! I've never had a negative reaction. I've had many many people stare, take pictures, even ask me questions about circumcision. One guy got out of his car in a Starbucks drive thu and while I was getting my latte, asked me questions about my sticker. I've even seen a mother in her car shocked after reading. It was so funny. It'll make them think, thats for sure. Every experience I've had was a positive experience. It gave me many opportunites to speak to people about this issue and it (hopefully) planted many seeds.

[groovynaturemama]

i'm melissa, 29, a dd 2y, and a son due in june. i lurk around in here and very occasionally post. we WILL NOT be circ'ing our son. dh is circ'd but was very willing to look at why i felt like it was not the choice we should make for our son and wholeheartedly agrees.

i have been looking into not circ'ing since i became pg. w/dd almost 3 years ago. what prompted me to educate myself further (and look at this forum and its resources) was seeing my nephew after he was circ'd i questioned why anyone would think that a circ was an ok thing to do to a baby, and if it was even necessary. i also wanted to learn the reason circ was practiced in the first place, and i do not feel like any part of why it was done originally applies to me, my religion, my ethnicity or lifestyle. also, the extreme to which it is done now is not anything like what they used to do when it was first being practiced. i view it as a violation of human rights when done electively/for no medical reason.

[Fellow Traveler]

Originally Posted by PuppyFluffer

Geigerin,
Welcome to MDC and to TCAC forum in particular!

It's so wonderful to hear feedback that the information provided here has helped a family to learn and make healthful decisions for their children. Thank you for sharing this with us!

Best wishes TTC. I wish you a fun conception period, a healthy and comfortable pregnancy, an amazing birth and a healthy child!

I agree with Puppy Fluffer, it always makes my day when I read posts like Geigerin's. It's nice to hear the difference that is made thanks to the contribution of the board members. Welcome to all the other lurks too, are there more? I bet there are, so come out and say hi! Go ahead, make my day!

[nerdymom]

Well, if you insist, I'd be glad to make your day. I'm Holly and I've been an MDC addict since the first trimester of my first (and only so far) pregnancy. Although I had never considered circ for my son since DH is an intact European, I never thought much about the subject. It was not until I discovered MDC and the cac that I really began to think of intactness as normal and circ as deviant. I had studied FGM (female genital mutilation) in two separate classes, and even written a term paper of the subject, but had really never put two and two together. Now I cannot get over the disconnect so many people have between female and male genitals. When I talk to people about circ, I try to always bring up FGM and the similarities. I try not to scream "HOW WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO CUT OFF YOUR LABIA? YOU DON'T NEED IT AND IT'S DIRTY!!!" Even though sometimes I would like to.

After first reading some of the CAC I had dinner with a pg friend and her DH. We were talking about our babies and somehow circ came up. She wanted to circ, I was trying to figure out a way to kindly say "WTF don't cut your son" when her DH said, oh there is a Penn and Teller episode about it. So we sat down to watch it, and when they showed the baby screaming and crying, my pg hormones took over and I had to leave the room. I felt sick and started crying myself. Later on my DH and I both talked to them and they ended up not circing their son! :

[bubbamummy]

Im from England and up until I met DH I had never really given Circ a second thought, NO ONE i knew was cric'ed. Then I 'saw' Dh and asked what was wrong with his penis perhaps not such a great comment for our 1st time I was absolutely horrified to find out that it was 'normal' in the US. It literally turned my stomach. When I tell my English friends their eyes nearly pop out (esp, the men!!!) so here I am now...battling against DH's (American) family who think im a crazy English girl with weird hippy ideas where as in England im considered completely normal

[kateygirl76]

I'm Kate, i'm a forensic scientist and live outside Philadelphia. I have a 2 year boy and 7 week old twin boys. All intact.

My high school science teacher give birth to 2 little boys during my time there and told us about her not circing them and her reasons for it. I went to an all girls school so we discussed almost anything! So for me, I knew for a long time I would never put them thru it. fortunately DH agreed with no real discussion about it.

I just came here a couple of days ago. People on another group recommended it as one of the twins had a wicked UTI and I had concerns about them cathing him w/o hurting him and the comments about circing him if the infections continue. (not gonna happen)

[Abismommy]

I'm a lurker!!!
My name is Ashley, I'm a mommy to 2 girls. No boys yet...but once they're born we're keeping them intact. If it ain't broke don't fix it! I like to come in and read topics and hopefully get educated more and more on the matter. I'd also like to grow some and be able to speak about this horrid procedure more. Be a true Intactivist

[Christiane]

I just joined this very day, so I guess I'm a lurker
I find it interesting that circ/no circ is even a topic. I live in Denmark where noone is ever circ'ed (noone I've heard of, anyway), so I've never discussed this issue. It seems like a cruel procedure, though. I'm happy I never had to justify keeping my little boy intact!

[Fellow Traveler]

Welcome to the board we look forward to your perspective. You would be stunned at the ignorance.

Originally Posted by Christiane

I just joined this very day, so I guess I'm a lurker
I find it interesting that circ/no circ is even a topic. I live in Denmark where noone is ever circ'ed (noone I've heard of, anyway), so I've never discussed this issue. It seems like a cruel procedure, though. I'm happy I never had to justify keeping my little boy intact!

Lucky.

[craft_media_hero]

hello

Hi, I guess I'm a lurker and a newb but I like it here.

Although my only child is a girl (5), I am an intactivist, but only came to this realization when she was a couple years old after doing research for a controversial speech assignment. I am so glad that she was a girl, because I was totally uninformed and "normalized" about circ when I had her. I feel really strongly about it, and it really breaks my heart when friends/family choose to circ just because it's standard procedure here (Colorado).

Anyways, just here to support the baby's right to his body and the parents who are defending that.

[Nandi]

Originally Posted by mama24-7

I'm Sus - I've been on MDC a while & mostly just lurk here, but have posted a couple of times.

I have two dcs, my oldest a girl, & youngest an intact boy. I knew when I was pregnant w/ dd that if the baby was a boy, there'd be no circumcision. I researched it enough to know that it was unnecessary, but I've learned so much more since then. When ds was born at home, there was no question. Dh hasn't really been pro or con circ, but he knows that I do the research. He has said that if we were Jewish. like his father's family, we'd do it. I know we still wouldn't. I'm expecting again in July & once again, there'll be no mutilating of our perfect child :.

Since trying & failing to educate a family member expecting two boys I've decided I need to do more than just try to educate one person at a time. Here's what I've come up w/: 1. Add links to my email signature 2. Get involved in a nocirc or some other sort of group, maybe sending ltrs to hospitals, insurance companies, gov't., etc 3. Possibly put magnets on my car saying something like "his penis, his choice." Dh is worried someone will try to hurt our car if I do that. Thoughts?

Sus

I have a bumper sticker on my car, and never had any problems. Mine says "The Foreskin is Not a Birth Defect" with Stopinfantcircumcision.com on it
I did have one lady stop and stare at if for a good minute, like the thought had never crossed her mind and she was trying to process it.
Other people laugh or smile or look pissed. It's kind of entertaining actually.

[QueenOfTheMeadow]

Just wanted to remind everyone of the TCAC guidelines.

The discussion of or reference to religion is outside of the scope of this forum. Any posts which bring any aspect of religion into the discussion are not appropriate and will be removed. Respectful discussion of a religious nature regarding circumcision, alternatives, etc. may be hosted in the Spirituality forum. The Spirituality forum is a debate-free zone. Members maintain a list of helpful websites in a Web Resources thread for further information about religious issues.

[BaMo]

I'm a long time lurker in this forum. We had decided that if our DC was a boy, we would not circ. We don't know a lot of folks that don't circ and DH was circ, but we knew that we could not do that to our child.

I'm really glad to have this forum because we don't feel so alone.