I need some help. I know a young woman who is pregnant and she recently confided in me that she and her husband plan on circumcising their child if he is a boy.
The reason she confided in me is because she was very disturbed after some people she knows on a message board (not this one, I hope
) jumped her unexpectedly, calling her a child abuser, saying circ is mutilation, etc. You know the drill. She was shocked and hurt by the response and thought that I would be sympathetic, having circumcised DS1.
Well, I told her that I'd actually come to regret circumcising my firstborn and that my DP and I chose to leave our second son intact. I spoke a bit about the function of a foreskin and attempted to dispel (gently) a few common myths she believes. I told her how I'd spent hours in the university library looking up information about circumcision before I made my decision not to circ DS2, and I relayed some of the things I read.
But I'm still worried that she might decide to circ anyhow. I would like to give her a link to a web page where the bare facts are laid out, but I have been disappointed in most of the pages I've seen. Is there anything out there with great information that also meets the following standards?
-Absolutely no snarkiness or condescension. While I love the info on http://oknocirc.blogspot.com, I also think it comes across a bit like "Gosh, you sure are dumb for believing these myths...but let me enlighten you!" and the "don't worry, your son's foreskin is not some kind of python" comment on http://www.circumstitions.com/Itsaboy.html is similarly offensive. I realize many people love these pages, but I've known this mama for a long time and that sort of voice would not go over well with her.
-Very professional looking. Sorry,
but I don't feel comfortable handing out links to the Nocirc site, because the old-fashioned layout gives it a feel of quackiness. (Just my opinion... no flames, please. 
: )
If there's no source like this... well, I think there should be! The no circ position deserves a strong, compassionate, and polished presentation.
TIA! ...and I'm sorry if my opinions on these popular resources are hurtful in any way. I really don't seek to offend. I just want something different.
The reason she confided in me is because she was very disturbed after some people she knows on a message board (not this one, I hope
) jumped her unexpectedly, calling her a child abuser, saying circ is mutilation, etc. You know the drill. She was shocked and hurt by the response and thought that I would be sympathetic, having circumcised DS1.Well, I told her that I'd actually come to regret circumcising my firstborn and that my DP and I chose to leave our second son intact. I spoke a bit about the function of a foreskin and attempted to dispel (gently) a few common myths she believes. I told her how I'd spent hours in the university library looking up information about circumcision before I made my decision not to circ DS2, and I relayed some of the things I read.
But I'm still worried that she might decide to circ anyhow. I would like to give her a link to a web page where the bare facts are laid out, but I have been disappointed in most of the pages I've seen. Is there anything out there with great information that also meets the following standards?
-Absolutely no snarkiness or condescension. While I love the info on http://oknocirc.blogspot.com, I also think it comes across a bit like "Gosh, you sure are dumb for believing these myths...but let me enlighten you!" and the "don't worry, your son's foreskin is not some kind of python" comment on http://www.circumstitions.com/Itsaboy.html is similarly offensive. I realize many people love these pages, but I've known this mama for a long time and that sort of voice would not go over well with her.
-Very professional looking. Sorry,
but I don't feel comfortable handing out links to the Nocirc site, because the old-fashioned layout gives it a feel of quackiness. (Just my opinion... no flames, please. : )If there's no source like this... well, I think there should be! The no circ position deserves a strong, compassionate, and polished presentation.
TIA! ...and I'm sorry if my opinions on these popular resources are hurtful in any way. I really don't seek to offend. I just want something different.
