UPDATE!! Biology lecture on male anatomy is Wednesday - what should my students know?

[daekini]

Scroll down to post 22 for the update!

I don't know why I never thought to do this before!

I teach general Biology at a state university.... I'm giving my lecture on male anatomy on Wednesday.

Fortunately, the textbook we chose uses a diagram of an intact penis and makes the following statement:

"Circumcision, the surgical removal of the foreskin, is commonly perfomed for religious reasons or perceived health benefits. However, scientific studies have not proved that circumcision has an overall positive or negative impact on a man's health."

That's all they say about the prepuce (foreskin), and circumcision.

While I'd love to dedicate an entire lecture this subject, time restraints make this impossible! I always spend 5 to 10 minutes discussing the subject and answering questions - you'd be surprised at the response I receive. And it often takes up more of my lecture time than I plan!

Anyway, my point - was there a point in here somewhere? - oh yes.

I'd like to maximize the time I have. I still have time to modify my powerpoint presentation, so I'd like to hear (1) what *you* think that college students, most of them not yet in their reproductive years, should know about circumcision and (2) what do you think would STICK to them so they'll remember it when they have their own children?

Remember, I really can't include too much emotional rhetoric and I can't really TELL them not to do it, and I need to be sensitive to those who have been circ'd and who have already had children who have been circ'd - in other words, I should be sensitive but loaded with facts.

Thanks so much!

[InfoisPower]

I would use what's in A&A's signature. Which I've posted below.

A piece of skin the size of a quarter contains more than three million cells, 12 feet of nerves, 100 sweat glands, 50 nerve endings, and almost three feet of blood vessels. Circumcision removes a piece of skin almost equivalent to a 3 x 5 index card.

I'd also add it forever alters a male's sexual functioning.

[calngavinsmom]

What a wonderful opportunity! I would definately forcus on the sexual effects that circumcision has on the penis for that agegroup......thinking back to my college days......nevermind

Anyhow, I would love to hear how things go!


Tara

[LeosMama]

I think it's important to use exact functional descriptions: these are the parts of the foreskin, this is what these parts do (sexual, sensory, protection), this is what is lost upon removal.

Frenulum
Ridged band
Mucosal skin

Those are the structures I can think of off the top of my head. Have a good diagram on the board of each of these structures, not just a silly line drawing, but something really detailed and life-like so people can SEE the ridged band and SEE the slick shiny glans and SEE the vibrant and extensive frenulum and how it attaches to the prepuce. So you can matter of factly point to each structure and describe its function. No rhetoric, plain and simple fact.

The ridged band is sensitive to stretching and light touch. As it stretches open over the glans, it sends intense erotic sensations. When it locks behind the coronal ridge, the intensity is often described as a burning heat, very pleasurable. The glans, being protected by the foreskin, is slick and sensitive. The sensitivity in a circ'd glans is reduced by friction on clothing, exposure to air and clothing, and resulting keratinization (explain that keratinization means 'callusing'). The frenulum is sensitive to the pulling of the foreskin and light touch, it is the center of the sensations of the penis and prepuce. It is always destroyed by circumcision, any remnant sensation is just that, remnant. The glans is sensitive to pressure. So a circ'd man is operating on erogeneous sensation from pressure. An intact man is operating on erogeneous sensation from stretching, light touch, pressure, and the sliding action of the foreskin against the coronal ridge and frenulum.

Frank, do I have that right?? Just off the top of my head. HTH
-Lindsay

[daekini]

this is great!

[Quirky]

Can you give them links for more info? Here are two great ones:

http://research.cirp.org

and

http://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org (look down the page for the video called "The Prepuce" - it was done for medical students)

I would be sensitive to circed people but not imply that circ is value-neutral or makes no difference. It removes half the nerve endings of the penis and permanently alters functioning.

[DaddyJoe]

Please say something to this effect:

"For those men here who are unhappy being circumcised or who think they might like to be more natural in appearance, foreskin restoration is an option. With manual stretching exercises or the use of inexpensive devices that can be purchased online, one can regrow the prepuce. For more info, just search for the term 'foreskin restoration' on any internet search engine."

There is, in fact, a growing community of restorers on college campuses... and restoration has even been featured in a news segment on the tech cable channel G4. You'd be surprised how big our little underground restoration movement is becoming. There are restoration chapters on many campuses now.

[lorijds]

When I teach about circumcision (I'm a nurse, and I sometimes teach childbirth and infant care classes), I often relate it to female health and anatomy.

Yes, there are some medical benefits. There would be equivalent medical benefits if we moved the labias during infancy. All the arguments for circumcision in regards to older age (that the urinary tract infection, hpv and penile cancer rates are higher) are also applicable to the labial folds. If those were removed the areas could be kept cleaner and it would change the actual temperature and moisture content of that skin, which in turn would change the pH and microbial flora of that area, reducing rates of urinary tract infections and hpv (and it's associated cancer rates). The number of yeast infections would also decrease dramatically.

Yet we don't remove the labia in this country, as it is considered mutilation.

If I don't have alot of time, I usually leave it at that, and provide some hand outs of care of the circumcised and the uncircumcised penis. Equating male circumcision with female genital mutilation usually sticks in people's minds, and really makes them think far beyond the moment, even if they ultimately disagree with me. At least alot of thought goes into it, you know?

Good luck, have fun teaching that!

[daekini]

Originally Posted by DaddyJoe

Please say something to this effect:

"For those men here who are unhappy being circumcised or who think they might like to be more natural in appearance, foreskin restoration is an option. With manual stretching exercises or the use of inexpensive devices that can be purchased online, one can regrow the prepuce. For more info, just search for the term 'foreskin restoration' on any internet search engine."

There is, in fact, a growing community of restorers on college campuses... and restoration has even been featured in a news segment on the tech cable channel G4. You'd be surprised how big our little underground restoration movement is becoming. There are restoration chapters on many campuses now.

I always mention restoration!

[DaddyJoe]

Great! In my opinion, the most certain way to insure that a child has a choice, is to inform future parents that THEY have a choice. A widespread restoration movement would be the final nail in the coffin of circumcision. All rhetoric and debate aside, restorers KNOW what was stolen away, and are often the most dedicated and convincing anti-circ advocates.

[Frankly Speaking]

Originally Posted by LeosMama

Frank, do I have that right?? Just off the top of my head. HTH
-Lindsay

Dead on target!



Frank

[LadyMarmalade]

What a fantastic opportunity!

Perhaps refer to circumcision on a global scale - 90% of the world's men are intact. Jewish people, Muslim people and American people routiney circumcise. Why do Americans circumcise? Go into the history of it - it was first used outside a religious context to stop masturbation. Draw the comparison between FGM's 'justifications' (ie it's cleaner etc) and highlight how these excuses are used by parents circumcising their sons (also, explicitly say that every one of the 'reasons' have been scientifically disproven).

I'm having a brain fart. I had another good point but I've forgotten it. I'll be back when I remember *blush*

[Jeff B]

In my opinion this would make a good slide.

"Infant male circumcision was once considered a preventive health measure and was therefore adopted extensively in Western countries. Current understanding of the benefits, risks and potential harm of this procedure, however, no longer supports this practice for prophylactic health benefit. Routine infant male circumcision performed on a healthy infant is now considered a non-therapeutic and medically unnecessary intervention."

College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Infant Male Circumcision. Jun 2004. https://www.cpsbc.ca/cps/physician_r...ual/malecircum

or maybe an edited version

"Routine infant male circumcision performed on a healthy infant is now considered a non-therapeutic and medically unnecessary intervention."

College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia. Infant Male Circumcision. Jun 2004.

For a handout this document is good:

Position Statements of Medical Societies

http://www.coloradonocirc.org/stats/.../pamphlets.php

There is also a MS Word version on the Colorado NOCIRC web site.

[daekini]

okay, so this is my "brainstorming" post.

Some of this is from previous lectures, some of it new.

I think I'll start the discussion by asking a question - that always gets people's attention.

"So, you'll notice that this diagram shows the male prepuce. Remember that the female clitoris also has a prepuce. Does anyone here know what that structure is commonly refered to as?" ......

"....foreskin, right. Most of the men in this classroom no longer have their foreskin. You were not born this way - this isn't a deformity. This was done to you intentionally, in a process known as circumcision."

"Why do people in the US routinely have their male children circumcised?"....

I usually hear, "for health reasons", "religion", etc.

"Actually, if you weren't circumcised for religous reasons, then the only reason you (or your sons if you have them) were circumcised is because for some reason people in the US think it looks good. That's right, there is NO health benefit to being circumcised. In fact, those of you who have been circumcised are at a disadvantage. Removing the foreskin dramatically reduces the sensitivity experienced by both men and women during sex. This is because........."

this is where I could use some help narrowing down and getting some great facts and info. I'm going to use a lot of the things you've already mentioned. Feel free to help me edit this... I'm finishing up late tonight....

Thanks!

[Frankly Speaking]

I can just see it now, 44 pairs of eyes bulging out and all leaning forward at their desks to make sure they hear the next thing to be said.

I suspect I'm too late to provide the information, but just in case:

Removing the foreskin dramatically reduces the sensitivity experienced by both men and women during sex. This is because the foreskin contains several sexually senstive structures. First is the preputial sphincter that can be functionally compared to the vaginal sphincter. Just as the vaginal sphincter responds sexually to stretching, the preputial sphincter responds to stretching stimuli as well. Second is the frenulum which if functionally analogous to the female's clitoris. They both respond to tactile stimulation and additionally, the frenulum also sexually responds to stretching stimuli. Finally the inner mucosal foreskin is highly erogenous just as the labia is for the female. Also, the foreskin covers the glans, keeping it protected, moistened and sexually senisitive as well as maintaining the optimal environment. After circumcision, the surface of the glans quickly sets about protecting itself. It does this by layering additional layers of skin. This buries the nerve endings that are normally on the surface of the glans. Cold and Taylor took sections of cadiver glans and compared them and found that the circumcised specimens had keritinized skin layers 10 times thicker than the intact specimens. This would have a significant effect on sexual response.

Additionally, male circumcision has a significant effect on the female partner. The penis is supplied at birth with a sufficient skin sleeve such that the penis can move freely back and forth in the sleeve. The free movement range is approximately the length of the penis. This allows the shaft skin to grasp at the vaginal opening and not move against the vaginal sphincter. The movement against the vaginal sphincter causes trauma to the area as evidenced by a burning sensation during or following sexual intercouse. Over the years, this trama is thought to accumulate and is suspected to be implicit in a syndrome known as female arousal dysorder. (FAD) FAD is characterized as sometimes intense pain accompanying penetration of the vaginal sphincter. It usually presents during menopause or after and can eliminate all chances of intercourse. There is no known cure. Attempts have been made using skin graft surgery to replace the skin layer surrounding the vaginal sphincter but the success level has been low.

Circumcised men have a significantly different method of intercourse. They exhibit much longer strokes during intercourse and often more violent thrusts. This is not what the female needs for optimal satisfaction. For her, short, gentle strokes are what brings the best results. This is what the intact penis provides. The intact man usually uses shorter, more gentle strokes. This action maintains better contact with the clitoris and provides a gentle undulating pressure to the G-spot. The vaginal muscles provide pressure to both the G-spot and to the glans, the corresponding pressure receptor.



Frank

[daekini]

NOT too late!!! Thanks for the boost - I'm leaving to go to my office in a little while and this will help turn my brain on

Wish me luck - not that I do a good job (I'll handle that part ), but that I really get them thinking and that some people will choose not to circ their kids because of it.

Thanks!

[njeb]

Originally Posted by daekini

NOT too late!!! Thanks for the boost - I'm leaving to go to my office in a little while and this will help turn my brain on

Wish me luck - not that I do a good job (I'll handle that part ), but that I really get them thinking and that some people will choose not to circ their kids because of it.

Thanks!

Good luck!

[whateverdidiwants]

Good luck! Let us know how it goes!

[Pandora114]

: ing for an update

[daekini]

Mouths were wide open - literally!

I took a poll after the lecture. I have 115 students. Over 80% agreed with the statement that what I told them was totally new information to them. Many of them actually thought that circumcision was mandatory prior to my lecture. Nearly 100% of the students agreed with the statement that they would seriously consider NOT circ'ing their sons, if they have sons in the future. Nearly 100% agreed with the statement they would research the issue outside of class.

Some of the students were obviously rocked by the information I presented. There were definitely some students who giggled through most of the lecture, but the shock that many of them felt was palpable!

I only teach one or two classes per semester so that I'm only away from my babes for an hour or so thrice a week, but if my students educate others, this information might reach a sizable population!

I started off just as I wrote earlier, then covered the tissue that is removed, discounted "reasons" for circ'ing, complications for infants, future issues for the circ'ed man and his partner, and ended with an analogy to female genital mutilation. I stuck to the facts and was just straightforward about it. I did reference some of the material you guys pointed me to.

Overall I'm fairly pleased with the outcome. This portion of the lecture took about 15 - 20 minutes before I had to move on to gametogenesis.