Ok, been inspired to write something... Feel free to make some comments, maybe I can use some of this for other websites/articles-- maybe pm is best way to go on that...
Now I feel a little better.
Jessica
Subject: disappointing parenting advice article
“Q: I’m pregnant and expecting a boy. I’m still undecided as to whether I should have him circumcised. What can you tell me?
A: Ultimately, it’s a personal decision”
If only the author had stopped right there, but this article spouted one mistruth after another. It IS a personal decision- a decision that should be left up to the person that owns the penis. It is another shame that people specifically asking for information do not get unbiased and correct information. Parents do consent to medical procedures that are NECESSARY for the health of their children- circumcision is NOT necessary and parents should know this. If parents insist on doing it for aesthetic reasons (or religious reasons), then at least they are informed and not using the excuse of it ‘needing’ to be done.
More and more US parents leave their sons intact. I did- and that was a surprise to me (I thought it was done for medical reasons), my family (because it was standard procedure when they had their children) and my husband’s family (because they are Jewish). Once I learned that the majority of the world’s men are intact- and healthy- I saw no reason to even consider the risks of a purely aesthetic procedure. Looking like daddy- please, let the dad sacrifice his ego- not put his son to the knife. My husband didn’t even consider that. Discussing the religious aspects with my husband was far more difficult and complex, but in the end we decided that the status of our sons’ penis was far less important than the values and traditions we share with him.
To any parent- around 90% worldwide- that left their son intact, this article is an insult and extremely ignorant of current medical information. A well researched article would have talked about such things as the current trend of circumcision rates decreasing almost everywhere in the United States, research that shows circumcision may effect the establishment of breastfeeding, and the simple fact that no medical organization in the world recommends circumcision. Many people that would normally circumcise for religious reasons are even questioning the practice.
It is hard to look at my son’s perfect whole body every day and not get more involved in this issue. Goodness knows I don’t have the time to spend writing letters like this. My son is now 21 months old and 21 months whole and every day I can’t believe that I actually considered circumcision ‘normal’ at one time. I find it upsetting to think about all the parents that are misled to believe that circumcision is necessary and disturbing to think about the boys that are needlessly harmed and changed forever. If you don’t agree that circumcision harms you have to concede that circumcision alters the body from the norm?! As a medical professional you should be aware of the functions of the foreskin, the frenar ridged band, frenulum, and other parts typically removed during a circumcision. I would expect that an article giving advice on circumcision would include information on the foreskin function. But maybe you figure you don’t have to do this with your glib comment “I personally would go for it, but I don't have a penis”. Unfortunately, you have a keyboard and access to thousands of parents through your position at MSNBC.
I’m sorry for the angry tone of my letter. I sometimes forget that I once could have read your article and not questioned it at all. But my son is a testament to truth and a reminder to me. I’ll step back and hope that you (the editors and those involved at MSNBC) are now more aware of the cultural blinders that exist on this subject. I hope you’ll step back and examine the issue more carefully and at a minimum correct the information to represent both sides accurately. The foreskin is not something parents need to be scared of- it is a normal, healthy, biologically purposeful, and many argue, sexually functional, body part.
Talking to a new mom from Ireland when my son was around 9 months old, I finally really got it. I asked her when the first time she had heard about the circumcision issue was. She said that during a tour of her ob’s office a midwife asked if they knew the sex of their babies. The women on the tour did not and she directed this question to the general group: “Well, if any of you are thinking of circumcising if you are having a boy….” and paused for a second “Oh GOD, no” my friend cried out in honest horror, “why on earth would I do that????” My friend blushed, a little worried that she may have insulted someone, but the midwife continued that they no longer recommend or carry out circumcisions in their office.
I cannot wait for the day where the majority of US parents feel like my friend and the majority of health care professional echo the policy of this practice. With an intact rate close to 50%, it will not be long now.
Thank you for your time.
Jessica
A few neutral medical website:
http://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/babies/Circumcision.htm (Canadian Paediatric Society)
A summary of worldwide Medical association position papers
http://www.nocirc.org/position/http://aappolicy.aappublications.org...rics;103/3/686
Breastfeeding/Maternal Bond
http://www.cirp.org/library/birth/ (links to medical articles and positional papers)
http://www.birthpsychology.com/birthscene/circ.html
Other resources:
www.cirp.orgwww.nocirc.orghttp://www.jewishcircumcision.org/http://www.mothersagainstcirc.org/http://www.norm-uk.org/circumcision_lost.htmlhttp://doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/
Mothering.com also has many articles against circumcision, most recently in the September/October 2005 issue
