labia: the small flaps of skin below the clitoris removed during female circumcision.

[AXEius]

That sounds ridiculous doesnt it? Now switch that to male anatomy."foreskin:the small flap of skin covering the end of the penis, removed during circucision". This is what i read almost every time i read a description of the male anatomy in most american literature. That is if the foreskin is even depicted, labeled or discussed at all. There are probably more important aspects of circumcion to worry about, but i think this just shows how deep the bias is against intact male genitals. I also think this is just one of the many ways the medical society assists in normalizing this archaic violation of infant boys.

[boingo82]

Good point- the foreskin is often defined as just a part that's to be cut off.

[baybee]

Circumcision removes 50% of the adult erect penis skin. They can minimize that with language all they want but it still amputates important, functioning erogenous tissue. It's important to remember that the western medical profession are the same folks that:
1. thought formula was better than breast milk
2. thought the tonsils and appendix were redundant vestigal organs
3. thought that episiotomies were a good idea
4. gave us the 30% cesarean rate
5. thought it was ok to put mercury in baby vaccines
5. need I go on?

They have been so wrong in the past, why would we believe what they tell us about penile skin?

Baybee

[AXEius]

I get so caught up about circumcision and the medical industry i tend to loose sight that this is not the only thing they claim to "know best" on. The way birthing in general has been turned into a medical procedure is very disheartening. I get this feeling that most doctors and medical industry feel that the human body is an imperfect device just waiting to fail and need medical intervention. Perhaps they feel a sense of responibility to oversee this ticking timebomb and save the patient from their own body.....I am not sure but there is certainly some kind of superiority complex issues just talking with many of these people. Ive been around it since my mother completed her nursing school when i was 2. I leave you with this thought. At a hospital in NW florida where my mother worked, a doctor told her the name of his boat; SEA-CECTION. Maybe it all has somthing to do with money?

[TigerTail]

Great point.

[baybee]

Not just money but fast, efficient money. Drs are like purveyors of hamburgers, they want drive thru deliveries that require the least effort for the most profit return. Circ and cesareans cut through nerves and blood vessels that can never be repaired. Many cesarean mothers can not bear to have their partners' body weight on their scar for the rest of their life----all these operations are sexual abuse.
Baybee

[Nathan1097]

Actually, I found a site that talks about female circ and has various pix. One shows the clitoral hood and inner labia removed. I would guess this is comparable to male circ. It looked ghastly. It even said something about losing sensation but women getting used to it!

[SkyDweller]

Bingo!

Originally Posted by baybee

Circumcision removes 50% of the adult erect penis skin. They can minimize that with language all they want but it still amputates important, functioning erogenous tissue. It's important to remember that the western medical profession are the same folks that:
1. thought formula was better than breast milk
2. thought the tonsils and appendix were redundant vestigal organs
3. thought that episiotomies were a good idea
4. gave us the 30% cesarean rate
5. thought it was ok to put mercury in baby vaccines
5. need I go on?

They have been so wrong in the past, why would we believe what they tell us about penile skin?

Baybee

Very well said! Great 'sound byte'.

I grew up in a hospital. We knew which Dr.s routinely over-prescribed lab-tests and procedures and which Dr.s were positively 'scary' in the operating room. We heard who 'lost' too many patients and who hung the wrong blood 'type' for a transfusion during surgery(patient died after becoming a vegetable). As a result, I grew up to have a healthy respect for what Drs do know and can do and what they can't do.

[DocsNemesis]

Yep, thats totally a large part of it. I mean, who wants to be kept on their toes when you are trying to play a relaxing game of golf and you know a patient is in labor...and risk not being there to get paid for the delivery. My OB when I was in labor with my first actually told me "not to have the baby before 7 because he had a golf game." Having all their patients with scheduled cesareans makes it much easier on them-go in, cut her open, take the baby out, stitch her up, go home. Plus, I have known MANY OB's who actually enjoy doing cesareans because they feel like they actually get to deliver the baby-as opposed to a natural birth where the mom does all the work. ARGH!! Ok, I am now totally off topic

[elelvee]

Originally Posted by baybee

They have been so wrong in the past, why would we believe what they tell us about penile skin?

You know the part is supposed to be there. People wouldn't, if they were out to learn something and went through some anatomy textbooks.