How has having an intact son changed your life...?

[phatchristy]

It's been one year since my son was born! And, yes, as you can see from my siggy he has remained as God made him.

I have to say, in reflection of the past year, I now feel like more of an intactavist than ever. I think him being born, and having an intact son has made me feel more strongly about this issue, and that as part of my life's purpose I am there to help educate others about the dangers and lifelong sexual repercussions of circumcision.

My son has now taught me the new normal...really, now that I have seen him this past year I can't look at a circumcised penis without a deep feeling that it is just flat out wrong. I don't feel comfortable seeing a circumcised penis. Seeing circumcised babies has been the hardest in particular...seeing a stump of a penis and thinking of what was lost . Then there is the realization...my son has a very long foreskin...half of his penis length is made up of his foreskin...and I think of how much damage would have been done and how how little of a penis stump he would have been left with if that was done to him. Just THANK GOD it wasn't.

Anyhow, I was thinking about it...how having him really stepped up my intactavist feelings. I had been against circ from the beginning when I researched it initially when I was pregnant. But, I had two daughters first, and I don't think that the full effect hit me until I had my own son a year ago today.

As my day to reflect on him and the miracle of his birth I came accross these thoughts. I wondered if others would like to share their experiences?

I am looking for a positive, upbeat post (seems like we've had some rather intense and frustrating ones lately).

[AntoninBeGonin]

I could've written your entire post. It sums up exactly how I feel.

~Nay

[Mamm2]

What a beautiful post...yes, I can use some postive vibes.

Circumision: The more you learn, the worse it gets. This is so true, I thank God I did not circ the little guy. And yes, when I see a circ penis (my little nephew) it looks so wrong and abnormal...

How can anyone think a circ penis is more beautiful then an intact penis?

[MommytoB]

I grew up with a whole load of circ'ed males/cousins,brother(stepbrothers), uncles and not aware of 'intactness' even when I was 'wiping lil boys in daycare settings'. So after having my intact son who's 2 now and I have learned so much of horror of circumcision through my son lifetime that when I have to change a 'dirty poopie circ'ed boy and theirs is poop on the 'glans' . I hate wiping there 'because there was something traumatic done to him. I hate having to 'spend time wiping there 'afraid' I am making him uncomfortable. Even intact boys and intact adults look different.

At times since in the past before I met my ex my subconcisous would 'view 'being intimate with 'circ'ed males' then after I met my ex and we had a 'good intimate relation ' . I so 'fear ' since I am back in the 'dating scene' that if down the 'road ' If i wanted to go all the way and it turned out to be a circ'ed guy I might be too critical or too insenstive even though I know it wouldn't be his fault .

[MysteryMama]

before having my sons, a circ'd penis looked normal to me. now everytime i see one i feel mildly shocked, and sad.

[ShaggyDaddy]

It makes me even more sad for my 3 nephews ALL of which have moderate to severe complications due to their mutilations.

It gives me unlimited rights to cry B.S. when people argue about the father's status having any kind of bearing on the decision to mutilate (I am not intact).

It convinced me to restore... It just looks so... necessary. It seems like it would make you feel so much more secure and safe. It is hard to explain, but I didn't understand it untill I had a son.

It makes me happy that the things that suck about having a penis aren't going to happen to my son, because as I learned later, they are just things that suck about missing foreskin.

[kldliam]

OP: I think him being born, and having an intact son has made me feel more strongly about this issue, and that as part of my life's purpose I am there to help educate others about the dangers and lifelong sexual repercussions of circumcision.

Exactly how I feel! This is part of what i do to make the world a better and safer place for children to be in. Thanks for your good work!

[baybee]

You women and men on this list inspire me every day.
Baybee

[Jillie]

I also feel the same way. I'm so glad I was informed and able to see a normal penis as, well, normal. I can only hope the fact that hasn't killed him (scarcasm here), will inspire others around me to leave their boys as they were meant to be. When I hear of the care and concern parents of circ'ed boys have to deal with I am so thankful we knew better. Natural is so easy and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Arduinna]

I don't have a son, but was lucky in my teens to be close to a family with an intact toddler. And yes it was an eye opening experience. And this was before I ever had an intact partner.

[dynamohumm6]

Originally Posted by phatchristy

I
I have to say, in reflection of the past year, I now feel like more of an intactavist than ever. I think him being born, and having an intact son has made me feel more strongly about this issue, and that as part of my life's purpose I am there to help educate others about the dangers and lifelong sexual repercussions of circumcision.

My son has now taught me the new normal...really, now that I have seen him this past year I can't look at a circumcised penis without a deep feeling that it is just flat out wrong. I don't feel comfortable seeing a circumcised penis. Seeing circumcised babies has been the hardest in particular...seeing a stump of a penis and thinking of what was lost . Then there is the realization...my son has a very long foreskin...half of his penis length is made up of his foreskin...and I think of how much damage would have been done and how how little of a penis stump he would have been left with if that was done to him. Just THANK GOD it wasn't.

Anyhow, I was thinking about it...how having him really stepped up my intactavist feelings. I had been against circ from the beginning when I researched it initially when I was pregnant. But, I had two daughters first, and I don't think that the full effect hit me until I had my own son a year ago today.

Well, honestly, I can just ditto this. From the minute he was born and seeing his perfect little body all curled up on me, I had this fleeting feeling of "oh my god they actually DO THAT to these little creatures" and it was just horrifying. It was this strange sense of all I had to do was scribble my signature on a piece of paper and this content, nursing, peaceful little boy would be strapped down and cut and permanently altered, physically and possibly emotionally. It was just ludicrous to me that it was even an option.

It's made me much more passionate about the issue (almost to a fault; emotionally it's hard to distance myself sometimes). It's made me incredibly sad and angry - furious even - that it still happens, that this country somehow deems our little boys less worthy of protection than our little girls. And yes, ditto to other posts - I'm always a bit taken aback when I see circ'd babies now (I've honestly only ever seen one or two at our community swimming pool)...it looks so exposed and naked.

[PuppyFluffer]

I just had a baby girl 12 days ago. I didn't know the gender of this baby and really thought she stood a great chance of being a he since the pregnancy was so different from my first pregnancy with my dd.

I had reasons why having a boy would be wonderful. One of them was that I could raise an intact child.

We are totally thrilled to have another girl by the way!!!

My dh and I were talking about circumcision the other night and I asked him, could you ever imagine handing this baby over to someone to cut? He said NEVER! (and a few other things probably too graphic to post.) It is truly beyond my mind's ability to comprehend how a person can be informed about the procedure and still consent to it.

I applaud all of you raising intact boys and those of you who have made the mistake to circumcise but will rectify it thru education of your children! It is hard to go against the social "norm" and I have sincere hope that we will come to a time when circumcision is never the norm.

[urchin_grey]

My son is intact. I think the the main way it changed my life is that it really "normalized" normal for me. If that makes sense. I had never seen an intact penis until my son was born. Hell, my whole FAMILY hadn't seen an intact penis. Now when I see a little boy whose circ'd it literally just turns my stomach.

[coloradoalice]

It has made me more passionate about penises than I ever thought possible!

Having Ian intact has made me realize what an atrocity it is to circumcise. It has made me aware of the deceit the medical community has passed on to our society. It has made me extremely angry towards parents who do circumcise, especially those that have been given good information. It has made me realize how 50% of male babies in my country are punished with circumcision at birth just because of their gender. It has made me long for my husband to have a foreskin. It has put a serious hold on my relationship with my sister because she did circumcise her little boy after many discussions and her reasoning was "just because".

It has also made me appreciate my children so much. It has made me wonder at the perfection they were each born with.

This knowledge of circumcision and how wrong it is has really changed my life. I love this board for the information that is available and the passion that is shown here.

We are all making a difference, little by little, every day!

[Arduinna]

It has made me realize how 50% of babies in my country are punished with circumcision at birth just because of their gender.

well put!

and I wish that smilie wasn't smiliing too bad we don't have a nodding but sad smilie.

[A&A]

Originally Posted by coloradoalice

It has also made me appreciate my children so much. It has made me wonder at the perfection they were each born with.

.

It has deepened my relationship with my nephew whose parents had the good sense to leave him intact, and has weakened my relationship with my nephew whose parents, unfortunately, did not have the good sense to leave him intact.


My intactivism also inspired us to take a $2000 family vacation to Seattle (to attend the Symposium)!

It has made me question a lot of other things that doctors do, too. I certainly no longer have the "doctor knows best" attitude that I used to have.

It has made me a more patient, attached parent overall. It's hard to explain the connection there, but it just has.

It has transformed my previous feminism into humanism. I realize how much circ is a feminist issue, as well (see sig).

[A&A]

Originally Posted by coloradoalice

It has made me realize how 50% of babies in my country are punished with circumcision at birth just because of their gender.

The circ rate isn't 100% of boys. So, approx. 60% of 50% of the babies in this country are punished because of their sex.

[sandals]

Having an intact son has made me on the receiving end of a lot more questions about penises than I ever thought possible

But agree with the OP, beautifully put!

[coloradoalice]

Originally Posted by A&A

The circ rate isn't 100% of boys. So, approx. 60% of 50% of the babies in this country are punished because of their sex.

Ah, yes! That should be 50% of male babies. Off to edit!