What do you say to a stranger?

[silverspook]

I was in a small consignment store yesterday and overheard a pregnant woman at the checkout saying that she was having a boy. I really wanted to say something about not circing to her, but I honestly didn't know what to say. What is a good non-judgemental 'how ya doin?' type statement to bring up to a stranger in a situation like that - "So, you're having a boy? Congrats! I'm sure you know that circ isn't recommended nowadays." etc.

I would like to add that I live in East Tx where the circ rates are pretty high, and I'm assuming no one gives it much thought, they will defend it if anything. It's just "what you do" here. :

Help me out my CAC friends!

[SleeplessMommy]

Someone here mentioned that they "just happen to have" a back issue of Mothering Magazine in the car, to give to pregnant women. And it "just happens to be" the intact boy issue.

[transformed]

have some kind of non-invasive flyer or business card with a website that isnt militant?

Like "Congrats on your boy!"

And a link to a site.

[Fi.]

"Oh when I had my son you wouldn't believe the dumb recommendations I heard - never use anything pink near him, make sure his head was shaved so he didn't look girly, and to CIRCUMCISION HIM! Can you believe how ridiculous people are?"

Make sure you say it like it's shocking and ridiculous whilst shaking your head. And if you don't have a boy use "my friend".

[Fyrestorm]

I just make sure I'm wearing a circumcision is baby rape shirt (or other such anti circ shirt)whenever I'm pretty sure I'm going to be around other mothers.

[Fi.]

Yeah that's not extremist or going to push people away AT ALL

[Fyrestorm]

I call it like I see it...they can choose to read it, or not. Maybe they might walk away thinking I'm radical...but did it plant a seed?

[kldliam]

BABY RAPE!? : it certainly IS provocative!

Extremist maybe, but we also need button-pushers in this campaign. Remember we catch the most flies with BOTH honey and vinegar!

I love it!

[kldliam]

lots of folks carry these 3X5 cards with them. Keep them in your purse. little seeds. www.nocirc.org has their own version too. let me look around for them. Just a "pardon me, may i give you a helpful tip?" hand the card to them and just smile and walk away. simple as that.

http://www.luckystiff.org/circumcisi...ucky_Stiff.pdf

[foreskin friendly]

Another button-pusher chiming in...
although my shirts aren't quite that shocking!
(OK except for the Circumcision is Child Abuse sweatshirt!)

Sometimes, its a little intimidating, knowing how pro-circ so many people actually are here in PA to wear something like that.....
I definitely think it gets people thinking/talking... the seeds are planted-YES!

[Fyrestorm]

Originally Posted by kldliam

BABY RAPE!? : it certainly is provocative!

Extremist maybe, but we need button-pushers in this campaign. Remember we catch the most flies with BOTH honey and vinegar!

I love it!

Well, since RIC has nothing to do with medicine (other than the fact that it is preformed by doctors) than it's plain and simple sexual assault.

Some of my shirts are slightly less severe...I also wear:

Circumcision harms babies and the men they become

Sexual assault is not medicine - Stop Circumcision

Circumcision: It was not your choice, but it was your penis

Circumcision, where sex and violence meet

Foreskin is not a birth defect

Circumcision: An operation that permanently marks a baby with their parents ignorance

Men deserve freedom of choice too - Say no to circumcision

Genital Integrity is everybody's birth rite

Bring the whole baby home

Circumcision = Mutilation - Mutilation = Child Abuse - Arrest the abusers

I have one for every occasion

[kldliam]

for the record....

It is baby rape. But the "average mainstreamer" would be stumpped I think.
I am not the in-your face type, but I LOVE them all the same!

[fruitful womb]

Originally Posted by silverspook

I was in a small consignment store yesterday and overheard a pregnant woman at the checkout saying that she was having a boy. I really wanted to say something about not circing to her, but I honestly didn't know what to say. What is a good non-judgemental 'how ya doin?' type statement to bring up to a stranger in a situation like that - "So, you're having a boy? Congrats! I'm sure you know that circ isn't recommended nowadays." etc.

I would like to add that I live in East Tx where the circ rates are pretty high, and I'm assuming no one gives it much thought, they will defend it if anything. It's just "what you do" here. :

Help me out my CAC friends!

My bank teller was 4 wks away from delivering a boy. I gave her a nocirc card. Said, "Awe, how sweet, a boy... Here is something special for the little guy! *smile and walk away*.

[transformed]

I think that rephrasing it from "anti" something to "pro" something is positive.

Like "Intactivist" is totally a great term.

"Anti circ" makes people think you are a crazy hippy almost immedietly.

[transformed]

Also, I think it probably makes alot of men feel really really bad about themselves to call it baby rape...or assault. I try not to use those types of terms around men.

[silverspook]

Thank you so much for all your responses! I have been waiting for weeks for my pro-bf/no-circ bumperstickers to come in the mail *taps fingers*. I REALLY wish I had them when my pro-circ friend was driving behind me a few weeks ago! I am also in the market for shirts for me and 10 mo old DS. Carrying the cards and copies of that Mothering mag issue are GREAT ideas! Does anyone know if it's legal to buy one copy of that issue and makes copies of the article? My intactivist funds are running low LOL! I will definitely feel better prepared next time!