Today was, I guess you could say, my first major intactivist deed. During my Psychology course we were discussing the development of babies in their first few months up to a year after birth. It was mentioned that studies have been done in the last decade proving that babies actually taste and feel much more than what we used to believe. The prof then continued to say that it wasn't long ago that circumcisions were performed with no anesthesia or pain killers of any kind, at which point I spoke up and informed her that actually the majority of circs done are still done with no pain relief, and even if used it usually only numbs the foreskin itself and not the whole penis. The conversations this sparked were amazing, with most of the people in my class shocked that they were still done at all, especially with no relief. My favorite reaction however, was my friend sitting next to me who said "I may be a lesbian and know nothing about anything to do with the penis, but even I know there's no actual reason to cut off a piece of it" :lol

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!!!

It's discussions like that that help dispell the myths that help circumcision continue!

Good for you for speaking up! I know I've run into a lot of people who think that doctors wouldn't dream of doing a circ with no pain relief, but in fact the opposite is true. Doctors act like it's an inconvenience to use pain relief. I know my mom was absolutely shocked when I told her. At first she didn't believe me, "Of COURSE they use pain relief, that's ridiculus!" But the more I explained to her, the more she realized I was probably right.

And the amount of people who think a topical cream is "pain relief" is just astounding.

It sounds like your classmates are very smart though! I'd hope a roomful of adults would be shocked and horrified by genital cutting, especially without pain relief, but sadly, so many people trick themselves into believing it's no big deal.

Very cool :thumbup

I can't wait until I can take A&PII again (I didn't fail, I just need to refresh after nearly 10 years :p ) so I can explain circ's effects when the instructor goes over the reproductive system.

~Nay

:thumb thats great!

You rock ---- good for you for speaking up! That's a whole bunch of people who will potentially spread that info to more and so on. Every time we help dispell myths, it creates amazing ripple effects.



- Kira

With me being a lesbian -- that was hilarious!!

Good Job!!

With me being a lesbian -- that was hilarious!!

Good Job!!


Yes, being a lesbian it amused me too. I was actually really impressed with the reactions of everyone in the room. Very few people had anything to say that was for circ, and they were shot down very quickly with facts from myself and a few other people, except for one or two who had religious reasons, but we won't go there :o

I remember being pregnant with my first and some medical professional (can't remember now who) telling me that - it's easier without pain relief because (get this) they have to be strapped down while we wait for the anesthesia to take effect and that bothers them more than the actual circumcision. Um, yea, okay.