I have been meaning to write a post about this subject for some time but today I came across an article that basically took the words right out of my mouth, and is a great introduction to the issue.
That article is called Female genital mutilation (FGM) and male circumcision: Time to confront the double standard by Brian Earp (18 February 2014)
What is happening in many countries is that the issue of FGM is receiving a great deal more attention than male circumcision. This has generated an increasingly strong reaction from opponents of infant circumcision. The opposing reaction from feminists and some others, has been a combination of downplaying the actual and potential harmful effects of male circumcision, combined with exaggeration of is potential health benefits.
Some of the arguments put forward in support of circumcision include better personal hygiene, and related to that a reduced propensity to infection by STD’s including HIV/AIDS. In reality, however, in western society such benefits are marginal. Curiously one does not hear corresponding arguments that infants’ fingernails and toenails should be removed for these reasons, nor the breast buds of pubescent girls (to prevent breast cancer, which is far more prevalent than HIV).
This conflicting treatment of the GM issue for males and females is now being enshrined in an increasing number of new laws that ban FGM whilst ignoring the circumcision of male infants (example).
Further useful and/or disturbing information can be obtained from the following sources:
The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages
Non-therapeutic penile circumcision of minors: current controversies in UK law and medical ethics (12 July 2022)
Becoming A Mother Led Me To Become An Intactivist (26 August 2021)
Circumcision: The Ultimate Male Manipulation (4 March 2021) Video
The BBC just released a video featuring Nimco Ali entitled, “FGM and male circumcision aren’t the same” (7 February 2019)
Turkish boys scream as they’re put by agonising circumcision ritual in photograph sequence displaying their contorted faces (30 June 2017)
Mother laughs at son’s circumcision pain as he walks holding his pants away from the wound (21 April 2017) Reddit discussion thread and linked video.
MGM: Claimed medical benefits Part 1 (25 March 2017) This is the first in a three part series of articles in this web site
World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics study finds evidence in favour of male infant circumcision (8 February 2017)
“uncircumcised males face an 80 per cent risk of developing a foreskin-related condition requiring medical attention” which could equate to a dab of bepanthen and extra washing – but let’s cut the little blighter anyway and be done with it.
Denmark’s doctors express their view on circumcision (12 January 2017) See related Reddit discussion thread here
Why female genital mutilation is a very different issue to male circumcision | International Business Times (7 November 2016) Reddit discussion thread and linked article
Oxford Doesn’t Understand Genital Mutilation (31 August 2016) Video
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics: ‘Circimcision is Unethical and Unlawful’ (14 July 2016)
Why The Fight To End Female Genital Mutilation Needs To Include Infant Male Circumcision (1 June 2016)
Västra Götaland Parliament: Genital mutilation of boys is OK (13 April 2016)
Why circumcision is the same as FGM (30 March 2016) UK. Video
No More Intactivism for Me: Here’s Why (5 January 2016)
MRA interrupts HeforShe speech at Stony Brook University, challenges speaker on MGM (2 September 2015) Reddit discussion thread and linked video
Circumcision debate raises health claims and ethical issues (12 May 2015)
Female Circumcision – The Hidden Truth (2 April 2015) A Muslim perspective
Defending FGM (18 February 2013)
The Doctors: Daytime Talk Show Disaster (16 January 2014) Good Youtube video
Sex Talk Realness: Circumcised Penises vs. Uncircumcised Penises (23 October 2014) Unbelievably tasteless article from Cosmopolitan
12 African men forced to undergo circumcision (3 August 2014)
Don’t compare male circumcision with FGM (30 July 2014) Rubbish article but comments worth reading
Three charged with circumcising girls committed to stand trial (23 May 2014)
A Youtube video on the subject of circumcision
Sexually-transmitted infections and circumcision: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2013)
“Consequently, the prevention of sexually transmitted infections cannot rationally be interpreted as a benefit of circumcision, and any policy of circumcision for the general population to prevent sexually transmitted infections is not supported by the evidence in the medical literature.”
http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6966989/the-real-reason-youre-circumcised
http://www.examiner.com/article/female-genital-mutilation-vs-circumcision
http://www.circinfo.org/Circumcision_and_women.html
‘The case against the case against circumcision‘ (18 October 2009) Some interesting info amongst the readers comments section
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/03/men-and-female-genital-mutilation
Reddit discussion thread about a pro-circumcision article in the Sydney Morning Herald
Should we circumcise women to prevent throat cancer in men? (7 July 2014)
US Navy study on the (absence of a ) link between circumcision and HIV infection (July 2004)
And finally … I couldn’t believe this when I first read about it … sick stuff. Skin cream for women made from the foreskins of baby boys (12 April 2013)
