Circumcision. Is it necessary?

[augustiron]

 

[Abacinator]

I'm making the point that children cannot elect to have the surgery until they are an adult (18) for good reason; they aren't able to grasp the benefits/ risks. I believe it "for good reason" that parents elect to do this when children are infants; we don't remember much, if any that happens at a very young age. I can't imagine electing to have the surgery in my late teens/ early 20's. This isn't about transgender issues, but the discussion on bodily autonomy WRT age will most likely draw all medical procedures into the discussion.

Like I said, a different discussion

 

[tzrider]

Zombie thread Public service award is in order to the forum host? US circumcision rates plummeted after insurance quit covering it as medically necessary in the ‘90s as a cost saving measure for them at the same time as health insured percentages lowered. When surgical trays shot up past $1K that practice became less important and rates dropped as the locker room became more egalitarian and less embarrassing. FWIW when loincloths, multiple partners and lack of water/sanitation reigned supreme, perhaps this widespread practice made sense. Not to mention religious segregation. In the current unrelated spotlight of children's genitalia and spiraling costs, much higher than a mohel, it seems the norms are shifting.

Unfortunate cottage industry is popping up:

 

[Dubbington]

Our son wasn't circumcised at birth but had to be "cut" when he was about 10 years old. His foreskin didn't retract enough to urinate properly and he was getting UTI's.
That fixed it.

I'm against it in principle but it's part of the Judaic and Islamic religions. Funny how Jews and Muslims generally don't see eye to eye on a lot but this is an exception.

Curious what the "in principle" is you mean? If religion is not part of equation, do you still feel the same way?

 

[Dubbington]

Just please don’t. It removes part of the penis that can provide pleasure. And if you learn how to keep your penis clean, there is next to no reason he will get infections. All the health rationalizations is just that. They are finding excuses to cut off a part of your body. No, no, no.

And someday your son will thank you for leaving him intact.

Pretty dubious about the later in life thank you from a son for not being circumcised. They wouldnt know any better to know the difference.

 

[Dubbington]

As a parent of two boys I can tell you that whether their future partners are going to prefer to suck my kids' dicks one way or the other was never considered.

Just being selfish huh?

 

[Dubbington]