Group Work No.

3: Circumcision Revisited By: Emmanuel Bolamba & Shelby Johnston

After finding various articles that both support and refute the need for circumcision, we have concluded that the negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to considering getting a circumcision done. Throughout our research we have found many credible articles that come from various sources; Time Magazine, The Toronto Sun, The European and Huffpost Healthy Living. There are a lot of reasons why people chose to circumcise their children, such as religious and cultural reasons. The American Academy of pediatrics says the benefits of male circumcision outweigh the risks. (Dr. W Gifford-Jones, The Case against Circumcision). What they dont seem to understand is that it isnt just a small piece of skin that is being taken off, its about 3-5 inches, which is about half of the skin of the penis. Christine Northrup, who is a medical doctor, states in the article We Need To Stop Circumcision that In medical school, I was taught that babies couldnt feel when they were born, and therefore wouldnt feel their circumcision. Why was it, then, that when I strapped their little arms and legs down on the board, they were often perfectly calm; then when I started cutting their foreskin, they screamed loudly, with cries that broke my heart? For years, in some hospitals, surgery on infants has been carried out without anesthesia because of this misconception! Also, when getting circumcised it takes away the gliding motion that is needed to activate sexual reflexes and pleasure.

Doctor John Taylor a Winnipeg Pathologist discovered a ridged band that lies inside the foreskin. After microscopic examination it showed that the skin had a lot of blood vessels and nerves which means that what is being cut from the male penis is a large part of the sexual satisfaction. Circumcision is now considered a form of sexual abuse, whether it be done to a male or a female, On June 26th, 2012 overseas in Germany a court ruled that the right of the child to physical integrity trumps the right of the parents to religious freedom. The court further stated that the circumcision of a minor for non-medical reasons is a criminal offense. Circumcision should therefore be postponed until the boy can decide for himself. (Girt Van Dijk, His Body, His Choice). We now see that the decision of circumcision is becoming a more global issue which led to a decline of circumcision in many western countries. Also, in 2010 the KNMG (The Royal Dutch Medical Association) published a paper on circumcision that also agreed with the conclusion that circumcising young children takes away their right to autonomy and physical integrity. Being circumcised generally leaves men with horrific memories and a lot of sexual disadvantage. Davis from The Backlash Against circumcision article says that Many feel their circumcisions left them physically scarred and sexually disadvantage, David Wilson also states that I always felt something was missing, not functioning properly. In addition, circumcision has declined in the USA with males by almost 30%, going from 85% in 1965 to 57% in 2005. Most of the decline is attributed to the immigration of Latin Americans and Asians, where they rarely circumcise their children. Also, In

more than a dozen states M edicaid no longer covers the surgery routinely, leaving many poor children without the option (Jeninne Lee-St. John, The Backlash Against Circumcision) In conclusion, circumcision is a procedure that is unnecessary for children to go through at such a young age. Whether its for religious, cultural or personal reasons, there should not be a rush by parents to get the procedure done. There are proven laws overseas that state that parents must wait for the child to be old enough to make their own decision by themselves. We are hoping that USA and Canada also grasp the same type of thinking and also place that law, because as stated before it is considered a form of child abuse, which is a crime.