I have never gotten so worked up about a particular issue as I have with circumcision. Since the birth of my first child, I have learned more about circumcision than I ever wanted to know. I am glad that I have been able to make a truly informed decision on behalf of my children. None of my children have been circumcised. At the time my first son was born in 1992, all I knew about circumcision was what I learned in a pamphlet - that it was not medically necessary and was painful for the baby. That's all I needed to know to say no to circumcision. Caring for my intact baby boy couldn't have been easier. Just external washing was all that was needed. I knew his penis was still developing and retraction wouldn't be possible or even needed until his teen years, when he would be perfectly capable of doing it for himself. I have 100% confidence that my sons will be capable of cleaning their own genitals.

What bothers me most about the circumcision issue is the fact that most parents have no idea what circumcision is or what the foreskin is for. Even those who have been given ample opportunity to learn the facts still brush them off and refuse to accept them. They do this so they can continue to circumcise their children without guilt. I mean, how many parents are actually going to admit that they chose unnecessary surgery for their newborn baby that removed healthy, normal, functioning tissue from his genitals which caused unnecessary pain and suffering and a life-time of problems from the lack of foreskin? Not many. Instead, they hide behind the myths of "it's cleaner", "he will be teased if he is not circumcised", "he'll have to have it done later in life so better to do it when he's still a baby". Years ago, it is understandable that the majority of parents were ignorant about the issue because they were specifically told that circumcision was cleaner, healthier, etc. Today, there is no excuse. No medical organization in the world recommends routine infant circumcision. There are no valid medical reasons to circumcise a newborn baby, yet the cutting continues. Why? The excuses used today are mostly so the baby will look like his father, if the father has been circumcised. That has got to be the stupidest excuse I have ever heard. I know parents who have used this excuse and guess what? The boy looks more like his mother than his father! In hair color, eye color, general facial appearance. Why his penis has to be cut up to match his father's is absolutely ridiculous! It's obvious a hang-up on the father's side. Maybe by circumcising his own son it justifies his own circumcision. He is the one that doesn't want to feel like the odd one. I just cannot believe these factors actually play a role in deciding whether to put a little baby through medically unwarranted surgery. Where is their common sense? Where are their parental instincts to protect their child? It's absurd.

I often hear from circumcised men saying "There's nothing wrong with MY penis", "I am glad I am circumcised". That's fine. No one is trying to make you feel bad about being circumcised. No one wants you to feel inferior because you are missing a part of your penis. What I oppose is these attitudes contributing to harming more baby boys. A father's preferences for his own penis should have no effect on deciding upon surgery for his newborn baby! Surely if he had an appendectomy or tonsillectomy, he would not insist that his child have one too. When he looks objectively at the facts, he will see that circumcision is not in the best interest of his son. He was circumcised in a time when it was thought to be preferable...healthier, cleaner. We now know better. Fathers and sons will always have differences and the difference in their circumcision status' can be easily explained along with the other differences. A child is a product of their parents' love for one another, not a clone!

Improper treatment of an intact boy is a major cause of later problems and later circumcisions. Many parents and doctors harm little boys by retracting their foreskins before they are ready. The foreskin is attached to the head of the penis at birth. As the penis grows and develops, it gradually separates from the head (glans) and becomes retractable. There is no exact age when this occurs. There is also no reason to retract the foreskin before this separation is complete. Even after completion, retracting and rinsing does not need to begin until adolescence, when during puberty the body goes through tremendous change and personal hygiene needs to be given more priority in both sexes. I have never retracted either of my son's foreskins nor attempted to retract them. Any medical professional who has examined my sons has been told outright not to retract their foreskins. I really wouldn't think this would be necessary except that the sad situation exists that many doctors, nurses, etc. are uninformed about the normal male penis and their incompetence could harm my child through forced retraction. I have heard from many parents, horror stories about how a doctor forced their child's foreskin back to the point of causing pain and bleeding. This is abuse. Doctors are taught in medical school how to cut off the foreskin but they are not taught how to simply leave it alone! The responsibility is now placed upon us as parents to ensure that our children are not harmed. This is so important.

NOCIRC of Maine