He’s a newborn baby boy. He’s so completely and utterly powerless. He can’t say no. He can’t make a case with mommy and daddy to let him keep his foreskin.
I can’t comprehend the continued practice of circumcision in America. Well, I guess if it’s for religion I understand, because people do all sorts of zany things in the name of religion. But for people whose religion doesn’t require circumcision?
“It’s best for his health.” “It’s cleaner.” “It’s safer.” “He won’t feel like an outcast when he’s older.” “He won’t have to be embarrassed with the ladies.” I have hope that circumcision will go the way of slavery in this country. It too was inherently wrong, and it just took time for our society to no longer justify its practice.
Do people suppose that this baby boy who is screaming bloody murder as a huge chunk of functional genital tissue gets sliced off his body doesn’t really feel the pain? Or is that it just doesn’t matter how awful an experience it is because he’s a newborn and won’t remember? But who can say what permanent effect that kind of trauma has on him psychologically? Parents who choose to circumcise should be forced to both be present during the procedure so they can witness how their son responds to it. I suspect that they won’t see or hear him scream quite that same way ever again.
I wish I could have had the choice to have foreskin. I’m glad that my boys will (I think it’s enough that they didn’t get a say in what they are named). Maybe as adults they’ll want to lop it off anyways, but at least they can make that decision for themselves.
I am really sad for my new nephew, born yesterday. As his uncle, I feel like I should try to intervene on his behalf. I won’t, though. My sister and her husband are really good people and I know they feel that they are doing the right thing. I just think that one day parents won’t have to wrestle with the decision because circumcisions just won’t be done anymore. Our society has always evolved, and it will continue to do so.
