The Language Doesn't Matter...
Our friend Travis Wisdom again, using the power of language (other than English).
Hear Their Voices
Word is spreading about my desire to share peoples' feelings about circumcision. This morning I received several photographs from Chad Rivera, who has collected these from several different people. Take a look and realize there are many people out there who have been negatively affected by circumcision, who did NOT consent, and are angry or sad about their lack of choice.
More to come...
His Only Voice
From Travis Leal Couto Wisdom:
Thank you so much for giving me permission to publish these here, Travis.
Men Really Do Mind
As evidenced by this photo, there really are men out there who wish they weren't circumcised. They didn't ask for it and it was done to them before they were of an age where they could consent to surgery that would forever alter their sex organs.
This is Steve Clow, a friend and fellow intactivist, with his message to the world.
Steve also adds to his message: "He doesn't blame his parents, just the doctor"
If you are a man who was circumcised and wish you weren't, please feel free to send in your photos. I'd love to share them here. Send to intactivist.net@gmail.com and don't forget to tell me if you want me to use your name or keep it anonymous.
The world needs to know not every man is ok with this!
Response to AAP Circumcision Policy Statement
Response to the AAP Circumcision Policy Statement and Technical Report
by James W. Prescott, Ph.D., Developmental Neuropsychologist, BioBehavioral Systems
Published on the AAP website August 28, 2012
The long awaited revised Policy Statement and Technical Report on circumcision has been published and strong objections to its principle findings and recommendations must be made.
It is not true that Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks; furthermore, the benefits of newborn male circumcision justify access to this procedure for families who choose it.
The unresolved injuries and risks of inflicted pain have yet to be resolved and have been reviewed by Taddio (1997,2001). The analytic legal and judicial issues of inflicting pain upon an unconsenting person were not addressed by these AAP documents.
The Judicial OPINION of Judge J. Flaherty (1978), stated:
The question posed by the Plaintiff, is that, in order to save the life of one of its members by the only means available, may society infringe upon ones absolute right to his "bodily security." Forceable extraction of living body tissue causes revulsion to the judicial mind. Such would raise the spectre of the swastika and the Inquisition, reminiscent of the horrors this portends... An Order will be entered denying the request for a preliminary injunction. http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/McFall_v_Shimp.pdf " http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/McFall_v_Shimp.pdf
Forceable extraction of living body tissue to benefit another is unconstitutional.
The forceable shredding of the foreskin from the glans--a fused biological organ in newborns and young children--is an act of torture, as is the stripping of the skin from the body is universally recognized as an act of torture that is prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. a) No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
http://www.violence.de/prescott/truthseeker/genpl.html http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/5/1088.full/reply#pediatrics_el_50189 http://montagunocircpetition.org
Judith Palfrey, M.D., Past President, American Academy of Pediatrics was compelled to renounce the AAP Bioethics Committee's policy statement on Ritual Cutting of Female Minors with the following statement: "The AAP does not endorse the practice of offering a "clitoral nick". This minimal pinprick is forbidden under federal law..." (17 May 2010). http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/5/1088.full/reply#pediatrics_el_50189
The House of Delegates of the American Medical Association unanimously passed a wrongful resolution that opposed all legal efforts to ban male circumcision (November 15, 2011- New Orleans).
The equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the US, Constitution extends the protection of PL 104-208 to male children http://mgmbill.org/usfgmlaw.htm
The trauma of PAIN inflicted upon newborns and children should be of primary concern to the Pediatrician and OBY/GYN physician.
A study by David Levy (1945) established that homicidal and suicidal rage was induced by circumcision of a 6.5 year old child: "Psychic Trauma of Operations in Children", which portrays the hidden costs of genital mutilation that affects all of society and not just the child. http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/Levy1945.html
Moses Maimonides in The Guide of the Perplexed (circa 1190) stated.
The bodily injury caused to that organ is exactly that which is desired; it does not interrupt any vital function, nor does it destroy the power of generation. Circumcision simply counteracts excessive lust; for there is no doubt that circumcision weakens the power of sexual excitement, and sometimes lessens the natural enjoyment... This is, as I believe, the best reason for the commandment concerning circumcision. (Part III, Chapter 49, emphasis added).
Circumcision and clitoridectomy were the nineteenth century answer to masturbation (Duffy, 1963, 1989), the only instance where surgery was sought as a solution to the mental, moral and behavioral disorders alleged to occur consequent to masturbation until the advent of HIV/AIDS.
This medical doctrine was reinforced by the Vatican's publication: "Declaration on Sexual Ethics" (1975), which stated:
The traditional Catholic doctrine that masturbation constitutes a grave moral disorder is often called into doubt or expressly denied today... the Magisterium of the Church -- in the course of a constant tradition -- and the moral sense of the faithful have declared without hesitation that masturbation is an intrinsically and seriously disordered act.
Robert F. Drinan, S.J. (2004) in CAN GOD & CAESAR COEXIST?: Balancing Religious Freedom & International Law stated:
In at least one case, the United States granted asylum to a woman who was threatened with genital mutilation in her country of origin. The court held that female genital mutilation is a form of torture--a practice absolutely prohibited by international law." p.143).
To affirm that FGM and not MGM is an act of torture defies reality and judicial rulings.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has misused its authority by not addressing the analytic legal, judicial, cultural and religious history of genital mutilation that has so influenced medical opinion and practices throughout human history and has corrupted its current and wrongful recommendations on circumcision.
There are no religious rights or freedoms to inflict harm or injury upon another person contrary to the history of religious traditions and medical history.
There are no parental or medical rights to the sexual abuse of newborns/children, which genital mutilation entails. FIRST, DO NO HARM
James W. Prescott, Ph.D. BioBehavioral Systems 27 August 2012
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2010). Policy Statement--Ritual Genital Cutting of Female Minors http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010- 0187v1
American Academy of Pediatrics (2012). Male Circumcision. Pediatrics. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2012-1990. August 27, 2012 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/08/22/peds.2012- 1990
American Medical Association. (2011). American Medical Association House of Delegates adopts new policies during final days of semi-annual meeting. Press Release, November 15, New Orleans. http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/Prescott_to_AMA.PDF http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/AMA_to_Prescott.pdf
Drinan, S.J. R.F. (2004). CAN GOD & CAESAR COEXIST?: Balancing Religious Freedom & International Law. Yale University Press. http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/BOOK_OF_THE_CENTURY-DRINAN.pdf
Duffy, J (1963). Masturbation and Clitoridectomy. The Journal of the American Medical Association. Vol 186, pp. 246-248.
Duffy, J. (1989). Clitoridectomy: A Nineteenth Century Answer to Masturbation. The Truth Seeker Supplement. July/August. http://www.violence.de/GM-TS_1989.pdf
Flaherty, J. (1978). In the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Civil Division. McFall v Shimp No. GD 78-17711. http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/McFall_v_Shimp.pdf
Levy, D. (1945). Psychic Trauma of Operations in Children" American Diseases of Children 69(1): 7-25 http://www.violence.de/prescott/letters/Levy1945.html
Maimonides, Moses (1963): The Guide of The Perplexed. (Shlomo Pines, Trans.) Vol I &11 University of Chicago Press. Chicago.
Palfrey, J (2010) eLetter of Clarification of American Academy of Pediatrics on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). May 14 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/5/1088.full/reply#pediatrics_el_50189
Prescott, J.W. (1989). Genital Pain v Genital Pleasure: Why The One and Not the Other? The Truth Seeker, July/August 1989, pp. 14-21 http://www.violence.de/prescott/truthseeker/genpl.html
Prescott, J.W. (1997). THE ASHLEY MONTAGU RESOLUTION TO END THE GENITAL MUTILATION OF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE: A Petition To The World Court, The Hague In Sexual Mutilations: A Human Tragedy. (George C. Denniston and Marilyn Fayre Milos,Eds) Plenum Press. New York and London http://montagunocircpetition.org
Prescott, J.W. (2010) Genital Mutilation of Children Is Torture. eLetter to Pediatrics April 29 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/125/5/1088.full/reply#pediatrics_el_5 0189
Prescott, J.W. (2012). Human Rights Before Religious Rights. August http://www.violence.de/politics.shtml#Circ-HUMAN_RIGHTS_v_Relig_Rights
Taddio A, Katz J, Ilersich AL, Koren G.(1997) Effect of neonatal circumcision on pain response during subsequent routine vaccination. Lancet. 1997;349(9052):599-603
Taddio A. (2001) Pain management for neonatal circumcision. Paediatr Drugs. 2001;3(2):
101-111
Conflict of Interest:
None declared
In honor of Van Lewis
Van Lewis, famous intactivist and founder of the movement, came up with the concept for this graphic and collaborated with James Mac to create it. The plan was to carry this image on a sign when Van attended Genital Integrity Awareness in Washington, D.C. Unfortunately Van was too ill to follow through with his plan and shortly after passed away, therefore I'd like to share the image here for all to see in honor of Van's memory.
May is Masturbation Month
A very clever graphic sent in by Chad Rivera, a strong supporter of intactivism, with this comment:
"Masturbation. Everyone does it. Not everyone admits it. Kellogg's tried to stop it with circumcision of boys and carbolic acid on girls' clitoris. He failed. May is masturbation month :)"
Note from intactivist.net: See also: What Kellogg has to do with circumcision
"Masturbation. Everyone does it. Not everyone admits it. Kellogg's tried to stop it with circumcision of boys and carbolic acid on girls' clitoris. He failed. May is masturbation month :)"
Note from intactivist.net: See also: What Kellogg has to do with circumcision
Another Telling Shot
Yet another really remarkable photo project comparing intact and circumcised penises. Both models are young men on either side of 30, yet take note of the difference in skin texture, appearance, etc.
(P.S. The intact man is actually the older one.)
Graphic courtesy of Matthew Sweeting.
(P.S. The intact man is actually the older one.)
Graphic courtesy of Matthew Sweeting.
How Circumcision Impacted My Life
How circumcision impacted my life.
During my first pregnancy I never gave a second thought as to whether or not to circumcise. (Sometimes I wonder if I had known that I was having a boy if I would have done research because I spent HOURS AND HOURS AND HOURS researching vaccines, natural birth etc but never came across any circumcision info!) I didn’t know that NOT circumcising was even an option. It was necessary! The Bible said to do it, it was cleaner and it was just what you do! Right?? I felt sorry for those poor babies that got circumcised in the hospital because the “right way” to do it when they are 8 days old (the Bible says so) and use pain medication.I made a well baby check up appointment and took my tiny 6 lb baby in to be circumcised. My mommy heart was screaming NOOO!!! But everyone was saying you have to! If you don’t he will have to get it done when he is older and it will HURT! This won’t hurt him and he will not remember it happening, so it won’t be traumatic. I signed the consent form (or maybe my husband did??) and handed them my precious baby boy. The doctor assured me that “this is a pain free circumcision office, we make sure the baby doesn’t feel a thing”. When they walked out of the room I thought I was going to throw up, I felt so sick, I wanted to cry! I assured myself this was the right thing to do! God said it was necessary OBVIOUSLY to prevent infections, and it was just a little snip of skin off the end, kind of like cropping a puppy's tail.
He was right down the hall and my mom could see the back of the doctor the whole time, we never heard a sound. When they brought him back to me and pulled off his ADORABLE cloth diaper that I had so lovingly sewn while I was pregnant, I almost threw up! His tiny, perfect little penis was MUTILATED! It was bleeding, red, swollen and looked SO SORE! The doctor instructed me on how to put petroleum jelly and gauze over the exposed glans until it healed to protect it from urine and feces and to make sure the gauze didn’t get stuck! OUCH!
The next few days were hell! I ended up staying with my parents for a week and made my mom change his diapers because I would end up a hysterical mess with every diaper change. He would SCREAM AND CRY hysterically the entire time, no matter how gentle I was! I put SO much petroleum jelly because I was NOT going to let the gauze stick to his poor penis. At this point, I started doing research. How could this be right? He was in SO MUCH pain and I could not even give pain medication because he was so small! This wasn’t just a little snip, they CHOPPED OFF a huge piece and left him bleeding, raw, red and swollen!
First I looked at what the Bible said. I am not sure why I put so much stock in what the Bible said in the first place, honestly. I do not regularly attend church, I lived with my boyfriend, I got pregnant before I got married, but for some reason I decided “chop your babys penis” was one of the rules I would follow, without even checking to see what the Bible actually said?? I felt/feel SO foolish! What I found in the Bible shocked me! Circumcision was an Old Testament ritual, very much different than modern circumcision, I might add. The New Testament VERY strongly speaks against circumcision!!! WOW! SO MANY people are misinformed and it makes me SO SAD and is very upsetting.Then I started looking at reasons people circumcise and the myths behind them and was shocked and horrified. The purpose of a foreskin, to protect against infection?!?! What?? It provides sexual pleasure? For the man and the woman?! Protection from UTI? Thousands of men and children have botched circumcision, causing pain for the rest of their life?! Hundreds of babies die every year in America from circumcision!?! America is the only country to do this unnecessary procedure for cosmetic purposes? The majority of the world is intact? The biggest percentage of Americans are choosing not to circumcise now! Why had I not heard this before!?!?
I was crushed and sad that I had put my poor baby through all of this pain for nothing! I decided at that point I was going to share that information with everyone and assumed everyone would be equally as horrified. Boy, was I ever WRONG! The mean comments, the making fun and the people that just choose to ignore just crush me! How can a mother, knowing what I was telling them, still choose to circumcise their baby?!? Some things I will never understand.
I wish my story ended there and I could say he healed up fine and has not had any issues since the pain of healing. Sadly, that is not the case. In order to help you understand a little better I will explain how the foreskin and circumcision work.As a child, the foreskin is fused to the head of the penis to protect it against urine and feces. As the boy hits puberty, some are sooner, the foreskin retracts on its own. When they circumcise a baby, they have to rip the foreskin off of the head of the penis, like if you were ripping your fingernail off of your finger! This leaves the head of the penis unprotected. It is supposed to stay covered and protected, except for when a man has an erection, because it is a mucus membrane. This has lead to problem after problem for us. The head of his penis would crack and bleed and he would cry in pain! I ended up talking to Ron Low from TLC Tugger and he sent me some of his soft plastic cones to put on the head of his penis to protect the sensitive glans until he is old enough to restore. In circumcised, adult men, their glans has rubbed against their underwear for so many years they grow layers and layers of calluses, so I can only hope the cones will help prevent this. Between babysitters and my husband all of the cones got lost. This began the days of my 2 year old crying that his penis hurts, he doesn’t want a diaper on, he wants to “hold it” meaning, sit with his hand cupped over his penis to protect it. I slather it in lavender essential oil mixed with coconut oil or almond oil to help with the chaffing and the pain. I am going to try using a bottle nipple that has been cut as a cone to protect him since the others got lost.
When he cries in pain, it kills me and crushes my mommy heart. I would never do anything to hurt my baby boy and here *I* have caused him so much needless pain! I only hope that he will forgive me one day, when he is old enough to understand and use this as a lesson and stop this circumcision madness and cycle of abuse.contributed by B.C.
