Honestly, why don't people circumcise their sons in D.C.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps because there are a lot of international families here, OP.

We're in Bethesda, come from Europe and know a lot of highly educated, well-off foreign families. None of us would have dreamed of "mutilating" our sons, since this is not a culturally accepted practice where we come from. We know American families who don't do this either.

I am also a scientist and can tell you that the jury is still out on whether circumcision really does confer lasting medical benefits.

And as for your "esthetics"... Can I give you an eye-roll?
That remark really makes you come across as ridiculously provincial and narrow-minded, OP.

Do any of you mutilate your daughters by piercing their ears?

Only when they are old enough to consent. 12yo at the earliest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps because there are a lot of international families here, OP.

We're in Bethesda, come from Europe and know a lot of highly educated, well-off foreign families. None of us would have dreamed of "mutilating" our sons, since this is not a culturally accepted practice where we come from. We know American families who don't do this either.

I am also a scientist and can tell you that the jury is still out on whether circumcision really does confer lasting medical benefits.

And as for your "esthetics"... Can I give you an eye-roll?
That remark really makes you come across as ridiculously provincial and narrow-minded, OP.

Do any of you mutilate your daughters by piercing their ears?

Only when they are old enough to consent. 12yo at the earliest.

^ actually it's more than consent. It's when they request it after a certain age that seems appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Perhaps because there are a lot of international families here, OP.

We're in Bethesda, come from Europe and know a lot of highly educated, well-off foreign families. None of us would have dreamed of "mutilating" our sons, since this is not a culturally accepted practice where we come from. We know American families who don't do this either.

I am also a scientist and can tell you that the jury is still out on whether circumcision really does confer lasting medical benefits.

And as for your "esthetics"... Can I give you an eye-roll?
That remark really makes you come across as ridiculously provincial and narrow-minded, OP.

Do any of you mutilate your daughters by piercing their ears?

I bet OP does. I think I know who she is -- two daughters, both just as jerky as op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because it is sick and perverse and inhumane and abusive to cut off part of any non-consenting human being's genitals, especially those of an infant child.

Can't say it any clearer than that.

Ahahahahaha. You do realize you have just offended all the Jewish and Muslim people, right?

[Anonymous]

As a pediatric nurse, I can tell you that a large majority of people in this area have their son's circumcised. I would say it's around 9 out of 10. They just don't talk about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatric nurse, I can tell you that a large majority of people in this area have their son's circumcised. I would say it's around 9 out of 10. They just don't talk about it.

Where in the DC area?

Bethesda =/= NE DC =/= Leesburg =/= Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatric nurse, I can tell you that a large majority of people in this area have their son's circumcised. I would say it's around 9 out of 10. They just don't talk about it.

Where in the DC area?

Bethesda =/= NE DC =/= Leesburg =/= Silver Spring

Arlington

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatric nurse, I can tell you that a large majority of people in this area have their son's circumcised. I would say it's around 9 out of 10. They just don't talk about it.

Where in the DC area?

Bethesda =/= NE DC =/= Leesburg =/= Silver Spring

Arlington

And you have the data for the entire area, or are speaking from your anecdotal experience in Arlington?

[Anonymous]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5107637

Less than 60% nationwide. Surely the DC area is higher than average, not being in the western US, having a way higher than average Jewish population, etc.

Both of your implied premises are wrong, OP-- that not circumcising is some weird fringe hippie thing, and that not circumcising is something unique to DC or more common in DC (perhaps than in some parts of the US, but doubtfully more than the average).

[Anonymous]

Circumcision has been proven to be effective in slowing the spread of HIV in Africa. But don't know of a persuasive reason for it stateside.

[Anonymous]

MYOB...I mean MYOP.

[Anonymous]

Ok, I'll bite. We didn't circumcise our son mostly because we couldn't come up with a reason why we should. The hospital didn't do it, and it's a pain in the ass to haul a newborn out when you're post partum with a toddler. So, I figured I'd need a reason to go through the annoyance and to have any part of my son removed. We couldn't come up with one. So, uncut.

There you go. My son is uncircumcised because I am lazy.

Silver Spring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Circumcision has been proven to be effective in slowing the spread of HIV in Africa. But don't know of a persuasive reason for it stateside.

Just as effective has been discouraging the backwards custom in some places in which the brothers of the deceased man (who has died of AIDS) graciously offer to sleep with the widow.

[Anonymous]

About 10 minutes of googling will tell you all you will ever need to know about why medically not necessary circumcision is one of the worst things you can do to your child.

1. Circumcision is in most cases not necessary (those are the cases we talk about here, obviously). It is instead a mutilation of your child's penis. Let's call it what it is folks.
2. Circumcision is not more hygienic (that's the reason most uninformed parents do it for). The penis with fore skin usually doesn't need to be cleaned. It cleans itself. That's what the foreskin is for actually. A circumcised penis will often try to protect itself by producing more of the stuff that usually cleans the head of the penis under the foreskin (sorry English is not my first language...I can't remember the proper word!) The foreskin is there to keep stuff away from your son's penis. If you cut it off the protection is gone.
3. Circumcised men feel less during sex. Yes, that IS proven. The foreskin protects the head of the penis and without it the head loses more and more of its sensitivity. Meaning by adulthood and the later (during their 30s...40s) the more men will lose feeling in the head of their penis. Which often leads to sexual problems in marriage. Like the man doesn't feel enough, so sex has to be very rough. Or men don't feel enough and have problems with erection and/or orgasm.
4. Circumcision is a surgery. It hurts. Risks exist. The after care process is long and (yes, believe it) painful for the child. Why would you willfully hurt your baby without any reason at all?! Why risk a deformed penis? Why risk infection? Why risk traumatizing your son?
5. Every person has the right to their own body. You should not be the one deciding if a piece of your sons penis gets cut off. He should. If he wants a circumcision later...that's a totally different story. As long as you inform yourself properly and tell him the truth about it, instead of just saying "Oh sure son, it'll save you the cleaning process."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About 10 minutes of googling will tell you all you will ever need to know about why medically not necessary circumcision is one of the worst things you can do to your child.

1. Circumcision is in most cases not necessary (those are the cases we talk about here, obviously). It is instead a mutilation of your child's penis. Let's call it what it is folks.
2. Circumcision is not more hygienic (that's the reason most uninformed parents do it for). The penis with fore skin usually doesn't need to be cleaned. It cleans itself. That's what the foreskin is for actually. A circumcised penis will often try to protect itself by producing more of the stuff that usually cleans the head of the penis under the foreskin (sorry English is not my first language...I can't remember the proper word!) The foreskin is there to keep stuff away from your son's penis. If you cut it off the protection is gone.
3. Circumcised men feel less during sex. Yes, that IS proven. The foreskin protects the head of the penis and without it the head loses more and more of its sensitivity. Meaning by adulthood and the later (during their 30s...40s) the more men will lose feeling in the head of their penis. Which often leads to sexual problems in marriage. Like the man doesn't feel enough, so sex has to be very rough. Or men don't feel enough and have problems with erection and/or orgasm.
4. Circumcision is a surgery. It hurts. Risks exist. The after care process is long and (yes, believe it) painful for the child. Why would you willfully hurt your baby without any reason at all?! Why risk a deformed penis? Why risk infection? Why risk traumatizing your son?
5. Every person has the right to their own body. You should not be the one deciding if a piece of your sons penis gets cut off. He should. If he wants a circumcision later...that's a totally different story. As long as you inform yourself properly and tell him the truth about it, instead of just saying "Oh sure son, it'll save you the cleaning process."

3. I don't know of a single friend who husband has this problem. Indeed, they all had kids through natural sex during that age bracket.

It hurts and isn't necessary, but it was our choice. We did it at the hospital, no infection.