Is circumcision for non-religious reasons ghetto, trashy or low class?

[Anonymous]

I cannot understand why people chop their baby boys' genitals and yet look down on people who pierce the ears of their baby girls....

I think the whole health benefits arguement has been disproven for ages now.

[Anonymous]

It absolutely has. Circumcision is barbaric.

[Anonymous]

...and the curtain raises on yet another DCUM drama. Pass the popcorn!

[Anonymous]

I just assumed these parents wanted their boys to grow up and marry nice Jewish girls.

[Anonymous]

'I think the whole health benefits argument has been disproven for ages now.'


OP, you are sadly misinformed and to compare ear piercing to male circumcision is ridiculous. I work for a public health NGO that has made great strides in sub-saharan Africa in educating the population about male circumcision and HIV. Many people dedicate their lives and make tremendous sacrifices in the field of HIV prevention. The scientific community and the WHO happen to believe that male circumcision DOES have health benefits and we have plenty of research to back us up. If you are going to bash people on the other thread, find a topic that you are less ignorant about.

[Anonymous]

I have to admit that my thought was to do it because I am circumcised, but it seems the medical opinions on the subject have changed over the years. Still it seems to me that the benefits outweigh the risks.

From the Mayo Clinic -

Opinions are mixed

For some parents, circumcision is a religious ritual. It can also be a matter of family tradition, personal hygiene or preventive health care. For others, however, the procedure seems unnecessary or disfiguring.

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement that says the benefits aren't strong enough to recommend routine circumcision for all male newborns. Today, the AAP leaves the decision up to parents — and supports use of pain relief for infants who have the procedure.
The benefits

Circumcision may have health benefits, including:

* Easier hygiene. Circumcision makes it easy to wash the penis — although it's simple to clean an uncircumcised penis, too.
* Decreased risk of urinary tract infections. The risk of urinary tract infections in the first year is low, but these infections may be up to 10 times as common in uncircumcised baby boys. Severe infections early in life can lead to kidney problems later on.
* Prevention of penile problems. Occasionally, the foreskin on an uncircumcised penis may be difficult or impossible to retract (phimosis). This can also lead to inflammation of the head of the penis.
* Decreased risk of penile cancer. Although cancer of the penis is rare, it's less common in circumcised men.
* Decreased risk of sexually transmitted diseases. Safe sexual practices remain essential, but circumcised men may have a slightly lower risk of certain sexually transmitted diseases — including HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The drawbacks

Circumcision also has drawbacks, including:

* Surgical risks. Excessive bleeding and infection are uncommon, but possible. The foreskin may be cut too short or too long or fail to heal properly. If the remaining foreskin reattaches to the end of the penis, minor surgery may be needed to correct it.
* Pain. Circumcision hurts. Local anesthesia can block nerve sensations during the procedure.

[Anonymous]

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=circumcision-and-aids

[Anonymous]

So Americans get their babies circumsized so they will be less likely to get AIDS?

[Anonymous]

No, it is neither ghetto, trashy nor low class. It is just sheep-like.

[Anonymous]

I think the majority of boys are still circumcised.

[Anonymous]

LOL. This is hilarious. This subject header suggests that 80-90 percent of men in America are "ghetto, trashy, or low class." Including poster's husband, probably? Actually, including all of our husbands. I'm too amused to be offended!

[Anonymous]

So a behavior cannot be low class because a majority of American men do it? Globally are most men circumsized?

[Anonymous]

Is there a baby ear piercing thread somewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So a behavior cannot be low class because a majority of American men do it? Globally are most men circumsized?

Circumcision is a behavior now? This thread is getting stranger by the minute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So a behavior cannot be low class because a majority of American men do it? Globally are most men circumsized?

Circumcision is a behavior now? This thread is getting stranger by the minute.

For real. This is almost as funny as the LOBSTER QUESTION on the Expectant Moms thread.