CIRC_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Do you know what this is about based on my title? Well...I've been waiting and debating making a post about circumcision and decided today is the day. YEA! (If you don't care about my thoughts on this matter, feel free to close out the window and wait for another post about something else a different day :-) I'm blunt with my explanation, so please don't let this offend you.

Why is today the day for this? Because I took Elliot to get a physical today and while sitting in the waiting room (for an hour and then just canceling our appt.) there was a set of parents waiting to get their little baby circumcised. They were SO NERVOUS! You could tell they really didn't want to do it. There was another mom in there telling them "it's best" but their baby will be really fussy for a few days, etc. etc. Well..I'd be fussy too if you chopped off part of my penis (IF I was a boy). I felt so bad for these parents to have to go through this.

Another reason for this post is because I know many people wonder "WHY" we wouldn't circumcise and are afraid to just ask. I'm a bit tired, but I'll do my best at giving you an explanation. After MUCH research we decided that this would not be the best thing to do to our boys. First, the U.S. is the ONLY country that circumcises for non-medical/religious reasons. Other countries view circumcision right up there with female genital mutilitation. We are all appauled by that, yet circumcision is still okay to us. hmm. A friend of mine who had a baby in a different country was told this procedure was "barbaric!" Just because generations ago found things to be acceptable practices, doesn't mean they are still necessary. To us, the whole "like Father, like Son" thing wasn't enough justification for this procedure. It would take a lot more evidence and quite frankly, there is no other reason.

Religious reasons: I have none. I'm not Jewish nor Muslim. If I was, then I'd circumcise. As a Christian I feel I have no reason to physically circumcise my children.

Some may argue that it reduces the risk of penile cancer. While, this may be true, the risk for this type of cancer is insanely low! They are doing studies about it reducing the risk of STD's as well. However, nothing is really proven yet AND we really plan on teaching our children about sex, it's risk, and God's view of sex being for marriage. If they choose to go outside this, then that is a risk that they will have to deal with one day.

Sensitivity is another issue. Did you know the uncircumcised penis is far more sensitive than one that is not? I have heard the difference explained as this....rub the top of your hand. Now, flip it over and rub your palm. Huge difference, huh?! It's also supposed to make sex more pleasurable for the woman. Who wouldn't want that? Sorry if this is WAY TOO MUCH for some of you, but I want you to know that there are many reasons to not circumcise these days.

If you want to know more, PLEASE visit, http://www.nocirc.org as they have some great info and a really good video you can watch on the home page. It's about 20 minutes long, but has some great stuff and it is actually slightly entertaining. Among the many nonprofit organizations fighting for the rights of infant males is the much larger American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP also does not recommend infant circumcision as there is not enough evidence to do so. "Existing scientific evidence demonstrates potential medical benefits of newborn male circumcision; however, these data are not sufficient to recommend routine neonatal circumcision" http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics%3B103/3/686 Another site I recommend you check out is: http://www.cirp.org/ Your stomach might turn, but check out the "What Happens During a Circumcision" page!

I'm not writing any of this to offend any of you! If you have chosen or do choose to circumcise your little guys, then I respect that choice. I just want to get some information out there on why you don't have to. The whole "locker room syndrome" is kinda out, as the circumcision rate today is about 50/50. So, your boy won't be in the minority no matter what.

If you want more references, feel free to ask. I'm an open book about these issues. Maybe I'll make a post about not vaccinating our kids in the future. Gotta keep us all thinking.