Would you circumcise your son? Why or why not

[x65943]

I know it's an American oddity, but it's very normalized here and it does have some health benefits (lower risk of std transmission)

So what are your thoughts on circumcision?

 

[Kioku]

Nunyabiznis

 

[The Catboy]

I was born sterile, so I can’t have children. If I could, I would not subject them to such a destructive and pointless process.

 

[SAIYAN48]

I'm not going to breed, but subjecting a baby to nonsense that Kellogg thought was good is a terrible idea.

 

[x65943]

Some studies have shown circumcision to reduce HIV transmission by half - it has been recommended by the WHO in endemic nations

It's not totally useless - but I can also understand not wanting to make that kid of decision for someone else

 

[JuanMena]

Mmm... I don't know, like, I hate going at least once a month to the doctor to trim it.

 

[BlazeMasterBM]

Mmm... I don't know, like, I hate going at least once a month to the doctor to trim it.

Just DIY mate

As for me, if I hypothetically had a son, probably not.

 

[cearp]

lol of course not!

That's just for the Jews and Muslims (nice of them to share something, along with not eating pigs!)
Plus South Koreans, Americans, and Filipinos.

People who are circumcised understandably don't want to think or believe that they are missing out on something, but the skin of the head is very different if it's circumcised and exposed (a slight callous) vs the safely enclosed in the foreskin.

 

[nxwing]

As what cearp said, circumcision is really common here although boys that undergo it are usually in their preteens or early teens. Local governments would have yearly circumcision programs (usually around summer at where I stay at) for the area they govern in although that was before COVID happened. Since COVID, there have been several but none to the scale of before as far as I know. I do believe that they'll bounce back in number next year. These government programs are actually quite big and they even get covered by the news.

 

[The Catboy]

Some studies have shown circumcision to reduce HIV transmission by half - it has been recommended by the WHO in endemic nations

It's not totally useless - but I can also understand not wanting to make that kid of decision for someone else

Although that’s super interesting and something I will take into consideration. I do think that’s not a good reason to do it to newborns. I think it should be something someone should be allowed to consent into, as it’s something you can’t consent out of when done.

 

[Veho]

No.

Some studies have shown circumcision to reduce HIV transmission by half - it has been recommended by the WHO in endemic nations

Yes but I hear tell condoms are just as good. And they work both ways too.
And this benefit doesn't apply to infants.

On the other hand, since we're listing health benefits of surgical procedure, apparently neutering drastically reduces the risk of testicular cancer.
I think "health benefits" as an argument needs to be put into perspective.

 

[SylverReZ]

No.


Yes but I hear tell condoms are just as good. And they work both ways too.
And this benefit doesn't apply to infants.

On the other hand, since we're listing health benefits of surgical procedure, apparently neutering drastically reduces the risk of testicular cancer.
I think "health benefits" as an argument needs to be put into perspective.

Yes, condoms are a good way of protecting yourself if you use them correctly and safely. Circumcision isn't really worth it unless there is something very serious like phimosis (tight foreskin) or balanitis (glans inflammation), not only that but there are also many risks involved which can damage your penis in the long run.

 

[x65943]

Yes, condoms are a good way of protecting yourself if you use them correctly and safely. Circumcision isn't really worth it unless there is something very serious like phimosis (tight foreskin) or balanitis (glans inflammation), not only that but there are also many risks involved which can damage your penis in the long run.

For the most part it is a very safe procedure, and has been practiced hundreds of millions of times without any significant side effects and with exceedingly rare complications even in the most resource poor regions

However I can respect acknowledging it is unnecessary in most cases and can be considered mutilation

In rural Africa where condoms can't and won't be used (even when free and available) I think it's an effective choice to reduce the spread of a very deadly and costly illness

I can accept in the US it's just a weird cultural phenomenon (for the most part). Sure it reduces UTIs as well - but with modern antibiotics in the US that doesn't matter so much

Really here it comes down to what you think is culturally acceptable and whether surgically altering a newborn without their consent can ever be ethical

 

[Deleted member 194275]

I believe it is a cultural or religious practice in many groups right? If you don't belong to those groups and there is no medical recommendation, why to do? And, if the thing is too closed that may cause medical problems, why not?

It is the same for everything health related, you don't take a procedure if it outweighs it's benefits and you do take if the benefits outweigh the hassle/risks.

 

[cearp]

If you don't belong to those groups and there is no medical recommendation, why to do?

Even if you do belong to those weird religious groups, it should be illegal for everyone, except for medical necessities. Doing similar things to girls is illegal in most sane countries too.

Too bad if a family is Jewish and thinks it's important, a doctor would not allow you to remove your baby's healthy appendix, leg, eye, and foreskin of course should be part of that.

I've read about that when the circumcised baby boy receives his first immunizations, the pain/crying/reactions are much bigger than the uncircumcised boys, as the circumcised boys are sort of reliving the trauma of the circumcision --- horrifying.

Still, see how many circumcised men will accept that their penis has been deformed - most will not want to hear it, really sad in a way.

 

[Marc_LFD]

God, no.

A parent should not do something that's irreversible.

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Even if you do belong to those weird religious groups, it should be illegal for everyone, except for medical necessities. Doing similar things to girls is illegal in most sane countries too.

Too bad if a family is Jewish and thinks it's important, a doctor would not allow you to remove your baby's healthy appendix, leg, eye, and foreskin of course should be part of that.

I've read about that when the circumcised baby boy receives his first immunizations, the pain/crying/reactions are much bigger than the uncircumcised boys, as the circumcised boys are sort of reliving the trauma of the circumcision --- horrifying.

Still, see how many circumcised men will accept that their penis has been deformed - most will not want to hear it, really sad in a way.

I disagree slightly, look, circumcision is not mutilation, first that's that.
Second, culture, tradition, the heritage from your ethnicity are all things that relates too deep with your identity. The baby make no choice, true, but the baby made no choice when you gave a language, a religion and a culture either. Those things likely will be permanent just like a circumcision.
So for culture reasons I believe it's fine. For those outside those groups, then it's more a medical matter I believe. For adults it's kinda obvious that it's a self choice.

 

[Harry579Clark]

I think so, just because it can protect you from a significant number of infections that you can catch in adolescence and earlier.
That's my personal opinion.

 

[Kwyjor]

I think so, just because it can protect you from a significant number of infections that you can catch in adolescence and earlier.
That's my personal opinion.

What good is a personal opinion that's not based in objective fact?

On that note, why is this question being asked on a video game message board?

 

[Maximumbeans]

As just a general thing because 'that's what's done'? No. I won't do that to my son.

However, I actually had to have the procedure done when I was a young teen, but that was purely medical. For me it was very much needed but that's very different to doing it for cosmetic purposes, that much I just can't understand.