Current Events > Circumcision on a newborn?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I don't want to do this to my son but my wife seems to think I'm overreacting and that it will make his hygiene more difficult to manage if we don't choose to snip him. I believe she is under the impression he will be getting infections a lot more and it will be this huge hassle to clean him up when we change/bath him etc.

I don't know how safe or painless the procedure is today but I really don't want to do this. I think it's messed up to do to a newborn and I don't want my son to be in excruciating pain over some stupid fucking societal norm bullshit. My only worry honestly is if it hurts his confidence, he gets made fun of etc for not having it done. I still don't want to do it.

Ultimately, it's your decision
But I advise against it.

None of my business tbh

If he wants a circumcision later, there's nothing stopping him from doing it when he's older.

You can't un-circumcise someone.

This is between you and your wife.

I've never had to make that choice, but I got circumcised as an infant and I'm glad for it.

Hospy posted...

If he wants a circumcision later, there's nothing stopping him from doing it when he's older.

You can't un-circumcise someone.

I feel like this is the only reasonable stance

I'm uncircumcised. 0 infections in my life. I'm 34. It's not necessary AT ALL. I used to have really bad anxiety about it as a kid thought I'd get rejected for it. But with all of the girls I've been with, only 1 ever asked me about it about pure curiosity. It didn't stop her from wanting to do stuff. And then I've had a couple girls mention it the sliding actually felt really good. I recommend not doing it. I'd imagine not being snipped will be more normalized by the time he comes around anyway.

let the person decide later.

Don't make that decision for him when he's too young to consent.

Jupiter posted...

I'm uncircumcised. 0 infections in my life. I'm 34. It's not necessary AT ALL. I used to have really bad anxiety about it as a kid thought I'd get rejected for it. But with all of the girls I've been with, only 1 ever asked me about it about pure curiosity. It didn't stop her from wanting to do stuff. And then I've had a couple girls mention it the sliding actually felt really good. I recommend not doing it. I'd imagine not being snipped will be more normalized by the time he comes around anyway.

I'm 48, uncircumcised, no infections ever. None of the women I've been with have ever given a damn or even commented on it.

But for the love of God, if you're going to keep him uncircumcised, learn the facts. He will eventually have to learn how to clean himself -- it's not difficult -- but not for a pretty long time. The foreskin cannot be retracted in most cases until the boy is around 3-5 years old.

It comes down to you. You strongly oppose this.

• You know you can be there to comfort your son
• You know your wife needs it for peace of mind

You are part of the equation. If you are unable to say ok, do not lie.

Child genital mutilation is bad. If he wants to do it when he has the ability to make an informed decision, he can do it then.

All the health/hygiene reasons for circumcision are myths and misconceptions.

Also-- men sweat a lot in their armpits areas. For hygeine reasons should you chop off your son's arm, or teach him to lift up his arm when showering to clean that area? I don't know.

I don't like the child not having its own choice in the matter. I never did and I guarantee you if I had I would have never said yes.

DiScOrDtHeLuNaTiC posted...

I'm 45, uncircumcised, no infections ever. None of the women I've been with have ever given a damn or even commented on it.

But for the love of God, if you're going to keep him uncircumcised, learn the facts. He will eventually have to learn how to clean himself -- it's not difficult -- but not for a pretty long time. The foreskin cannot be retracted in most cases until the boy is around 3-5 years old.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/6/6915e67f.jpg

It's your choice, but the hygiene argument is bollocks. Just have a wash.

As far as I know, the US is the only country that circumcises for social/cultural, rather than religious reasons. I suspect there's money involved somewhere.

No tax on tips

ai123 posted...

As far as I know, the US is the only country that circumcises for social/cultural, rather than religious reasons.

Canada does as well.

Revocation68 posted...

it will make his hygiene more difficult

just wash his dick, and as he grows up tell him to wash it himself

like

the hygiene excuse hasn't been relevant in centuries

IcyWind14 posted...

Canada does as well.

Pffft, that's just an arbitrary line on a map. Imagine how beautiful it would look if removed.

(No, not serious).

Out of interest, how much do hospitals charge for circumcision?

I'm circumcized.

Skip it.

If someone wants it, let them make that decision themselves. If it's medically necessary, do it.

The hygiene argument is horseshit, it's barely adding one additional step to the shower.

There may be some bullying just because kids are assholes, but kids can find something to bully someone over out of goddamn anything, they're malicious little geniuses that way.

Ultimately it's just something that should be up to the person who actually owns the genitals, again unless it is actually medically necessary.

Out of interest, how much do hospitals charge for circumcision?

First source I found and no idea on trustworthiness, so take it with a grain of salt:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/8/82d21334.png

ai123 posted...

Pffft, that's just an arbitrary line on a map. Imagine how beautiful it would look if removed.

(No, not serious).

Out of interest, how much do hospitals charge for circumcision?

Well here in canada its free.

ai123 posted...

I suspect there's money involved somewhere.

I think the belief is doctors/hospitals sell the foreskin for large amounts of cash. Also, the procedure itself costs large amount of cash.

IcyWind14 posted...

Canada does as well.

It might depend on where in Canada. I'm not circumcised, and while it's not exactly something that comes up in conversation much, I'm pretty sure the few times it has come up, it seems like the majority of people I know aren't either.

ai123 posted...

It's your choice, but the hygiene argument is bollocks. Just have a wash.

As far as I know, the US is the only country that circumcises for social/cultural, rather than religious reasons. I suspect there's money involved somewhere.

Nah it was first started as an anti masturbatory measure by the literal corn flakes guy who made the cereal the way he did because he also believed having a bland diet made you less horny.

Both of those things aren't true, but that didn't stop him from trying anyway.

After he convinced a whole generation of fucking morons to do it, it became perpetuated with "I want it to look like mine"

Anyway don't do it. It is an unnecessary painful surgery and studies have linked it to developmental problems growing up. They can and do remember that pain even if they forget it in a few years it'll mess with their most vulnerable early years.

The hygiene argument is bullshit and virtually the same thing as saying if you shave your head you don't have to wash your hair.

My wife is Jewish and we still didn't circumcise our son. Shouldn't be anybody's choice but his.

Never had an infection in two years so far.

I was circumcised as an infant, and I wish I were still uncircumcised. There was zero reason for my parents to do it. Just because we're in the USA and "it's what people do."

If you leave your son uncircumcised and he wants to do it later in life, he'll always have the opportunity. But if you circumcise him and he grows up, like me, to dislike it, then you will have denied him the ability to make this choice about his own body.

I also wouldn't be surprised if it leads to some kind of subconscious trauma. You're a brand new person, and one of the first things you experience is the pain of genital surgery? Not a great introduction to life. Must feel exponentially more intense for an infant, as well.

I've also been told sex feels better when uncircumsized so if you are into that kind of thing thats extra incentive.

If there is no religious justification, I mostly lean into just not doing it.

But ultimately this is none of my business and you should value your wife's opinion over a random internet dude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFipAtefUWw

McmadnessV3 posted...

Well here in canada its free.

Canada stopped the practice in the 80s. It's only private clinics that offer it now.

Hospy posted...

If he wants a circumcision later, there's nothing stopping him from doing it when he's older.

You can't un-circumcise someone.

This is the best take. He would only need it for medical reasons.

I don't know the stats but I've heard more about botched circumcisions than issues that would've been prevented by one.

Kids are filthy creatures. You will be dealing with infections more often than you realize.

nocturnal_traveler posted...

Kids are filthy creatures. You will be dealing with infections more often than you realize.

Is there some massive swath of infected dicks in almost every country that isn't the US?

I tbink it should be illegal and seen as child abuse

DrizztLink posted...

Is there some massive swath of infected dicks in almost every country that isn't the US?

I wouldn't know about outside the US, but in the US, parents don't clean their kids properly, and they sure as hell don't do it themselves.

Tyranthraxus posted...

it became perpetuated with "I want it to look like mine"

Yep and that part really pisses me off. I tried to prevent my nephew from getting cut. His mom (I'm related to the dad, not her) said she wanted him to look like his dad. And that was just that. So stupid. He's in high school now. But I still am mad about it.

nocturnal_traveler posted...

I wouldn't know about outside the US, but in the US, parents don't clean their kids properly, and they sure as hell don't do it themselves.

Then tell the parent in this topic to clean properly and teach the kid...?

Like, if you're under the impression there's some great yearly incidence of foreskin infections, that data should be extant, most dicks aren't circumcized. It's roughly 40% according to data I'm finding, and most of those are consolidated in relatively few countries with way-above-average rates like the US and Morocco.

Revocation68 posted...

I don't want to do this to my son

Don't do it. Circumcision is genital mutilation when done to someone without their consent.

DrizztLink posted...

Then tell the parent in this topic to clean properly and teach the kid...?

Like, if you're under the impression there's some great yearly incidence of foreskin infections that data should be extant, most dicks aren't circumcized. It's roughly 40% according to data I'm finding, and most of those are consolidated in relatively few countries with way-above-average rates like the US and Morocco.

I thought most dicks in the US were circumcized. Interesting to know the US is in the minority, though.

...are Americans too stupid to teach their kids how to clean themself, and too stupid to start cleaning themself if they start to get infections?

nocturnal_traveler posted...

I thought most dicks in the US were circumcized. Interesting to know the US is in the minority, though.

I think he meant in the world. Most of the world doesn't do it. And I think that alone debunks the hygiene argument. Because we would know if most men on earth were having hygiene problems

nocturnal_traveler posted...

I thought most dicks in the US were circumcized. Interesting to know the US is in the minority, though.

It is pretty much only third world countries and USA.

Foppe posted...

...are Americans too stupid to teach their kids how to clean themself, and too stupid to start cleaning themself if they start to get infections?

You have no idea. Then again, this is the same country with one of the poorest education rates, and voted for a convicted felon rapist twice.

It's disgusting that ritual male genital mutilation is still legal in America and other countries

nocturnal_traveler posted...

I thought most dicks in the US were circumcized. Interesting to know the US is in the minority, though.

I'm talking world-wide rates.

Some countries have much higher.

Hell, according to 2016 data it's pretty far down the list:

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/c374c392.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/a/abda6b1c.jpg
It's like 74th.

If I was the wife, I'd be like, "then you carry him to term and pop him out then".

Neither yours or her concerns hold any water, just flip a coin or something. It's all aesthetics in the end.