I attended the International Symposia on Circumcision, Sexual Mutilations, and Genital Integrity in Seattle, 2006. I talk to everyone I know about circumcision, and share information with others online. --- Guess who else is getting involved? Film Star Wants the Foreskin to be with you Monday 11th June 2007 As part of National Men's Health Week and to coincide with Fathers' Day, Film, TV and stage star Alan Cumming has announced that he is to become a patron of NORM-UK, the registered charity concerned with education about the male foreskin and circumcision. "Our foreskins aren't a mistake" said the star of X-Men 2, Spy Kids and Goldeneye, a humanitarian and activist who wants the world to understand the importance of this most under-appreciated body part, "Circumcision is genital mutilation, so why is it condoned and encouraged? I support NORM-UK's efforts to educate and illuminate. May the foreskin be with us and remain with us all!" Referring to a recent study published in the British Journal of Urology, NORM-UK vice-chairman Dr Peter Ball said, "The foreskin contains the five most sensitive parts of the penis, and we are honoured that Alan recognises the importance of NORM-UK's work. We are all concerned that men and parents are being pushed into unnecessary surgery without understanding the full consequences." Dr Ball went on to express his concern at the recent push to use male circumcision as a weapon against the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa, "Reports are already coming through that some men are seeing circumcision as an alternative to condom use", he said, "this strategy will make the problem worse, not better, and permanently leaving men with less sensitive genitals is a serious side effect that must not be ignored". http://www.norm-uk.org/news.html?action=showitem&item=1229 Babies aren't possessions---they're human beings. Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) has been widely condemned and criminalized, protecting little girls from forced circumcision but unfortunately circumcision of male minors is much more widely practiced and has even been considered routine in U.S. hospitals. It's a touchy subject, because it revolves around private parts, parental authority, and sexuality. However, a recent study in the British Journal of Urology (BJU) concluded: "The glans of the circumcised penis is less sensitive to fine touch than the glans of the uncircumcised penis. The transitional region from the external to the internal prepuce is the most sensitive region of the uncircumcised penis and more sensitive than the most sensitive region of the circumcised penis. Circumcision ablates the most sensitive parts of the penis." http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2006.06685.x ablates=destroys A lot of people think the foreskin is just "extra skin" and circumcision is just a "snip". They don't know that the foreskin conatins 3-4 feet of blood vessels, 240 feet of nerves, and 10,000-20,000 specialized nerve endings or that it has protective, immunological, and sexual functions. Circumcision removes up to half of the skin on a future man's penis. The American Academy of Pediatrics says: "Your son's intact or uncircumcised penis requires no special care and is easy to keep clean." http://www.medem.com/MedLB/article_detaillb.cfm?article_ID=ZZZRNBDTODD&sub_cat=108 --- Ever seen a circumcision? Everyone should. Ignorance is not bliss---Knowledge is power! Intact Video: http://intact.ca/vidphil.htm "Circumcision" excerpt, from Birth As We Know It: http://mgmbill.org/birthasweknowit.htm "Mother, why was I circumcised?" Dutch documentary from filmmaker Michael Schaap: http://www.macdocman.com/ (scroll 2/3 of the way down) --- Some excellent articles about the circumcision issue can be found here: http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/circumcision/circumcision.html "The glans of the circumcised penis is less sensitive to fine touch than the glans of the Other educational websites include: http://www.nocirc.org http://www.cirp.org/ http://www.icgi.org/ http://www.studentsforgenitalintegrity.org/ Free printable information: http://www.coloradonocirc.org/pamphlets.php http://luckystiff.org/ See also: http://www.babyboy.info/index.html --- Circumcision is SO LAST CENTURY! It became popular in the U.S. to stop boys from masturbating which they thought would cause blindness, paralysis, epilepsy, and insanity. It obviously doesn't prevent masturbation but they were right about one thing---it's sexually damaging and decreases pleasure. You can make a difference! It's easy to get involved! Teens are interested in this issue because it relates to children's rights and sexuality. OUR body, OUR choice! We're the next generation. We're the parents of the future. This painful, unnecessary, traumatic, sexually damaging tradition can stop with us. The foreskin is NOT a birth defect. Babies are BORN perfect. Intact genitals are EVERYONE'S birthright. Become an INTACTIVIST (Intact Activist)! Some ideas... Write a report! Make it your debate topic! Give a speech! Write a play or skit! Start a student group! Hand out pamphlets! Make sure it's covered in sex ed! Tell your friends! Share information online, or in chat! Add info to your email signature! Please, tell me what you think by leaving a comment. Thanks so much! | WINGS | WINGS from: 2 users
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I think this journal entry raises an interesting issue that teens may want to take up. Honestly, I'm posting this response to round out the perfect score, which I have reason to suspect was not from a teenager. This is not an indictment, just a reasonable exercise of my prerogative as moderator.
Sean :)
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