Circumcision

[jedusor]

I can't believe this is even debatable. I can't believe that in a society we consider civilized, I have to actually present a structured argument against cutting off pieces of babies when they're born.

Comments

[canadianpuzzler.livejournal.com]

I think that there is agreement that bodily safety is a basic right. (And certainly, I have yet to meet or hear of an emotionally stable parent that did not want to protect their child's bodily safety.) I think what there is is an absence of agreement over whether a properly performed male infant circumcision affects bodily safety adversely. I admit to being uninformed about the medical particulars of modern circumcision - or any, really - but I can see how the idea of "bodily safety" can be interpreted differently enough to fail to settle the question, so I can understand why there might be a failure to agree about this.

And so it comes back to consent and responsibility. And as long as parents do not think it is harmful, and have a reason to have the procedure done (regardless of what that reason is and whether or not it is valid), parents will continue to have it done. Short of trying to educate people into your position, I'm not entirely sure what you can do about it.

[jedusor.livejournal.com]

I'm not trying to do anything about it. I'm just saying it depresses me.

[kaberett.livejournal.com]

Parents aren't always right about what is or is not harmful.