Let's cut bits off of babies, yes?

[Alidar Jarok]

^ It is probably not what I would call objective, so I will trust the word of my doctor and parents over a third party, thank you very much.

I don't think doctors necessarily recommend the procedure anymore. Simply put, it is basically a cosmetic procedure, not a medical one. The medical benefits to infants in the United States is marginal at best. But its risk doesn't likely outweigh the benefit either, it's just that there isn't a lot of either. That also means the reason to have the procedure is small as well.

However, it is a strong cultural thing and that's perfectly fine. As long as people don't think it's a medically important thing, I have no strong opinion on this debate.

I thought the snip trip was customary and standard procedure for boys. Didn't know there was such a vocal group against it out there. Seeing as I generally don't have cock talk with my friends, I have no idea how many are not circumcised. Just kinda figured everyone was these days unless the parents object to it at the time.

Actually, I'm the exact opposite. I assumed most Americans were not circumcised until I saw threads here. It shows how it isn't a big deal at all, since it's never, ever come up in conversation.

 

[Pingfah]

Good stuff, these threaads never get boring.

 

[Deckerd]

Agreed. From a country where chopping the end of your kid's knob is definitely not routine, it's always hugely enjoyable to read these threads.

 

[BolianAuthor]

I find it amusing that a thread about baby penises is allowed to run free on a webforum devoted to Star Trek.

 

[Deckerd]

I find it amusing that a thread about baby penises is allowed to run free on a webforum devoted to Star Trek.

You understand the sense of the word 'Miscellaneous'?

 

[BolianAuthor]

Aye... but still... you're talkin' about a baby's wang...

 

[Deckerd]

Hang on. You're not one of Jock Tamson's bairns are ye?

 

[Misfit Toy]

Never mind.

 

[BolianAuthor]

Hang on. You're not one of Jock Tamson's bairns are ye?

LOL.

 

[Deckerd]

Hang on. You're not one of Jock Tamson's bairns are ye?

LOL.

Tease

 

[Arrqh]

Male circumcision should be illegal (when not medically necessary), just as female circumcision is.

Female genital mutilation and male circumcision are not comparable in that fashion. From UNICEF:

When the practice first came to be known beyond the societies in which it was traditionally carried out, it was generally referred to as “female circumcision”. This term, however, draws a direct parallel with male circumcision and, as a result, creates confusion between these two distinct practices. In the case of girls and women, the phenomenon is a manifestation of deep-rooted gender inequality that assigns them an inferior position in society and has profound physical and social consequences.

Further, outlawing a religious practice that has no long term negative effects simply because it isn't necessary is not how things should be done. Male circumcision should be combatted with education to increase awareness to help dispel the myths that surround it, not by forcing millions of American Jewish families to get secret snips for their newborn boys and turning mohels into criminals.

 

[Miss Chicken]

In Tasmania there has been some debate on whether religious circumcision should be allowed.

As the law now stands it is illegal for anyone to perform non-therapeutic surgery on a child too young to give his consent unless it is in a child's best interest. Lawyers have said that it could be possible to charging doctors/parents under this law if a boy is circumcised though this has never been done.

It is quite possible to argue that if this law makes non-therapeutic circumcision illegal circumcision might be allowable if the boy is Jewish or Muslim because it in the child's best interest to be accepted by his religious community.

However the Jewish community in Tasmania is small and is mainly old people so few, maybe even none, Jewish born boys are born here. The Muslim community is larger so such a ruling would be relevant to them.

Any final ruling concerning circumcision and this law would only affect a very small number of boys. Tasmania only has a small population, and of the boys born here only 1.6% are now being circumcised and that would include the Muslim boys who would probably be exempted under this law. For example 3,393 boys were born in 2007 which would put the number of boys circumcised each year at around 50.

There is also debate if having a baby's ears pierced is legal under this law, or whether people have to wait for the child to ask to have her ears pierced (which might be acceptable under this law as early as 4 or 5 years old). Most ear piercing places now refuse to pierce babies' ears.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I find it amusing that a thread about baby penises is allowed to run free on a webforum devoted to Star Trek.

You understand the sense of the word 'Miscellaneous'?

Given that I've told him on a couple of occasions before that controversial and/or political topics are allowed in Miscellaneous when he's protested people discussing it, I would have to say the answer to that is "no."

But the emphasis on calling it a thread about "baby penises" - which, while technically correct, is so broad it makes it sound perverted - instead of more accurately calling it a thread about circumcision; and the fact that he thinks it's some kind of taboo subject, troubles me.

 

[BolianAuthor]

^

You gotta admit... when it gets to the point where we have a multi-page thread on the merits and morality of circumcision for infants... lol.

And I don't think it's taboo... just laughable that it's gone this distance, lol.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I find it laughable that there is a multipage thread discussing whether or not Starfleet is a military organization, but to each his own.

 

[BolianAuthor]

A fair and valid point, as well.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

^

You gotta admit... when it gets to the point where we have a multi-page thread on the merits and morality of circumcision for infants... lol.

And I don't think it's taboo... just laughable that it's gone this distance, lol.

Hey, we end up with multi-page threads over whether or not scraping some cells off a woman's uterine wall is tantamount to murder, too. People are funny like that.

 

[BolianAuthor]

^

Very glad I missed that.

 

[Nardpuncher]

I find it amusing that a thread about baby penises is allowed to run free on a webforum devoted to Star Trek.

You understand the sense of the word 'Miscellaneous'?

Given that I've told him on a couple of occasions before that controversial and/or political topics are allowed in Miscellaneous when he's protested people discussing it, I would have to say the answer to that is "no."

But the emphasis on calling it a thread about "baby penises" - which, while technically correct, is so broad it makes it sound perverted - instead of more accurately calling it a thread about circumcision; and the fact that he thinks it's some kind of taboo subject, troubles me.

Does it really trouble you or are you just trying to insult him?

 

[bluedana]

Our older son came to us already circumcised, and I let my husband decide what to do with the second son; he decided against circumcision. My younger son has spent an evening in the ER with an infection, caused in part by a too-tight foreskin, so I've actually had moments of regret that we didn't have him circumcised. It's still up in the air whether he'll have to have the procedure in the future (he's 9). So it's not as black and white as it might seem. You do what you think is best for your kid, and hope it works out.