Blogs

Intactivism: Week in Review February 18, 2012

I am completely pissed off that I am circumcised. ~ Howard SternParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

an unschooling adventure: Circumcision: How Much Do You Know About It?
An attachment parent blog post seeking to educate about male infant circumcision. The blogger covers the gamut from religion to supposed health benefits. She then describes how a circumcision is performed. It is a shocking and barbaric procedure. It is a shame so many still inflict this painful, unnecessary surgery on their infant boys.

Saving Our Sons: Medicaid Response Letter to Circumcision Coverage
Dr Momma peaceful parenting: Medicaid Response Letter to Circumcision Coverage
The US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing a new rule: Medicare, Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Programs; Transparency Reports and Reporting of Physician Ownership or Investment Interests; Proposed Rule. Saving our Sons presents a comment to the proposed rule. The comment discusses the need for increased transparency and public awareness. Male infant circumcision is more prevalent in those states and hospitals that receive Medicaid funding for the elective surgery of infant circumcision.
 

Monday, February 13, 2012

Guggie Daly: Confessions of a Mom who Circumcised and Wants Answers
A mother deeply regrets her decision to have her healthy baby boy circumcised. She now realizes that she allowed part of her son's penis to be removed. She now questions why she let them do surgery on her son without doing any research on the issue.
  Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review February 11, 2012

Put down the knife, step away from the baby, and do no harm. Penn Jillette of Penn & TellerParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, February 5, 2012

ButterflyBirth: 10 Reasons NOT to Circumcise
Why is there a "decision" about circumcision? Do parents decide if a newborn baby has to have a tattoo? Why should there be a decision about amputating part of a newborn baby boy's sex organ? The author attempts to provide reasons why parents should just leave the sex organs of their baby boys alone.

Wholesome Mama Pioneer Spirit: Paradigm Shift: My Journey From Pro-Circumcision to Intactivist
A mother describes her journey from being a teenager who wanted nothing to do with an intact penis to a mother who gave birth to a boy that she would not have circumcised. It was after her baby's birth that she researched male infant circumcision. She was horrified. She could not believe people could do this to babies, particularly in the first week of their life.
  Read more . . .

42 month progress report for my foreskin restoration

42 month foreskin restoration progress reportI started restoring my foreskin 42 months ago. That is three and one-half years. I have not tugged continuously that whole time, though.

I spent the first 52 years of my life never thinking about my circumcision. Like most others of my generation, I was circumcised shortly after birth. Growing up, I was just like everyone else - circumcised. It was my "normal." It was only when I was researching for my scheduled prostate surgery that I learned about circumcision and the problems that it could cause.

I also learned about foreskin restoration. I started manual tugging with method 2 as soon as I read about it on the web. I was driven. When I started tugging, I tugged a lot. And my progress was rapid. Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review February 4, 2012

You want to cut of WHAT?!? No circumcision for me - I want to keep my penis wholeParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

The big news this week is that some in Colorado are seeking to restore Medicaid funding of male infant circumcision. Last year, Colorado stopped using Medicaid funds to pay for male infant circumcision. Last year Colorado recognized that male infant circumcision is not medically required and is elective surgery that the government should not pay for. But some want the government to start paying for elective surgery for baby boys, but not adults.

Solutions: Colorado Senate committee votes to restore Medicaid funds for circumcision
On Thursday, the Colorado Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 6 to 3 to restore Medicaid funding for male infant circumcision. In spite of seven who testified against the measure, the committee voted to have the government pay for elective surgery.

What is this fascination that some people have with cutting off parts of a baby boy's penis?
 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The WHOLE Network: Medical Research Studies on Circumcision
A list of studies on male circumcision. This post lists numerous studies with topics ranging from how male circumcision affects sex and sexual satisfaction of men and women to how male infant circumcision affects the ability of men to express feelings (I can relate to the results of that study).

Optimal Health Journey: TLC-X Tugger: Strapless foreskin restoration device
A video showing how to use a TLC-X, a bi-directional foreskin restoration device. Restoring devices are often preferred by those wishing to restore their foreskin.

Choose Intact: The New York Times Links to a Fetish Site
A critique of the recent article in the NYT about circumcision devices available for use in the Africa male circumcision campaign. The critique very ably points out that the NYT article is poorly researched and has few facts supporting its statements. Basically, the NYT article reflects the poor journalism that is rampant in the United States today.

Stop the Cut: Why The Caribbean Must Reject Circumcision As A Method For HIV Prevention
An article detailing why the male circumcision campaign that is being waged in Africa should not be adopted in the Caribbean. The studies promoting circumcision were performed in Africa, which has a unique culture that may account for the results. There is no justification to extrapolate the results for Africa to the Caribbean. Further, the studies are not supported by real world observations.
  Read more . . .

The ManHood - Underwear for circumcised men

The vast majority of men who are restoring their foreskin cite "lack of sensation" as their main reason for restoring. I'd like to share some of my own story to regain the sensitivity that was lost due to being circumcised as an infant.

If you have ever been having intercourse or receiving oral sex from your partner and it did not feel quite the way you thought it should, it may be due to a loss of sensation on your glans (the "head" of your penis). Many circumcised men suffer from this and don't even realize what's causing it. In fact, men's health forums are usually filled with posts about this problem.

They ask, "Why don't I feel anything during sex?" or "Why can't I tell if I'm inside my partner?"

I knew I had a problem with lack of penile sensitivity as young as 16 years old. By my mid-20s, I would estimate that I'd lost up to 80% of the feeling on my glans. (Although there's no way to accurately measure, that is my best guess.) That is a pretty drastic reduction, but many guys have the same kind of damage from circumcision. Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review January 28, 2012

Intact: Do not retract! Or mom will sueParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Bay Area Intactivists: Intactivist Rally Receives Overwhelming Support, Miffs ACLU Speaker
Bay Area Intactivists held a Rally for Gender Equality outside the United Methodist Church during the course of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU) Pro-Choice Brunch. For some reason, the ACLU seeks to protect women's choice, but does not protect men's choice to grow up with an intact body.

Choose Intact: Like Mother, Like Son
A mother recently had her 10 year old son tattooed. She was charged with misdemeanor child cruelty. In the majority of states in the US, it is illegal to tattoo a minor. But, it is accepted that bays can have part of their penis cut off as an infant. Why is tattooing illegal and male infant circumcision OK?
 

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

PRweb: Congress and States Prepare for another Circumcision Battle
Guggie Daly Empowering Information: Congress and States Prepare for another Circumcision Battle
Salem-News.com: MGMbill.org sends proposed genital mutilation legislation to Congress and eleven state legislatures as the legal battle to regulate circumcision heats up
poorrichard's blog: Congress and States Prepare for another Circumcision Battle
MGMBill.org has initiated their annual drive to introduce bills to stop male genital mutilation of children, commonly known as male infant circumcision. Intactivists across the United States are sending bills to their legislatures seeking to stop male infant circumcision.

Sunday Monitor: Baby dies after being circumcised
A three-week old baby boy died after being circumcised. The baby was discharged from the health center before regaining consciousness after his circumcision. Four baby boys have died within 4 months at St. Paul’s Health Centre IV and Bishop Masereka Health Centre, after circumcision. Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review January 21, 2012

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

This week's list is short. I have been busy and I regret that I cannot identify all the great posts that were written this week.
 

Sunday, January 15, 2012

On Line Opinion: Circumcision in Australia: neither needed nor ethical
Australian medical authorities have given a firm thumbs down to routine circumcision of male infants and boys. But some still insist on cutting the sex organs of their sons. Some parents insist on male infant circumcision, even though there is no real evidence that circumcised boys are healthier than intact boys.
 

Monday, January 16, 2012

Babies, Boobs, & Blasphemy: Basketball, Religion, and Penises
Seeing Jewish boys reminds the author of the Jewish rite of Brit Milah. Those boys were circumcised. Their foreskins were sacrificed by others, not by them. Like many others, Erin is against male infant circumcision for any reason, including religous reasons.
  Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review January 14, 2012

Circumcision is profitable for doctors and hospitals, circumcision is harmful for infant boysParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting. I must say, Thursday was a busy day for intactivists in the blogosphere.
 

Sunday, January 8, 2012

End Routine Infant Circumcision: Message from Franny Destined for Parents Considering Circumcision
Franny lists many reasons why male infant circumcision should be avoided by all parents. She provides links to some great resources that would be helpful to parents who are undecided about leaving their newborn son whole.

Vix Fact.com: Circumcision’s 10 Lamest Justifications
Many of the reasons given to justify cutting off part of a baby boy's penis are lame. Like penis cancer, which is less rare than male breast cancer and only affects old guys. Doing it for tradition is pretty lame, as is doing it for hygiene.
 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Mama Raw: Culture is the culprit
An insightful post about how our culture shapes our actions and beliefs. Take male infant circumcision, for example. The culture in the United States is about the only culture in the Western world that supports male infant circumcision. Most other countries consider the practice barbaric, or at least unwarranted. It is the culture in the United States that allows male infant circumcision to continue, although that culture is slowly changing thanks to intactivists.
  Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review January 7, 2012

Circumcision is CruelParents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Monday, January 2, 2012

Saving Our Sons: Finland Parents and Circumciser Charged with Assault and Battery and Fined for Sons' Circumcision
Dr. Momma peaceful parenting: Finland Parents and Circumciser Charged with Assault and Battery and Fined for Sons' Circumcision
HELSINGIN SANOMAT: Circumcision assault case brings fine – conviction but no punishment for parents
Finland cracks down on male circumcisions performed on children without any medical indication. Both the parents and the man doing the circumcision were fined with the two boys receiving payment for being circumcised.
 

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

My Foreskin Restoration Experience: Happy New Year!
A brief update by a man restoring his foreskin. He is using the DTR and is happy with the results so far.

Circumcision Insanity: "Mya" from Florida
A blog discussing posts from Facebook where parents talk about their son's circumcision. This post has the mother calling her baby boy a "trooper." He is a baby, just days old. Why is he a trooper? Because his parents decided to have the most sensitive part of his body cut off and he survived?

Circoncisione Infantile Maschile: Jewish Voices: The Current Judaic Movement to End Circumcision
A collection of quotes by Jewish scholars, historians, activists, and parents. Their collective voice says that male infant circumcision is a practice that has no place in the modern world.

Women's Health Planet: Child Circumcision: An Elephant in the Hospital
Ryan McAllister, PhD, is a parent, a biophysicist, an Assistant Professor of Physics and Oncology at Georgetown University, and also a volunteer who supports parents and families. The post includes a video of his class presentation about genital cutting of boys and girls. A very informative video laying out the facts about circumcision.
  Read more . . .

Intactivism: Week in Review December 31, 2011

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, December 25, 2011

End Routine Infant Circumcision: NY Man Likens Circumcision To Genital Mutilation
Anthony Losquadro speaks out, via the Wall Street Journal, about the harm of male infant circumcision. He says that, when it comes to male circumcision, it is his body, his choice.
 

Monday, December 26, 2011

Awesatious: Stupidity abounds in the pro-circumcision camp
A post venting about those who advocate to cut the sex organs of baby boys, otherwise known as circumcision. "First, it is hard (if not impossible) to have a civilized conversation with someone who likes to mutilate baby boys, and second, it seems that it isn’t merely ignorance fueling that desire to maim. It is pure unadulterated stupidity."
  Read more . . .