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, August 5, 2012

The Star: Friends of the foreskin march against circumcision
A news report on Glen Callendar of CAN-FAP, who organized a Foreskin Pride March outside the Vancouver offices of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. The March called on the federal government to ban circumcisions on minors.
 

Monday, August 6, 2012

The WHOLE Network: My Doctor Says My Son Needs to be Circumcised...
The author of the book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Circumcision writes about medical advice given to parents. As a doctor and a pediatrician, Dr. Fleiss is well aware of the risks and complications of male infant circumcision. Unlike many doctors, though, he is willing to discuss the circumcision risks and complications with parents. This post answers many questions parents may have about their son's penis. He describes the care of an intact penis and how to handle any foreskin issues that may occur as the boy grows up.

The South Africa Times Live: A father's dilemma
A Jewish father describes the circumcision decision for his son. He was circumcised at 8 and remembers the pain, both of the operation and while healing. He decided to not have his son circumcised, in spite of this Jewish identity.

The Telegraph: Circumcision and the ancestor factor
Jake Wallis Simons: Circumcision and the ancestor factor
A Jewish father writes about his decision to not circumcise his son. After writing about his decision, he received a very public, and sometimes personal, backlash. He notes that the prevailing sentiment, though, is that there is no reason for parents to fret about the circumcision decision. After all, it is his body, it should be his choice and decision.
  Read more . . .

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, July 29, 2012

Intactivists of Australasia: Want better, longer lasting sex? Advanced Medical Institute (AMI) vs foreskin restoration
Billboards in Australia are advertising an oral strip as an aid to help with both premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction. The billboards would be better if they advertised foreskin restoration, as shown above. Foreskin restoration will help men with many of their sexual problems by allowing them to regain their lost sensitivity and to obtain the gliding action lost from their circumcision.
 

Monday July 30, 2012

SOTT: Circumcision - Conditioning the Adult by Torturing the Child
A scathing look at the barbarous practice of male infant circumcision. The author notes that "it's long been understood by the sane men and women of planet Earth that the only way to guarantee a clean, mature, or holy child is to rip the skin off of their most tender of places when they are too young to be able to put up a good fight."

Intact America Blog: Is This What “Religious Freedom” Looks Like?
The authors ask, "Is this what religious freedom looks like?" as they present pictures of children suffering from genital cutting (circumcision). Religions that believe in genital cutting of children are up in arms about the German court ruling against male child circumcision because the court, rightly so, determined that cutting the sex organs of a child violates the human rights of that child.

The Inquisitr: Circumcision Ban In Germany Heralded By Intactivists: An Interview With ERIC [Op Ed]
An interview with members of End Routine Infant Circumcision (ERIC), an intactivist organization. The subject is the recent German court ruling against circumcision of children for being a human rights violation.
  Read more . . .

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, July 22, 2012

The Telegraph: How could I inflict the pain of circumcision on my son?
A Jewish father describes how he came to his decision to leave his son whole and intact, breaking away from the Jewish tradition of circumcision. He says, "A respect for Isaac’s right to choose, combined with our other hesitations, led to our decision not to have him circumcised." He is proud that he has not caused his son any unnecessary pain, and allowed him the freedom to decide what to do with his own body. This father says that when his son grows up, he will be able to look him in the eye knowing that he did the right thing.
 

Monday, July 23, 2012

Attack the System: Opposing Circumcision: A Shoah Thing?
A collection of snippets from across the web with respect to the recent German court ruling that child circumcision is a violation of the right of the child to an intact body. Protecting the body of a child from genital cutting protects the liberty of the child.

Circumcision Diaries: The ethical issues of non-therapeutic circumcision of infants
The ethics of performing elective, non-medically indicated surgery on infants is presented in view of male infant circumcision. Male infant circumcision is a non-therapeutic procedure that is not meant to treat a disease. For those that believe in the dubious health benefits, then it is a prophylactic or preventive procedure for things that may or may not happen many years from now. In any case, male infant circumcision is an elective surgery that can wait until the baby becomes an adult and can give consent for surgery to his own body.

Circumcision Diaries: Waiting for male circumcision to be acknowledged as damaging as female circumcision
Things change. Female circumcision used to be done in the United States. Female genital cutting only became illegal in 1996 in the US. It is about time that genital cutting of boys became illegal, also. For those that claim it is not such a big deal, they why are so many advocating for genital cutting?
  Read more . . .

This has been another busy two weeks for me. So, please accept another biweekly review.

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, July 8, 2012

Beyond the Bris: Questioning Jewish Circumcision: Attachment Parenting, Avoiding Circumcision: My Jewish Family Traditions
A Jewish woman tells of how she was raised to always question. Her grandmother also questioned. Her grandmother questioned the circumcision rite and chose to leave the author's father whole and intact. The author describes the choice of a Brit Shalom instead of a bris. Baby boys need not be circumcised for religious reasons.
 

Monday, July 9, 2012

HIV, AIDS & Circumcision: How the circumcision solution in Africa will increase HIV infections
A reprint of a study that considers the effect of male circumcision and the rate of HIV infections. The researchers identify deficiencies in the three clinical trials relied upon to support the male circumcision campaign in Africa. The researches also identify other reasons why male circumcision fails to prevent HIV.
  Read more . . .

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, July 1, 2012

Intactivists of Australasia: Understanding ‘phimosis’: truth, lies and appropriate responses
If a baby boy survives being an infant, he may still be at risk of being circumcised. Often boys and men are diagnoses with phimosis. Instead of treating the condition conservatively, doctors often recommend circumcision to cure phimosis. Just as much as cutting off your finger will cure a hangnail, so will circumcision cure phimosis. But, just like a hangnail, there are much easier ways to treat phimosis than amputation of the sensitive foreskin. Sometimes, treating phimosis is as easy as stopping the use of soap when washing under the foreskin.

The Standard - Zimbabwe: Powerful lobbyists behind the circumcision crazy
The author questions the current male circumcision campaign in Africa. He notes that the circumcision campaign appears to be driven by outside forces. Also, less invasive measures are available than the drastic amputation of part of the man's sex organ through circumcision.

The Standard - Zimbabwe: Is circumcision not a costly sideshow?
An African man questions the male circumcision campaign being waged in Africa. He notes that current information shows that there are more cases of HIV among circumcised men than intact men for Zimbabwe. This evidence contradicts the circumcision studies used by advocates.
  Read more . . .

The big news is the German lower court ruling that circumcising a child is a criminal assault.The court case revolved around a four-year-old Muslim boy who was circumcised at the request of his parents but was later admitted to hospital with severe bleeding. The doctor was charged and tried for grievous bodily harm but was acquitted on the grounds he had parental consent. But the court ultimately ruled to clarify the law by stating that circumcision violated a child's "fundamental right to bodily integrity" and that this right outweighed the rights of the parents.

The Local: Germany's News in English:  Religious circumcisions are crimes says court
Expatica: Berlin hospital suspends circumcisions after court ruling
Andrew Sullivan: The Dish: Cologne's Court Bans Infant Male Genital Mutilation
Intact America: German Court: A Child’s Right to Bodily Integrity Trumps Freedom of Religion and Parents’ Rights
Choose Intact: Coercion Negates Self-Determination
Choose Intact: Outrageous Outrage

Islam versus Europe: German Law Professor Threatened Over Circumcision Court Case
Holm Putzke, the German legal professor whose work formed the basis of the Cologne court's decision to ban circumcision as unlawful violence against the person, has been receiving threats since the judgment was rendered.

Sadly, I have been way too busy the past two weeks. This post is a biweekly review.

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

Sunday, June 17, 2012

The WHOLE Network: How Do I Talk To My Husband About Circumcision?
You are having a baby and you want to have the circumcision discussion with your husband. This post provides help for wives that want to be well-armed with information before approaching their husband.

Intact Houston: Circumcision symposium
The University of Texas Medical Branch held a symposium on circumcision as part of its annual Pediatric Review & Update. Unfortunately, the panel discussion was lopsided by presenting primarily the pro-circumcision viewpoint. They even included a mohel on the panel for the group of doctors. Sadly, the medical symposium did not even cover the ethics of non-therapeutic surgery on children who could not consent.
  Read more . . .

Intactivists of Australasia is a new website devoted to fighting for genital integrity of baby boys. The site advocates against male infant circumcision by offering educational and informative posts. Their focus is bringing an end to the non-therapeutic circumcision of minors in Australia and New Zealand.

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, June 10, 2012

Circumstitions News: GALVESTON: Symposium on circumcision lacks Balance: No Intactivist voice
A panel of experts convened at a symposium on male infant circumcision for Texas pediatricians. Sadly, the panel was not set up to provide a solid viewpoint about the issue of leaving baby boys whole and intact, that is, not circumcising them. The panel had two advocates for male infant circumcision and one member who counsels parents about circumcision.
 

Monday, June 11, 2012

Intactivists of Australasia: The top 5 disturbing things your son will eventually read about his circumcision
Thanks to the Internet, boys who are circumcised today will be able to easily learn what they lost by being circumcised. They will also be able to learn what their parents knew about circumcision. This does not bode well for parents who let their sons be circumcised. I have noticed that many men appreciate that their parents have apologized to them for letting them be circumcised. I hope more parents become educated about the harm of infant circumcision and make amends to their sons that were circumcised.

Josph4GI: TEXAS: UTMB Debates the "Pros, Cons and Contexts of Male Circumcision"
A critical look at a symposium on male infant circumcision held for pediatricians in Texas. The symposium has a panel addressing techniques, methods, and devices used for male infant circumcision. The panel does not seem prepared to discuss the ethics of cutting off healthy tissue from a baby's sex organ. Nor does the pane seem prepared to discuss the medical need for circumcision of healthy baby boys.

Dr. Momma peaceful parenting: The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding: Circumcision
Many mothers notice a big difference in breastfeeding after their baby boy is circumcised. The painful surgery often breaks, sometimes weakens, the bond between mother and son. The 1981 edition of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding included information on circumcision. Subsequent editions of the book removed all references of infant circumcision. The author's claim the removal of circumcision information was an oversight, but was it?
  Read more . . .

The big news this week is a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report about the increased herpes infection rate due to the Orthodox Jewish circumcision rite of metzitzah b'peh. The rite has the mohel using oral suction after the foreskin is removed. Unfortunately, if the mohel has herpes, there is a high probability that the boy will get it, too. There are many solutions to prevent herpes infection of baby boys. The Orthodox Jewish community does not like the idea of stopping circumcisions, which would be the best answer. There should be testing of mohels with infected mohels prohibited from circumcising. This should be the immediate response and widely supported. We shall see if it happens.

For more information, read:

• CDC: Babies infected with herpes following circumcision ritual
• New York City Statement on Jewish Ritual Circumcision with Direct Oral Suctioning - Metzitzah B’peh
• Circumcision’s Deadly Fault Line: Rationality vs. the Metzitzah B’Peh
• HealthDay: 11 New York infants infected with herpes through ritual in Jewish circumcision
• The Week: Should extreme Orthodox Jewish circumcision be illegal?

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, June 3, 2012

Intact America:  INTACTIVIST OF THE MONTH: Dr. Dean Edell
Dr. Dean Edell is an outspoken activist against male infant circumcision. He has taken a public stand to educate parents about he harms of male infant circumcision. Intact America honors Doctor Edell as the Intactivist of the Month for June 2012.

Tales of a Midwestern Housewife: The Circumcision Decision
What circumcision decision? Why do people think there is a circumcision decision that needs to be made? Deciding if a part of a baby's penis should be cut off is not a decision that parents should be making. Parents do not decide about female circumcision of their daughters. Why their sons? His body. His choice.

Hilary Burrage: The Other FGM Debate: Is Male Circumcision Also Child Abuse?
Currently in the United Kingdom the issue of female genital cutting or mutilation (FGM) of girls is a hot topic. Female circumcision is unquestionably child abuse. But what about boys? Why is genital cutting of boys not considered child abuse?

Circumcision and HIV: SANTA CRUZ PRIDE: First Amendment Free Zone?
The ACLU in California supported male infant circumcision and helped to shoot down the San Francisco ballot measure to ban infant circumcision. Their action made them a target of a protest against infant circumcision. But the ACLU did not like the adverse publicity and sought to stop it.
 

Monday, June 4, 2012

Choose Intact: Flawed Circumcision Defense: Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Doctor Ruth was outspoken about sexual issues and she offered lots of advice. Most of it was good. Unfortunately, here infant circumcision advice is typical of doctor - cut the boy. We cannot guess if she was advocating for circumcision because of her religion or because, as a doctor, they make money by cutting.

The Case Against Infant Circumcision: Female Circumcision & Health Benefits
Many falsely believe that "Male circumcision has health benefits, but Female Circumcision has no health benefits." In the Western world, researchers spend much time looking for benefits to male circumcision, and frequently come up short. But no one in the West investigates female circumcision or female genital cutting. There is one African study that shows women with the most severe form of FGM, infibulation, still experience orgasms. For some reason, the West is against female circumcision for being a violation of human rights. But those in the West ignore the human rights violation of cutting the genitalia of baby boys.
  Read more . . .

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, May 27, 2012

barrels of oranges: Circumcision was not a debate
A mother writes that there was no circumcision debate in their house about their baby boy. With about 5 minutes of education about circumcision, her husband (who is circumcised) realized the harm of male infant circumcision. Their baby was left whole and intact.

Choose Intact: Circumcision: A Limited View of Science
Choosing to leave a baby boy whole and intact by refusing to circumcise him is an acknowledgement that science matters. Medical science does not support the immediate need to circumcise baby boys. Medical science shows that healthy boys will remain healthy if they keep their foreskin.

Times of Swaziland: Totally against circumcision
An article about the male circumcision campaign in Africa and how the promoters are not telling the full story, including the harmful effects of male circumcision.
 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Should I circumcise?: Stopping circumcision one coworker at a time
Not only does the blogger fight against male infant circumcision on his blog, he also talks to people IRL. When the situation presents itself, he provides others with educational information on the child's right to a whole body, intact and free of genital cutting. He describes some of the issues he confronted before he felt comfortable approaching people that work for the same large corporation that he does.
  Read more . . .

A website that is worth looking at is Circumcision Insanity. The Circumcision Insanity website posts examples of the crazy things people say about circumcision. The site has examples of posts made by parents who make fun of their baby boy's painful circumcision.

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, May 20, 2012

Stop the Cut: Colorado Bill to restore Circumcision Funding Failed
A report of the recent effort in Colorado to have the government pay for elective surgery, namely male infant circumcision. Fortunately, the measure failed and there will be no Medicaid funding of male infant circumcision.

Mile High Advocate: About to give birth? Thinking of circumcision? You owe it to your child to read this article!
A great resource of information and links about intactivism and male infant circumcision. The author provides her personal story, followed by the facts that speak against circumcision. She wraps up her post with links, lots of links. Websites that provide information. Facebook pages and a state-by-state list of intactivist groups are listed.
 

Monday, May 21, 2012

no circumcision: Circumcised or Uncircumcised: Does It Matter in Sex?
Recently, Huff Post Women published a post Circumcised or Uncircumcised: Does It Matter in Sex? where a woman wrote about her first encounter with an intact man. Until then, she had only been used to circumcised men. She liked sex with a foreskin so much, she did more research. She recommends that women should have sex with an intact man at least once so that they can see what they have been missing. The author even linked to another post with tips on giving an uncircumcised man oral sex. This is one more example of how women love foreskin.

Choose Intact: More on the Fallacy of Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision (VMMC): Infant Volunteers
The male circumcision campaign in Africa is supposes to be voluntary male medical circumcision. That is, African men are supposed to voluntarily consent to circumcision. Unfortunately, babies and boys are being circumcised. So much for the voluntary part of the circumcision campaign.
 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Practical Ethics: When bad science kills, or how to spread AIDS
A well researched article about the male circumcision campaign being waged in Africa. The three clinical trials relied upon to support the circumcision campaign are deeply flawed. Further, the distorted results of those clinical trials have been heavily promoted to influence public health recommendations. The conclusion is that HIV infections will likely increase because the circumcision surgeries are conducted in less than sanitary conditions and because Africans falsely believe that circumcision will protect them.
  Read more . . .