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.
 

January 30, 2013

Motherwise: My Journey to Understanding the Truth About Circumcision
What is it that drives mothers to have their baby boys circumcised, to allow surgery on a healthy infant? This mother tells why she had both of her sons circumcised. It was only when her second son had complications that she realized how harmful circumcision is to baby boys.
 

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Kinda Crunchy: Why We Decided Not to Circumcise Our Son
A mother tells why she let her baby son remain intact and opted not to circumcise him. Her husband was intact and wanted his son to look like him. That was good enough of a reason for her. But she still researched infant circumcision. She was amazed at what she found. She particularly did not like the double standard: genital cutting of girls is horrible but genital cutting of boys is considered OK.
  Read more . . .

For more than three years I have been posting a weekly review of blogs and articles relating to circumcision and intactivism. At least, I was doing this until the end of last year.

Unfortunately, the holiday season proved too much for me. Work piled up. Other obligations came up. I ran out of time. Until I free up more time, my Week in Review series will be sporadic.

The following are recent posts that deserve to be widely read.
 

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Beyond the Bris: Questioning Jewish Circumcision: Third Year Brings Change for Beyond the Bris
Rebecca Wald, the Jewish mother behind the blog Beyond the Bris, writes about starting her third year of the website. She is bringing on another writer to help.
 

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

ICGI - International Coalition of Genital Integrity: ICGI closes first Intactivist blog
After ten years of keeping intactivists informed, ICGI announces that it is closing its blog. Dan Bollinger points out that there are many more blogs and information is much more accessible than when he started ICGI. I will miss Dan's voice through ICGI. But I am sure we will continue hearing from him.
 

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Awesatious: Foreskin is NOT gross!
Some people say foreskin is gross. It is not. It may be unfamiliar to many in America. But that does not make it gross. This blogger attacks many myths about foreskin, including how it looks.
 

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Lawn Cares: Recalling Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema’s courageous stance against circumcision in 2001
Lawn recalls attending a play about a Jewish mother who resists having her son be circumcised. At the end, she succumbs to the pressure and the boy is cut. Lawn contacted the actress and the playwright . Both agreed that male infant circumcision should stop. The actress is now a member of Congress. The playwright reworked the ending and is hoping to have it performed again.
  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.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Lawn cares: On the road, educating the uninformed that circumcision has no place in a just world
He drives a car with intactivist bumper stickers. His license plate reads "NOCIRCM." He draws attention to fact that male infant circumcision is harmful and needs to stop. He says, “Circumcision is a violation of human rights.  It destroys an important body structure.  It’s cruel and denies the male infant the right to decide for himself.”

Modern Alternative Pregnancy: The Five Myths Of Circumcision
There are many myths about the male foreskin, most promulgated to justify male infant circumcision. The blog busts five of the myths. The foreskin is easy to clean. The removal of the foreskin during infant circumcision is painful, both during and after the surgery. Removing the foreskin by circumcision reduces sexual pleasure. Having a foreskin means the sensitive bits are protected, resulting in better confidence and comfort. The New Testament did away with the ancient rite of circumcision.

Men do Complain: Clitoraid
“Bodily harm is against the fundamental rights of all children, and we can’t understand when a so-called civilized country such as Germany would allow its male babies to be so readily mutilated legally!” said Nadine Gary, spokesperson for Clitoraid. “It’s been done for centuries under the pretense that a god requested it, but no religion should be allowed to harm infants or children who can’t give informed consent,” she said.

Saving our Sons: Bloodstained Men and Their Friends: 12.12.12 Berlin Performance
A group of German men, circumcised against their will at birth, along with several of their supportive intact friends, spent 12/12/12 demonstrating against the recent German ruling that legalizes the forced genital cutting of healthy baby boys.

The Guardian: Male circumcision: Let there be no more tragedies like baby Goodluck
Baby Goodluck did not live up to his name. He died from a botched circumcision when he was 27 days old. Yes, an unnecessary surgery cost the boy his life. Unfortunately, his case is not unique. Earlier this year another baby died from his circumcision. But unlike the killer of baby Goodluck, the rabbi was not charged with the baby's death.
  Read more . . .

I've been busy these past two weeks. So here is my combined weekly review for two weeks.

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 2, 2012

Just a Snip – Genital Mutilation: German Paediatric Association suggests Ban on Circumcision of Boys
In spite of the German government moving towards allowing male circumcision of children, the German association of pediatricians is defending the rights of children by calling for a ban on circumcision of boys. Given the possible severity of the consequences for the children both in body and spirit, nothing less than a ban on the procedure would be acceptable until the child had matured enough to endure the procedure in order to prevent possible trauma.

Uganda Media Centre: Circumcision offers No Immunity to HIV/AIDS
Uganda President says that circumcision does not provide immunity against HIV and AIDS. The President pointed out adultery and prostitution constitutes the leading factors of today’s new infections adding that the practice of having multiple sexual partners is more common among men of today.

Joseph4GI: New University of California Logo: Circumcision Clamp?
I gotta admit, I agree with Joseph. The new University of California logo does remind me of a Mogen circumcision clamp. The two sides swing apart at the bottom and, unfortunately, the baby boy's foreskin is amputated when tthe two halves are brought back together.

Should I circumcise?: Religion and circumcision
There is no religious justification for circumcision. Ever. Nope. That was easy. Unfortunately, many will not agree. Other religious practices have been outlawed for being repugnant. So, too, should infant circumcision.
  Read more . . .

As a woman who has embraced her right to pleasure as a sexual being, I have had experience with both cut and intact men. I always thought that neonatal circumcision was wrong as a form of male genital mutilation. A person should be able to choose permanent changes made to their body. In practice with partners, however, I had not given any thought about circumcision status for the first several years I was sexually active.

From an aesthetic point of view, there is not much difference to me between a cut or intact penis when erect. The glans is typically fully exposed by that point. A flaccid penis is a different story--I prefer the appearance of an intact penis when it's flaccid. A flaccid circumcised penis, to me, appears too much like a child's penis. You certainly don't want to think of changing a toddler's underpants when you're looking at your partner. It's only been recently that I have grown to appreciate the appearance of the glans itself; the smooth sheen of an intact man's glans is far more inviting than the standard skin texture of a circumcised man's, much the same way as men are attracted to the pinker color of a woman's vulva.

During oral sex, I have always noticed a difference between circumcised and intact. An intact man always responds more to oral stimulation than a circumcised man in my experience. Using my hands for added stimulation is easier with an intact man. The smoothness of the glans also made it easier for me to perform deeper oral penetration ("deep throating") without gagging. I have brought intact men to orgasm far more often than circumcised men. 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, November 25, 2012

Network for Church Monitoring: Circumcision Must Go!
An article by Dr George C. Denniston, MD, MPH (Harvard), who is President of Doctors Opposing Circumcision, an international organization seeking to educate about the harms of male infant circumcision. Dr. Denniston describes how male infant circumcision is finally being recognized worldwide for the harm it causes and that it is a violation of the human rights of the child.
 

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Man in China: My Petition is Back On Line. Please Sign It
The author has posted a petition to Reduce medical participation in Infant Male Circumcision. He rightly points out that there is no medical justification for the unnecessary infant circumcision procedure. He notes that in China, which has a low rate of circumcision, the intact boys and men are healthy and enjoy their foreskins without any significant medical problems.

Men Do Complain: Iris Fudge
Men Do Complain honors Iris Fudge, a retired nurse who supports the efforts to abolish male infant circumcision. Iris has a YouTube video talking about genital integrity, fighting against circumcision, and foreskin restoration. She works with NORM-UK, a group of restoring men who also promote leaving children intact and whole.
  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.
 

Monday, November 19, 2012

Mothering: If you regret being circumcised post here
A thread on the Mothering forum asking the men to tell why they are upset. Several men wrote lengthy posts about how their infant circumcision adversely affected them. The consensus is that the men say that having part of their penis cut off by circumcision cost them a full and complete sex life and the sense of being whole.

My Foreskin Restoration Project: Welcome
A new foreskin restoration blog. This is the first post for the site. He identifies two websites: Restoring Foreskin and the DTR device site. He still needs to work on his site because it would not let me leave a comment. But he is off to a start, which is always good.
 

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Times-Standard: Americans, keep your sons intact
A mother speaks out for genital integrity. That is, she speaks out for keeping baby boys intact and whole, free from circumcision. She points out that girls are protected from genital cutting, but boys are not. In 1996 it became illegal to circumcise girls in the US. She hopes that, soon, boys receive equal protection under the law from unnecessary genital cutting surgery.

strocel.com: The History of Circumcision
A mother decides to leave her son intact. No unnecessary surgery for her son, who was not circumcised. She writes of the various reasons advocated for circumcision in recent history. Circumcision gained popularity during the Victorian period. It was believed that circumcision cured masturbation.
  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.

The big news this week is the German opposition to the law permitting child circumcision and the Canadian court upholding the father's assault conviction for circumcising his son at home.
 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Vox Iz Neias? Germany - Lawmakers Want Circumcision Ban Under 14
The Jewish Press: Fight over Circumcision Dividing German Parliament
A news report of a group of German lawmakers who propose that parents should wait until their son is 14 before allowing him to be circumcised. The proposal comes after a bill permitting child circumcision being promoted to appease religious groups.

The Doctors: Non-Surgical Foreskin Restoration
The television show, The Doctors, featured a segment on foreskin restoration. This forum page provides commentary about the poor treatment given the attempt of many men to correct a condition that was forced upon them, that is, men are undoing their infant circumcision.

The Algemeiner: Circumcision Makes No Sense (And That’s Okay)
"Let’s be honest with ourselves. Circumcision is crazy." So starts an honest article by a Jew who calls for admitting the truth behind the circumcision ritual. Jewish circumcision is not done for logical reasons. It is done for religious reasons. It is a mistake to justify a religious ritual using secular reasons when those secular reasons make no sense and are not true.
 

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Thoughts I Want to Think: Routine Infant Circumcision - The Facts I Wish I'd Had
She wanted her son to remain whole and intact. He wanted to circumcise his son. The hospital required both parents to consent to the elective surgery. The baby went home intact. The father, holding his newborn son, realized that circumcision was wrong.

Circumcision diaries: Circumcision decision
Restraining an adult and forcing him to be circumcised would be sexual battery and aggravated assault. Do the same to an infant and it is considered parental choice. Huh? Parents do to their children something that would never be done to adults?
  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 two weeks. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Men Do Complain: No prosecutions
Female genital cutting is illegal. But no one has been prosecuted for FGM after the law was passed in 1996 making MGM illegal. Male genital cutting is legal, though. There are differences between male and female genital cutting, but when children are involved, both remove parts of the sex organs of non-consenting individuals.

Joseph4GI: Rabbis Delay NYC's Metzitzah B'Peh Regulations - Meanwhile, in Israel...
New York City rabbis who practice the circumcision ritual with oral suction fight the regulation requiring informed consent from parents. Meanwhile, The Israel Ambulatory Pediatric Association advocates against the circumcision ritual. The Israeli medical group recognizes the medical risk for that particular circumcision ritual.
 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Intact America: 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Conference Report
A report of Intact America's efforts during the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics Conference in New Orleans, LA. Dozens of demonstrators showed up and were very visible outside the conference hall.

Modern Medicine: Medical professionals to discuss circumcision on Twitter
In an attempt to solicit doctors' opinions on male infant circumcision, two publications sponsored a Twitter event. Circumcision related tweets were to be marked with the #circumchat hashtag. The publications were overwhelmed by the number of tweets from intactivists. As is normally done by doctors and medical groups, the medical publications pretty much ignored the tweets identifying facts related to the risks and harm of male infant circumcision.

Hippies with Babies: The circumcision decision
A mother talks about the reasons she will not circumcise any son she may have. Circumcision is an elective surgery that is unnecessary. Circumcision removes the foreskin, which serves important functions.

Saving our Sons: HBO "Girls" Star, Jemima Kirke, Says NO to Circumcision
Jemima Kirke is expecting her second child. The HBO Girls star says that the child, if a boy, will remain intact because she will not let him be circumcised. Her baby will be protected from the knife.
  Read more . . .

I was recently asked about the scrotum. A man starting to restore his foreskin noticed that his ball sack was hanging lower and he was concerned about it.

A common side effect of male infant circumcision is too much skin is removed. Men end up with tight erections. That is, when erect, their shaft skin is stretched taut. Because there is not enough skin to accommodate the man's erect length, skin from the scrotum is pulled to help cover the shaft during an erection.

Foreskin restoration expands the skin on the shaft. As more shaft skin grows, less skin needs to be borrowed from the scrotum. Eventually, the scrotum will hang naturally because it is not being pulled up the shaft.

Sometimes, men starting to restore their foreskin notice little progress, even though they are are tugging and tugging. What often happens is that the newly grown skin allows the scrotum to return to its natural position. It is only after the scrotum skin stops being pulled up the shaft that restoring progress is seen. Read more . . .