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.

In less than a month, the Genital Autonomy Conference will be held in the United Kingdom. The conference is scheduled from August 31 to September 1, 2011, at Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. The two day conference will consider the legal and human rights issues surrounding non-therapeutic genital surgery on male, female, and intersex children.
 

Monday, July 11, 2011

HuffPost Religion: The Other Side Of The Circumcision Debate
Ronald Goldman is executive director of the Jewish Circumcision Resource Center and author of "Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective" and "Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma." The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center represents Jews around the world who question ritual circumcision. Some mothers have revealed great distress about permitting and watching the circumcision of their sons and have regretted their decision for years. "I will go to my grave hearing that horrible wail," one mother says.

LA Times: The debate over circumcising baby boys
The Los Angeles Times presents both sides of the infant circumcision debate. Georganne Chapin is the founding executive director of Intact America and the founder of Hudson Center for Health Equity & Quality, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving access to healthcare. She says that genital cutting of infant boys is a human rights issue. "All people, male as well as female, are entitled to bodily integrity, and nobody — for any reason — has the right to cut off part of another person's body when that person is too young to understand and to consent." On the other side is Daniel Halperin, a lecturer who recites many of the myths that have been debunked. He concludes, "I'm not interested in pushing circumcision but in making the service readily available to everybody who wants it." Hmm. I do not think the baby boy wants to be circumcised.
  Read more . . .

The Federal government is trying to limit states and local governments. A recent House Bill seeks to prohibit states from restricting male genital cutting, although most states have such restrictions for female genital cutting. United States Representative Brad Sherman introduced a Bill in the House seeking to prevent any government entity in the United States from prohibiting male infant circumcision. The Anti-anti-circumcision bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration.

US Representative Brad Sherman is a California Democrat for the 27th District. He is joined in the Bill by 9 co-sponsors. The names and contact information for the Congressmen are listed below. Everyone is encouraged to contact these Congressmen and let them know how ill-conceived the Bill is.

The Federal Bill is remarkably similar to California State Bill AB 768, which is an Anti-anti-circumcision Bill for the State of California.[1] Read more . . .

I am speechless. At least I can still write, though. I just found out that the state of California is proposing to outlaw any local effort to restrict male circumcision. California State Bill Number AB 768, amended, was introduced by Assembly Member Gatto.

Assemblyman Gatto is seeking to reform California's initiative process.[1] California allows members of the public to file ballot measures through the initiative process. Although subject to abuse by monied interests, the California initiative process allows the public to participate in governing themselves.[2]

Along with Assemblyman Gatto's initiative reform, he also seems to be targetting one initiative in particular, the San Francisco Male Infant Circumcision Ban that is coming up for a vote in November. 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 3, 2011

Choose Intact: Forgiving (and Ignoring) Bullies
A postcard in PostSecret sets the author thinking about the silly reason often given for circumcising an infant boy: the parents do not want the boy to be teased for being intact. Teasing and bullying is temporary. Infant circumcision is permanent. Some men never get over losing part of their penis, particularly when it is physically damaged by circumcision complications.
 

Monday, July 4, 2011

Secular News Daily: Circumcision: Maiming infants
A rational look at the practice of male infant circumcision. Stripped down to its basics, infant circumcision removes healthy tissue from a non-consenting person's genitalia. It really is no different than female genital cutting except for level of severity. Some FGM is more severe, some is less severe, than male genital cutting. Read more . . .

This past week has seen many intactivists in Gay Pride events across the Unted States. New York City. Chicago. San Francisco. Seattle PrideFest. There is even a YouTube video of the San Francisco Intactivist Contingent.

The British Columbia Pride Parade and the Vancouver Pride Parade are coming up later this month. The Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project (CAN-FAP) is sponsoring marching units at those pride parades. Check out the Intactivist Calendar for more information on upcoming intactivist events.

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 26, 2011

NORM-UK: Circumcision 'Like having your tongue but not being able to taste': NORM-UK members on BBC Radio 4
The radio program "Broadcasting House" featured contributions from NORM-UK members. The men discussed the harm caused by their circumcisions and their efforts to restore their foreskin.

Dr Momma Peaceful Parenting: Pennsylvania Mother Charged For Bloody Chicken Sacrifice; U.S. Baby Blood Sacrifice Continues
A mother following the Palo Mayombe religion was charged with child neglect and cruelty. The mother held an initiation rite that included a chicken sacrifice and feeding the chicken's heart to her daughter. There was a large outcry over the barbarism of the religioius rite. Why isn't there an equal outrage over the blood sacrifice of cutting off a healthy part of a baby boy that is widely practiced in the US? No one seems concerned that the mother's right to practice her religion was restricted.

Read more . . .

I just found a great blog called What I'm Missing. The author kurt_t has a lot to say about circumcision and he says it well. He tells his circumcision story from the beginning, with each blog post adding to the story of his journey. The posts remind me of story teller Jean Shepard, but Kurt should not give up his day job, yet.

My first hint that something was missing came about age nine or ten. Some grown up or another had given my friend John a new Slip 'N Slide for his birthday. He and I and our friend Michael were changing into our swimsuits in John's bedroom preparatory to slipping and sliding on this most coveted Wham-O product when one or the other of them (I forget which one.) said to me "What happened to your penis?"
 
I bent forward and looked down. "What do you mean what happened to my penis? It looks just it always does."
 
"What happened to the cover?" John-or-Michael said.
 
"The what?" I said. I straightened up and looked at John. Then I looked at Michael. And I don't mean in the eye.
 
Well, whaddya know? My penis looked like a little mushroom with a little brown stripe around it. And their penises looked like ...

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 good news this week is that the media picked up on the news that Colorado Medicaid is no longer funding infant circumcision in the state. That makes 18 states where the government does not pay for the elective surgery done to baby boys. In addition to the direct savings for the government not paying for male infant circumcision through Medicaid, there will be additional savings because corrective surgeries for botched circumcisions will be reduced with the fewer circumcisions being performed.
 

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Moral Low Ground: Anti-Circumcision Comic Hero’s Anti-Semitic Undertones do Disservice to Noble Cause
Although Moral Low Ground believes that the practice of circumcising newborn baby boys is barbaric, they also believe that the Foreskin Man comics has hurt the cause for genital integrity. The Foreskin Man comic book alienated many groups who could possibly have been allies.

The Guggie Daily: The Torah Against Genital Mutilation
A list of quotes and links regarding the Jewish rite of male circumcision, including information on Brit Shalom, a naming rite without cutting.
  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, June 12, 2011

Herald Sun Australia: Crowe snips circumcision tweets
"Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature?" Russell Crowe tweeted. Crowe reached out to his Jewish friends to reject circumcision and that is when the press had a field day, calling Crowe antisemitic. He removed many of the tweets because he did not want anyone to think he was mocking other's rituals and traditions.

End Routine Infant Circumcision: Why Circumcision Does NOT Slow The Spread of HIV
The average person should know that safe sex (condoms), monogamy, and knowing one’s HIV status are by far the most effective ways of slowing the spread of HIV. Although male circumcision is touted to reduce HIV, men must still wear a condom to protect themselves. Male circumcision gives a false sense of security, causing many to forego wearing a condom.
  Read more . . .

Intactivists seek genital integrity for all children. This means we want to see male infant circumcision end in the United States and do not want female circumcision to be reinstated in the US. Cutting the sex organ of a child, boy or girl,  is barbaric and has no place in the modern world.

Some religions still practice the ritual of genital cutting. Jews practice ritual circumcision of infant boys. Muslims practice ritual circumcision of both boys and girls. In Indonesia, female circumcision is widely practiced on infant girls. Generally, only a sliver is removed.[1]

Recently, the second issue of the Foreskin Man comic book became news because of its imagery. Foreskin Man Number One has the hero fighting an evil doctor to save a boy's foreskin from amputation. Foreskin Man Number Two has the hero, a blond-haired strapping male, fighting "Monster Mohel," a bearded, black-hatted man wearing a prayer shawl.

When the second comic came out late last year, I was surprised that there was not more of an outcry against it. Perhaps the intactivism movement had not garnered enough attention where the comic was considered worth speaking up about. With two cities in California considering banning infant circumcision, the comic was put in the spotlight. The controversy was enough for the backer of the Santa Monica, California, effort to drop out. The ballot measure to ban infant circumcision in San Francisco, California, continues. Read more . . .

This has been a sad week for intactivists. Van Lewis died on Monday from cancer. He fought for the rights of children to the very end. The week before his passing, I received an e-mail message from Van about the upcoming vote on the Male Genital Mutilation ballot measure in San Francisco.

Van was arrested in 1970 while protesting against male infant circumcision. He and his brother were in front of a hospital with signs advocating genital integrity and against infant circumcision. The police were not happy. Since that time, he has not wavered in his fight for genital integrity for all children.

Van Lewis will be missed. Rest in peace, my fellow intactivist.

In other news, the second Foreskin Man comic book continues to be attacked for its antisemitism imagery. It is unfortunate that the promoter of the comic has not come out and apologized for any offense given. That is what Russell Crowe did after his anti-circumcision rant late this week. I think the reaction to Russell Crowe's tweets was driven by the Foreskin Man controversy.

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 5, 2011

Rolling Doughnut: Opposition to Circumcision and Anti-Semitism
The second issue of Foreskin Man has been attacked for containing antisemitic imagery. In the comic, an Aryan-looking hero fights Monster Mohel, who is trying to circumcise an infant boy. It is distressing that some still publish such imagery. One would think that we have become more enlightened than to attack a group that has suffered great persecution, but we have not. As an intactivist, I do not condone the comic. I do not believe we should demonize those who circumcise. I would prefer to educate and enlighten using positive messages. Many other intactivists share my sentiments.

no circumcision: peaceful parenting: Ballooning in the Intact Child
When a male is born, his foreskin is fused to his glans. The foreskin does not separate from the glans for several years. Sometimes, as the foreskin naturally separates, the foreskin balloons when the boy urinates. This is perfectly natural and can be safely ignored.

Joseph4GI: Swazi Men Not As Dumb As American Circumcision Advocates Had Hoped
The male circumcision campaign being waged in Africa is not having as much success as the proponents hoped. Instead of 1 out of 8 Swazi men being circumcised, one clinic is seeing less than 15 men per day, fewer than before the circumcision campaign began. Maybe many adult men realize that the foreskin is important for sexual pleasure and have little desire to lose or reduce their sexual pleasure by being circumcised.
  Read more . . .