Reply #98: Let me start by saying that I am opposed to circumcision for my own children.

[FedUpWithIt All]

We did not circumcise our 1 yr old son when he was born. We felt that our son should have the option to make that decision for himself. We would not be able to put it back and the option remains for him to remove it if he wishes. My SO is happily circumcised but we felt that it was not something that we could decide for our son. The idea that he might one day resent us for making that decision, as some men do resent their parents, or that he may one day feel that his sexuality is negatively affected (which would ultimately have a further affect on his sexuality and possibly self esteem) struck us as too great a risk.

That said, the female clitoris is not comparable tissue to the foreskin. It simply isn't. It is similar to the glans in sensation. The foreskin is more comparable to the clitoral hood. It serves a sensory protective function essentially. In the case of the OP it seems that function has backfired.

FGM is brutally performed and is intended to remove sexual satisfaction, emotionally as well as physically. That is NOT the usual intent of male circumcision. The intent does matter when human sexuality and the human rights issues involved are being discussed.

Loss of healthy sexual function is a possibility in some cases with circumcision (again, not usually intended but tragic nontheless). In the cases where this does occur, i doubt any of the discussions commonly used to justify circumcision carry any weight when scaled against such an extreme loss. Suddenly, wanting Junior to look like dad just doesn't seem as pressing when Junior's future is dimmed by the social and emotional ramifications of a life without normal sexual function. But this is a rather rare scenario so the typical reasoning often wins out over the possibilities of the slim risks.

There are occasional risks with leaving a male intact such as phimosis and reoccurring urinary infections but these are often treatable. If they occur and if they are un treatable, a medically justified circumcision will correct the issues.