Circumcision Yes or No?

Circumcision isn't a subject I have had to consider for at least 36 years, not since I was pregnant with my only child.  Her father and I had vigorous arguments about whether the baby would be circumcised if it were a boy.  He was for it and I was profoundly against it.  My reasons were that it was proven to be medically entirely unnecessary and to put a newborn baby through a painful and unnecessary surgical procedure was barbaric - a left over relic of ancient Middle Eastern religions.  His reason was that he didn't want his son to be made fun of by other boys because he was different.

Now, I haven't had a lot of experience with a wide variety of men, but of the few I have known intimately, one was uncircumsized and as he had been both in high school and in the army and had never suffered any kind of mocking or belittling whatsoever, I think that old idea is invalid.  Furthermore, who is taking such a close look at another man's penis that he is discerning whether that man has been circumcized or not?

Over the years, I have read many articles about the things that can go wrong, especially in the Jewish world where the Mohel who performs the bris may not be medically trained.  Recently in a Sunday New York Times article, I read that many Jewish women who are both doctors and mother's of sons, are becoming Mohels so that they can be certain that the procedure is safe.  It is required of their religion so I applaud their caution.  

One of my thoughts is that circumcision is a hell of a way to welcome a newborn baby into the world.  Most Bris do not include anesthetic for the newborn, a helpless and sensitive little being.  What a thing to do!

Fortunately, my only child was a daughter and the argument could be buried along with the relationship that spawned it.  Still, I feel sorry for those new little people coming into the world who are subjected to this ritual practice which has NO medical reason to exist.

Here is something interesting I found on the internet:

"Male Circumcision – Yes or No?

APRIL 2, 2018 BY DON DOMAN

Outside of religion, what is the need for male circumcision? Female circumcision is too big an issue for me to take on currently. I got the news late but here it is: Genital Integrity Awareness Week 2018 takes place March 28-April 3! Perhaps, we should celebrate.

How wide spread is male circumcision (the removal of the foreskin from the penis)? The rates vary from 1% in Japan, and 2% in Spain and Sweden, to 58% in the United States, to more than 80% in Muslim-majority countries. There appears to be very little medical reason for male circumcision, and yet it continues."

In case you are wondering, male circumcision is predominantly a Middle Eastern and African practice.  Less than 2% of Swedish men, less than 1% of Japanes men, less than 10% of German men are circumcized and other European rates are similarly low.  The rates ar dropping in the UK and in America which each have a rate of about 48% UK and 55% in US, less in Canada.  Personally, I think people just do it because it has always been done, not because it serves any real purpose and it certainly doesn't help the baby while it may endanger the baby's welfare.

In the end, as with so many deeper/bigger moral questions, each set of parents must make up their own minds, but they should look into it before they do it and not just blindly follow custom.  The decision should be an informed one.