Circumcision

The penises to the right lack something that the others have. Can you see what? They don’t have a foreskin. Are some boys born without a foreskin? No, it is removed by an operation.

A cut is made with a sharp knife around the glans, circumcision. And it means that the foreskin or part of the foreskin is cut off from the penis. There are several reasons that circumcision happens around the world. Almost all Jewish boys are circumcised when they are 8 days old. Within Judaism, it is thought that circumcision is a symbol for the Jewish people’s covenant with their God.

Also, within Islam, most of the boys and men are circumcised, but not all muslims believe you have to do it. Some interpretations of the religious books say that circumcision is good, even important, but you are not compelled to do it by religion. Within Muslim traditions, when the operation is performed can vary. Some boys are circumcised when they are one week old, but most often the boy is around 7 years old. So, circumcision can have religious reasons.

In the 19th century, circumcision became common in many English speaking countries. It was considered immoral to masturbate and they tried to reduce boys’ interest in masturbation by circumcising them. There is no evidence saying that people who circumcised masturbate less, but that’s what they thought. Today, circumcision is a lot less common in many of those places, but in other countries, particularly in the USA, the change has been slow. In parts of Africa, circumcision is performed just before a boy enters puberty, has a sign of becoming a grown man.

These are cultural reasons for circumcision. Circumcision can, in some cases, lessen the risk of the HIV virus spreading from women to men. So, in some regions where HIV is widespread, such as southern Africa, circumcision has become more common in recent years. This is a medical reason for circumcision. But it’s important to remember that the only really sure way to protect yourself from the HIV virus is to use a condom when having intercourse.

Circumcision is very common in large areas of the world and very rare in others. It is most common in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Indonesia and South Korea. But is this really allowed? Yes, it is allowed in all countries in the world to circumcise boys, but is it morally acceptable to cut off a body part from a child who is too young to have an opinion of their own? The foreskin can never be replaced.

Circumcision is an issue which raises strong feelings. Those who think it should be allowed might say, “Everybody has their right to practice their religion." "If my God demands that I circumcise my son, I can and must do it." "Circumcision is a matter of religious and cultural freedom." "It reduces the risk of infections. It is hygienic." "If we ban circumcision, it will be performed anyway, although secretly, maybe by ignorant people in unsafe conditions. It can be dangerous for the child." "Circumcision is completely harmless.” Others think it should be banned. “It’s not harmless at all. Circumcision can cause life-threatening infections." "It lowers sensitivity in the penis and reduces the possibility of feeling sexual pleasure." "And about that freedom thing: the child also has the right to freedom of religion." "A grownup should not choose religion for the child, particularly not with an operation which cannot be reversed.

Such a decision or human beings must make for themselves." "The child has a right to its body and it is the responsibility of the adults to protect the child. Cutting a health child’s body is a form of child abuse. A male genital mutilation.” Yes, circumcision raises strong feelings.