To cut or not to cut...

[Justine+David 218]

David and I are thinking about having kids in the next few years and while talking to my Dad about it, he was surprised and a bit disgruntled when I told him that we would not be circumcising any male children that we have. It got a little heated and I left the conversation quite put out. David would never think about it and I take care of sick babies for a living--no way could I ever stand to do it.

It fascinates me that most American men are cut yet the opposite is true of the rest of the world's men. Any of you folks out there have male children? Do you/did you plan to circumcise? Did you run across any resistance or ridicule on either side? That is, assuming that you broadcast your choice to the world

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

David and I are thinking about having kids in the next few years and while talking to my Dad about it, he was surprised and a bit disgruntled when I told him that we would not be circumcising any male children that we have. It got a little heated and I left the conversation quite put out. David would never think about it and I take care of sick babies for a living--no way could I ever stand to do it.

It fascinates me that most American men are cut yet the opposite is true of the rest of the world's men. Any of you folks out there have male children? Do you/did you plan to circumcise? Did you run across any resistance or ridicule on either side? That is, assuming that you broadcast your choice to the world

Why are you discussing this with your Dad?

Circumcision is prevalent in the Muslin world. And the Jewish world. It's not just an American phenomenon.

Really, your son's ####### is nobody else's business. I don't know why you would care what other people think. You've already made up your mind.

Edited February 10, 2011 by Rebecca Jo

[Justine+David 218]

Why are you discussing this with your Dad?

Circumcision is prevalent in the Muslin world. And the Jewish world. It's not just an American phenomenon.

Really, your son's ####### is nobody else's business. I don't know why you would care what other people think. You've already made up your mind.

It's just a topic of conversation why are we having a thread about objectifying our significant others?

My Dad is a critical care RN, just as I am (although I do babies and he does adults) so I thought he would have a different perspective and other things to add to the discussion that I might not have thought about.

If you look at the statistics from the WHO, only about 30% of men are circumcised, so it's actually not as prevalent as you might think. The Muslim and Jewish identity when compared to the world numbers is smaller overall.

I don't particularly care what other people think, as you've said we've made up our minds, but I thought it was an interesting point of discussion since this IS a forum of folks living around the world integrating their cultures with American cultures. Not sure why you're so down about it?

[웃 910]

PLEASE GET HIM CUT (especially if you plan on staying in the US)!!!

He is gonna thank you when he is in his teens.

[Justine+David 218]

Not actually asking people on what they think we should personally do as we've already made up our minds, but thought it would be interesting to hear other folks' experiences

as an aside, one my ex's wasn't cut and born American he's doing just fine (or so he said at my wedding )

Edited February 10, 2011 by Justine+David

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

Not actually asking people on what they think we should personally do as we've already made up our minds, but thought it would be interesting to hear other folks' experiences

as an aside, one my ex's wasn't cut and born American he's doing just fine (or so he said at my wedding )

My ex was also one of those rare American males. His parents just didn't bother to have it done because it added an extra few bucks to the hospital bill (my ex was one of five boys).

Personally I don't fell one way or the other about it. My son is the typical American male. There is pain with circumcision. I heard my son wailing while it was being done. It's a bit of extra work (for about 48 hours) when diapering an infant. I don't ask my son how he likes his ####### these days. I've not heard him complain over it.

[Becky&Steven 1]

if steven and I have kids, they will not be cut. I've found that it's just safer to not discuss the topic, because so many people are misinformed about the foreskin... you try to argue against circumcision, and you are met with hostility in most cases! I can't even wrap my brain around it, and I stopped trying a while ago.

[Justine+David 218]

I don't ask my son how he likes his ####### these days. I've not heard him complain over it.

I realize this is not the most kosher topic, btw, either (no pun intended!) I've been known to discuss different colored stools at the dinner table and how excited I was when one of my favorite babies made her first stool after surgery. Sometimes I wonder how David puts up with it all!

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

This is going to be a funny thread.

Because it's US women talking about something that's basically a trait of their husband's society. And talking quite passionately about it. Something they probably never really thought about before they met up with their un-cut British men.

Sounds like all the potential for MENA-like drama.

I realize this is not the most kosher topic, btw, either (no pun intended!) I've been known to discuss different colored stools at the dinner table and how excited I was when one of my favorite babies made her first stool after surgery. Sometimes I wonder how David puts up with it all!

Well actually when I read the post, my skin crawled a little bit.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

I used to have a friend at work who's brother needed to have his removed as an adult ( mostly because he was a pig when it came to hygiene) That is not something any adult male should have to go through. My own sons are cut, when my husband has sons I guess we will discuss it. Personally I don't care

[kutakendra 3]

My fiancee is natural, as he would say. His is the first I have seen in its natural state. He is very proud of himself and take pride in its cleanliness. It is narrow-minded thinking that uncut men are somehow dirtier. I would never think of having a son be different than his father. Less and less people in the US are circumcised these days, with the influx of Latinos and Eastern Europeans. This is a personal choice for the two of you, of course, but ultimately up to his father instill pride in him and his body.

[JoannaV 173]

We won't be cutting. I only really thought of it as an issue when my mother-in-law happened to mention in conversation that "of course we did circumcision for medical reasons". My husband seems happy with the decision not to cut. A minority of American men are now circumcised, so I think in a generation or two the practice will be less acceptable.

[Leenie 15]

Because it's US women talking about something that's basically a trait of their husband's society. And talking quite passionately about it. Something they probably never really thought about before they met up with their un-cut British men.

You're right. I never even thought about it, but my husband says no cutting for our baby boys (if any).

Works for me!

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

I think it all depends on the dad. If dad is, they tend to want their boys to have it done. My ex was and so my son was....I don't think he is any worse for it. My hubby isn't and it was the first time I had ever seen one with all the wrapping paper on it. One note though, my former father in law had to have it done when he was in his 60's. He had some sort of infection and it was BAD. He said it was VERY painful as an adult.

[TwoCats 55]

My father is a first-generation American (Naturalized), and has said during a discussion once about it that he isn't cut. I discussed this once with my parents, not because I was looking for their opinion, but because my family doesn't have any taboo subjects when it comes to dinner discussions. Trust me, it makes for a lot of odd conversations. Anyways, I get the impression that my mother insisted on my brother being circumcised, but I don't know for sure. When we talked about it, she raised the issue of two people she knew having to get it done as adults. It's a fair guess that the amount of adult complications needing one done is probably close to the amount of complications for infants getting it done.

I've experienced both 'worlds' so to speak throughout my dating years, and really I don't see that big of a difference. No guy who was uncut that I've talked to amongst my friends has ever had an issue growing up with being 'different'. Most guys just don't look that closely at another dude's #######. I decided early on that it's an unnecessary surgery, so if I ever have boys, I won't be getting it done.