The Flap over Circumcision

(HONG KONG) - American exceptionalism takes many forms. One of the least noticed is the preference for circumcision of boys. Other than among Muslims and Jews, for whom it is a religious or at least traditional requirement, cutting off part of the penis is alien to most other cultures and usually only carried out for medical, or occasionally aesthetic, reasons.

But the US is now trying to promote the practice in developing countries supposedly as a defense against AIDS. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting its propagation and the World Health Organization is being urged to do the same. The theory is that circumcised men have a roughly 50 percent less chance of contracting HIV.

Assuming that is the case, adult men may reasonably decide whether they are at risk and if so whether the loss of the penis foreskin and possible impact on sexual enjoyment is worth the lowering of HIV risk. But any such campaign carries with it the real danger that societies in Africa, where the AIDS prevention efforts are mostly focused, will result in the large scale circumcising of infants who have no choice in the matter.

Meanwhile resources are being invested in devising new ways of making circumcision easier and less liable to the complications which arise during surgery. That at least might be a benefit given the amount of hospital time being given to circumcisions in developing Africa which would be better used for dealing with essential surgeries or spending money on other forms of AIDS prevention. Thailand is well known for having dramatically reduced AIDS infection rates but has no tradition of circumcision other than among Muslims.

The US seems to assume that just because most Americans, regardless of religion, are circumcised as infants, other countries should be persuaded to do the same. What is ironic is that this push for male circumcision is being paralleled by US support for campaigns against the female equivalent practiced in many parts of north, northeast and west Africa and which is illegal in most western countries.

For sure, the practice of female genital mutilation is a gross insult to womanhood and stems from male fears of women’s sexuality. It usually involves removal of the clitoris though milder versions which only involve trimming the labia may have no more effect on ability to be aroused than the male counterpart.

But male circumcision has its sexual drawbacks too. A 2002 US report in the Journal of Health Psychology stated that "the genitally intact male has thousands of fine touch receptors and other highly erogenous nerve endings—many of which are lost to circumcision, with an inevitable reduction in sexual sensation experienced by circumcised males."

It cited studies reporting "female partners reported significantly greater sexual pleasure from intercourse with genitally intact men as compared with circumcised men" and "circumcised partners were significantly less happy about their sexual functioning than were genitally intact partners." The authors concluded, "intercourse is less satisfying for both partners when the man is circumcised".

Indeed just as Americans are trying to promote it in Africa, it has been declining in the US itself despite the claimed advantages of helping prevent HIV and other infections. In the 1980s it is estimated that 83 percent of newborns were circumcised but by 2005 this had fallen to 56 percent. It was particularly low in the west where Hispanic and Asian populations are concentrated. Among culturally western countries only Australia has a rate over 50 percent. In Canada it is just 20 percent and the European average is around 10 percent -- and almost zero in sexual health-conscious Scandinavian countries. It is also very low throughout Latin America.

As for non-Muslim Asia it is only widely practiced in South Korea and the Philippines, both as a result of past US influence rather than older cultural norms. It is rare in China, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand (other than among Muslims) and among Hindus and Sikhs in India.

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Say NO To Circumcision! February 25, 2013 6:33 am (Pacific time)

Male genital mutilation also known as "circumcision" needs to be illegal for non-consenting male minors. Just as it is for non-consenting female minors. Both the labia minora/clitoral hood and penile foreskin are made up of the same identical type of sexually-sensitive protective erogenous genital tissue. Both have the same identical purpose and functions and both are not just "flaps of skin". But important sexual tissue that is supposed to be left alone. Good hygiene and condoms are the only things that prevent genital infections, AIDS and STDS', not genital amputations. Also, there is non-surgical foreskin restoration which operates on the principle of 'mitosis'. Any type of tissue will actually grow (not just "stretch" out) when constant and moderate tension is applied upon it. As cells generate and die off during metabolic processes, the extra tension on tissue skin actually increases the number of cells in the tissue leading to new tissue growth. Both the outer and remaining inner sensitive mucosal tissue can be grown back at the rate of 1 linear inch per year with non-surgical foreskin restoration. Google 'foreskin restoration' online. Devices such as the TLC Tugger, CAT II Q and DTR are outstanding, well engineered and cost-effective devices that will efficiently regrow a lost foreskin. Bill Gates population reduction and genital mutilation campaigns in the rest of the world are a desperate sign of his loss to the might of Apple and IPOD. Plus all the new developments of the Japanese electronics market. Bill Gates during his Microsoft reign paid 10 million dollars in fines per month for his refusal to give due credit to the actual inventors of the Microsoft systems they invented. Yes, Gates is a pirate and it's no surprise the Scandinavians absolutely hate Bill Gates and used to throw pies at his face when he would visit them in the past. lol It is not a hopeless situation if you want your foreskin back. Just go online and study 'non-surgical foreskin restoration'. You'll be amazed what the largest organ on the human body, the skin, is actually capable of! Men that regret being circumcised as adults and also men circumcised as infants who later restored their foreskin report a dramatic increase of sexual pleasure, sensitivity and comfort by 10 to 15 times as do their female partners! Circumcision was invented as a religious custom to lessen sexual pleasure in both men and women and has no medical merits. Gates and many of the Elite that are promoting circumcision all belong to a certain religion that is bias and bigoted against intact genitals. If Jews and Muslims want to circumcise their children then have at it. But the rest of humanity is happy and healthy in their natural state and have no desire to undergo circumcision genital mutilation. I wrote this comment to inform circumcised men that it is not a hopeless case and that they can naturally restore their foreskin without any surgery needed. Just as some African women that were circumcised (clitoris still intact) can regrow their labia minora and clitoral hood by stretching devices as well, such as "Clitoraid". Circumcision is a religious and social custom and has no place in medicine or the prevention of any diseases. The US has the highest rate of STDs', AIDS', cervical cancer and divorce in the Western world. As it does have the highest rate of male circumcision in the Western world. Europe has the lowest rate of STDs', AIDS', cervical cancer and divorce in the Western world. As it does have the lowest rate of male circumcision in the Western world. Obviously genital amputations such as circumcision have nothing to do with good health. If anything circumcision is harmful and leads to more disease and less sexual pleasure leading to both medical and intimacy problems. I hope the Sub-Saharan Africans tell the bizarre circumcision cult that has entered their land, NO to circumcision! Everyone that doesn't want to experience sexual problems on this planet should also say NO to these genital butchers. And men that are circumcised should restore their foreskin. They will be amazed at what they get back and realize that they were missing out on so much living in the circumcised state.

Frank OHara April 26, 2012 1:15 pm (Pacific time)

"In the 1980s it is estimated that 83 percent of newborns were circumcised" In the early 1990's it is estimated that the rate rose to 92%. According to The Centers for Disease Control, the 2009 rate was 32.5%. It is a dying fad. "It was particularly low in the west where Hispanic and Asian populations are concentrated." It is not because of Asian and Hispanic populations. It was because California was the first to defund Medicaid funding for infant circumcision and the rest of the West Coast followed their lead. The West Coast circumcision rate has been less than 30% for years and these males are not dropping in the streets. "Among culturally western countries only Australia has a rate over 50 percent." No, Australia's circumcision rate was 7% several years ago and continues to drop. "In Canada it is just 20 percent" No, since the circumcision death of Ryleigh McWillis in 2002 and the subsequent defunding along with their medical associations warning against it, Canada's circumcsion rate has dropped to nearly nothing. "and the European average is around 10 percent --" There is nowhere in Europe that the infant circumcision rate is in the double digits. Most are at or below 1%. and almost zero in sexual health-conscious Scandinavian countries. It is also very low throughout Latin America. Yes, Central and South America has circumcision rates at or below 1%. .

Anna O'Leary February 4, 2012 5:48 pm (Pacific time)

Cutting edge news !!!

Editor: Oh that was good!

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