It’s time to stop circumcising boys

I never really put much thought into male circumcision until this past year. I’ve always been an advocate against female genital mutilation, which is really easy to denounce because of the constant pain, suffering and violence it causes. But when you actually take a look at male circumcision, you’ll see that it, too, is a form of mutilation, and causes unnecessary pain, trauma and even death to baby boys.

In fact, a study in the British Journal of Urology now confirms that the practice is a form of mutilation. Hopefully this report serves as a catalyst to fight this barbaric practice. I didn’t think about it much since I’m a woman, I have a daughter and it just was never on my radar. But think about it. Your baby is born perfect, ready for your cuddles, nurturing and love. Why on earth would you want a piece of your baby cut off? Why welcome him to the world with violence, blood and pain to his tiny body?

Right now, Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati is circumcising more than 200 babies for a study to prove which circumcising tool is best. Do you know how they are determining the results? By the amount of blood soaked up in the bandage and the expression of pain on each child’s face! Folks, I could not make this up if I tried, and if I did, it would be part of a horror novel.

This is barbaric and cruel, and it needs to stop now. Why would you put your son through this? Citing “tradition” or religion is not enough. Your baby’s health, your son’s life, is on the line here. Please step up and sign this petition against these horrific experiments, and make a pledge right now with me and to children everywhere to stand against circumcision in any form—whether it’s for boys or girls.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia