Poll: Circumcision

[Spartan Bannana]

After the recent discussion of circumcision in the Watchmen Movie Thread, I decided to make a thread about circumcision.
I know it's a bit of an awkward topic, but I'll put up a poll for those of you that want to stay anonymous, and those who don't, I expect to be mature enough for a serious discussion.
Being uncircumcised is outside the norm these days, with over half of the US being circumcised, I am not in that percent. I am uncircumcised. I'm a little worried about all this, I've heard girls don't like it, and being a teenager, that's pretty much ALL I worry about. People see foreskin as dirty an disgusting, and I just don't see why. The most recent studies have shown that there are no medical advantages to circumcision, so I'm hoping the trend will stop so I can stop feeling like a freak.

So, how many men here are circumcised?
What are all of your opinions on circumcision?

The option for females in the poll is just added as a precaution, while female circumcision is much rarer than male circumcision, it still happens.

 

[Abedeus]

It's not normal in Poland, or Europe. Why would it be?

No point, really. It's just inhumane, cutting off the most important part of a man just for... WHAT?

 

[Frizzle]

There's nothing wrong with it. Some people think that it's unclean or can get infected if you're not circumcised. Basically if you shower at least twice a week, like I do, you'll have no problems. I've heard one girl in my long illustrious life say that it was gross (she hadn't ever seen me naked, just a comment in general). 1.
Most of them either think it's cool because it's "not the norm", or they don't care. Occasionally you'll get one that wants to play with it, and we all know that's never a bad thing!

All in all, your worries are unfounded. No one is really that bothered with it. Just think of it as extra protection in case you have to low crawl naked over a field of nails

Edit: I think some people do it for religious purposes. Don't know what the reasoning is, though.

 

[Alex_P]

It's just inhumane, cutting off the most important part of a man just for... WHAT?

The foreskin's not "the most important part of a man" by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a bit of flexible outer flesh over the glans ("head"). It basically retracts when fully aroused for intercourse. The loss of the foreskin can change how one experiences sex or masturbation but it doesn't lead to anything especially bad.

-- Alex

 

[Talendra]

Really there is no difference apart from the look. While it is true that some women prefer a circumcised penis to uncircumcised, this is certainly not true of all, and to be frank if someone will does not want to date/sleep with you for this reason then you probably don't want to be involved with them anyway.
I also think it's quite barbaric, and if I have children they most definitely won't be circumcised.
Female circumcision makes me cringe, and I actually stared at the Wikipedia page in shock especially at the medical consequences and the fact that it is other wise known as 'female genital mutilation'.
Though really there is no need to feel like a freak, there are lots of uncircumcised men, and I would warrant the number is growing. Also you shouldn't have any trouble with the ladies with an uncircumcised penis, and if you did I would seriously be rethinking where you want to put said penis

 

[Abedeus]

It's just inhumane, cutting off the most important part of a man just for... WHAT?

The foreskin's not "the most important part of a man" by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a bit of flexible outer flesh over the glans ("head"). It basically retracts when fully aroused for intercourse. The loss of the foreskin can change how one experiences sex or masturbation but it doesn't lead to anything especially bad.

-- Alex

It's still a part of the penis. And you are chopping a part of it off.

 

[Joleo]

well im circumsised and from the UK, but i was for medical reasons, as i got an infection on my penis which im sure you all wanted to know.
i havent had any drawbacks with it so i think half the stuff your saying about it is deffo not happend to me.

 

[Abedeus]

It's not normal in Poland, or Europe. Why would it be?

No point, really. It's just inhumane, cutting off the most important part of a man just for... WHAT?

The most important part of me is my massive, throbbing...
Brain.
What did you think I was going to say?

Liver, what else? I think liver is pretty important.

 

[Alex_P]

It's still a part of the penis. And you are chopping a part of it off.

Enh. The human body has a lot of bits that you can do without. I find the tendency to circumcise infants for no reason in the US to be downright, well, laughable, but that doesn't mean the procedure itself is necessarily any worse than an appendectomy or removing the tonsils. As always, surgically altering the human body carries some risks, but there are people who get medically-necessary circumcisions and, to my knowledge, most aren't greatly affected by it.

-- Alex

 

[Abedeus]

It's still a part of the penis. And you are chopping a part of it off.

Enh. The human body has a lot of bits that you can do without. I find the tendency to circumcise infants for no reason in the US to be downright, well, laughable, but that doesn't mean the procedure itself is necessarily any worse than an appendectomy or removing the tonsils. As always, surgically altering the human body carries some risks, but there are people who get medically-necessary circumcisions and, to my knowledge, most aren't greatly affected by it.

-- Alex

Yes, humans have a lot of things that are not required to live. I, for example, have removed tonsils, because they got infected and if I didn't remove them, I would've died. But it doesn't mean it's smart to just chop off everything we don't NEED.

Besides, it's still man's first friend. *snort* sorry.

well im circumsised and from the UK, but i was for medical reasons, as i got an infection on my penis which im sure you all wanted to know.
i havent had any drawbacks with it so i think half the stuff your saying about it is deffo not happend to me.

This must be the greatest first post ever.
Welcome to the Escapist.
What the fuck just happened here?

whoopshlookslikeyouhavejustdoubleposted

 

[prinxess]

In some countries in Africa girls must be circumcised except not the safe way. Small villages or towns believe that women should be circumcised at a young age. A woman on the radio said that they don't have the right tools or equippment. 2 of her 5 daughters died of this operation. Personally, its a big no no.

 

[Abedeus]

It's still a part of the penis. And you are chopping a part of it off.

Enh. The human body has a lot of bits that you can do without. I find the tendency to circumcise infants for no reason in the US to be downright, well, laughable, but that doesn't mean the procedure itself is necessarily any worse than an appendectomy or removing the tonsils. As always, surgically altering the human body carries some risks, but there are people who get medically-necessary circumcisions and, to my knowledge, most aren't greatly affected by it.

-- Alex

It was my understanding that the tonsils are removed because of their tendency to swell and cause issues, or infections or something.

Yes. Sometimes, infection attacks the tonsils instead of the body. Then they begin to hurt and you have to remove them, as they cause more damage than they help.

But you shouldn't remove them just because they MIGHT swell up. It's another line of defense in your system.

 

[Alex_P]

It was my understanding that the tonsils are removed because of their tendency to swell and cause issues, or infections or something.

Sometimes they get removed pre-emptively.

In the US, it's typical to get all of your wisdom teeth out if even one of them starts hurting.

Also, I've heard from several folks with first-hand knowledge of the military that anyone who joins the armed forces with their wisdom teeth intact is very likely to get them pulled just in case, to avoid causing problems with it later.

-- Alex

 

[Alex_P]

But it doesn't mean it's smart to just chop off everything we don't NEED.

I don't think infant circumcision just for the hell of it is a good idea.
All I'm saying is that if you've been circumcised due to a legitimate medical need or your parents/doctors making a stupid choice, it's probably not going to impair you in any significant way.

-- Alex

 

[stompy]

Nope, I'm an Aussie and not circumcised. In Islam and Judaism, circumcision is a must, which I think has something to do with the lack of availability to water in the areas those religions originated from, and the increased likelihood that you'll get an infection in the genitalia. However, since my parents are Hindus, I wasn't circumcised because it's against Hinduism, or so I've been told.

 

[Daveman]

I am coz I had to when I was 13, for medical reasons I can't be arsed to go into. All I'll say is that it is the most painful thing that has ever happened to me and I couldn't walk for a week, then I couldn't walk properly for 2 weeks. But in the long run it was for the best.

 

[MontyGommo]

I have to say, the arguments between getting circumcised and not have always amused me.

Personally, i think they look much better circumcised. And i have never read anything saying there's a difference either way.

Most of the girls i've spoken to about it don't care either way, but agree that a penis looks much prettier when circumcised

I may be slightly biased, being snipped myself, but i will definitely have it done should i ever have a son.

 

[Elim Garak]

Yup, its a Jewish thing, mainly. As in religious. Which is probably why it isn't practiced in Russia all that much - Russia is a pretty antisemitic place. Or at the least it used to be.

 

[exitmouse]

Female, and not.

I think this is one of those things that only the person it effects has any right to decide on. As such, the idea of having a kid circumcised makes me squeamish - on the off chance I ever have a son, I'm not going to have it done - he can decide that for himself when he's old enough as it's not something you can exactly UNDO. IIRC, America is one of the only countries where it's practiced regularly as well. So unless there's a pressing medical need for it - yeah no.

Yes it can be a health issue if a guy doesn't wash properly, but quite honestly there's going to be more than one problem if proper hygiene isn't observed anyway.

 

[orifice]

I had to get circumcised a few years back,because my foreskin had become too tight and was causing me problems.