Say no to circumcision - support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

This has been an active week for intactivists. The Bill in Massachusetts for equal protection of males and females with respect to genital cutting is creating a good public debate. Many bloggers are speaking up.
 

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Boston Herald: Plan to ban circumcision a longshot
A fairly balanced article about the Bill introduced in Massachusetts to ban genital mutilation of both boys and girls. The article has generated a lot of comments, on both sides of the issue.

Boston Herald: Humane or 'Horrible'
A brief story about a woman who just had her infant boy circumcised. The surgeon who circumcised the infant was quoted as saying there is no medical reason to circumcise babies.
 

Monday, February 22, 2010

A Domestic Vignette: AAP recommendations - choking vs circumcision
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is preparing to publish a new policy statement where they are calling for labeling common foods that are known to be choking hazards for children. The author compares this effort to the fact that an equal number of babies die from infant circumcision, but the AAP does not come out with an equal warning against circumcision.

Woman: Uncensored: The case for female circumcision
The typical case for male circumcision is described with the exception that instead of male circumcision, female circumcision is described. The author makes the point that we would never cut girls for the reasons that we cut boys.

Woman: Uncensored: Foreskin in the bedroom: One woman's love affair with an intact penis
A moving story about how a woman feels about her intact husband. She enjoys his natural penis. He was never subject to ridicule while growing up and he has no trouble keeping it clean.

Swaziland Commentary: Mutilate Swazi babies to stop HIV
A commentator in Swaziland notes that "there is no definite evidence that circumcising men stops the spread of HIV. For every expert who says is does, there’s at least another who says it doesn’t." "In Swaziland outside agencies with their own agendas to spread have convinced thousands of men that if they get the snip they will have less chance of getting HIV."

Code Name: Mamma: Researching Circumcision, Part 2: What Is Circumcision?
Part 2 of a well-researched article on circumcision. This part has lots of information and a good list of resource links.

Male Circumcision and HIV: "Auroras Society for Creative Anachronisms. Id hoped it would improve my chances. Just my luck to have found one anachronism she doesnt appreciate."
An excerpt from Arthur C. Clarke's 3001, The Final Odyssey. The excerpt describes a failed tryest in which the man is rejected because he is circumcised.
 

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Eco Childs Play: Put Down the Knife! 11 Reasons Not to Circumcise
A mother has 11 reasons why infant boys should not be circumcised. Cutting the genitals of anewborn boy does not make sense given that the foreskin is erogenous tissue.

Male Circumcision and HIV: Brian Morris, the Fred Phelps of the Pro-Circumcision Lobby
Comments about pro-circumcision activist Brian Morris. He is obsessed with cutting the genitals of children and is very outspoken about infant circumcision.
 

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

A Penis Monologue: Circumcision comes from Egypt as a way to gain immortality.
A video discussing the circumcision rite in Turkey.

International Coalition for Genital Integrity: Missing criteria in circumcision decision
The author identifies the medical criteria for a doctor to perform an infant circumcision. Then the factors that weigh against the criteria are listed, including the financial gain for the surgery and the cultural acceptance.

On the Turtle's Back: “Parenting” Mishap: Wrong Penis Advice
A mother describes how she found out that it is best to just wipe the intact penis of an infant. It is ill-advised to try to retract the foreskin of a baby boy.

Uutiset: Parents Ordered to Pay Circumcised Son 1,500 Euros
A news report of parents who had a British rabbi circumcise their baby boy has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit bodily harm by the Helsinki District Court. The court ordered the parents to pay their child 1,500 euros for pain and suffering. The baby had to be rushed to a hospital because of excessive bleeding.
 

Thursday, February 25, 2010

The Huffington Post: We Need To Stop Circumcision
A doctor, Christiane Northrup, MD, writes a concise condemnation of male infant circumcision.

Holistic Doula NYC: Link | Christiane Northrup, MD: We Need To Stop Circumcision
A Doula who agrees with Dr. Northrup's article about stopping circumcision.

Ancel De Lambert: Circumcision Sucks
More praise for Dr. Northrup's article about stopping the circumcision of infants is refreshing.  It is heartening to read so many of the commentors speaking out about the harms of circumcision.

DrMomma: Peaceful Parenting: Never Too Old
The author's grandmother, at 95 years old, discovered the harm of circumcision and laments that the doctors never provided any information when she had her children.
 

Friday, February 26, 2010

Eco Child's Play: Parenting Fail: Baby Talk Magazine Screws Up Penis Care Advice
A discussion about Parenting magazine's Babytalk, where terribly wrong advice for caring for an intact baby was given. Babytalk gave the wrong advice to tug the baby's foreskin. The advice should be to NEVER retract the foreskin of a boy. He will do it when ready. All that is needed is to wipe like a finger and leave alone.

The Bebe Diaries: What the Schmuck!
A mother describes infant circumcison and how the pros of being intact outweight the cons. Her husband is not yet sold on how harmful circumcision is because he is cut.

afrol News: FGM, Circumcision "likely to spread HIV:
A call for more research because the high HIV rate in Africa is caused by more than just sex. The circumcision campaign serves to increase the HIV rate because the surgery causes HIV infections.
 

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Jack Liberty: We Need To Stop Circumcision!
A young man makes the point that parents do not own their children. Parents should be liable if they choose to mutilate their children.

The Spearhead: Stopping Male Genital Mutilation
A rant about male infant circumcision. The blogger also includes information about Intact America's call for stories to support the Massachusetts Bill for Genital Integrity.

DrMomma: Peaceful Parenting: Perfectly Intact! Birth Certificate
DrMomma writes about a card sold at Target. The card shows an archeologist with the caption "Amazing! And it's perfectly intact!" To an intactivist, the card has another meaning.

Peaceful Beginnings: Circumcision
Information on the Circumcision Decision Maker website for parents.