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.
 

Sunday, June 6, 2010

The Pervocracy: The pleasure factor
A woman describes how an intact (uncircumcised) penis feels a lot better and seems to give the man so much more pleasure than guys who have a circumcised penis.

Quantum Solos: Circumcision
Male infant circumcision is not something that parents should be deciding for their sons. Forcing circumcision on infants who cannot understand what is being done to them is unconscionable.
 

Monday, June 7, 2010

MidWifes Magazine: Who's looking after the boys?
With the current controversy over female genital mutilation and "nicking," Midwives Magazine asks why boys are not equally protected from genital mutilation (circumcision). The universal declaration of human rights state that every man, woman and child should have equal rights without discrimination.

Feministing.com: Being Allies Against Male Circumcision
A feminist thinks it is high time that femists recognized that cutting the genitals of any child is wrong. "The fact that circumcision is even up for debate is highly offensive and can be triggering for victims".
 

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Gender Equality Movement: Redressing the Politics of Victimization
A man writes about how he feels like he is a victim of male infant circumcision. But, just because he is a victim does not mean that he blames anyone for his condition. "Everybody is victimized, but nobody is to blame."

Code Name: Mama: The Effects of Circumcision on Newborn Boys
There are many long-term reasons to leave sons intact, and many have not considered the more immediate benefits to the parents and their new baby by not circumcising him. There is no reason to traumatize your baby or jeopardize your breastfeeding relationship by exposing your son to needless pain and stress through circumcision.

Circumcision Wisdom: Infant circumcision causes [more than] 100 deaths each year in US
New blog of circumcision information. This post describes the recent study that determined approximately 117 infant boys die because of circumcision. The circumcision death rate is greater than the death rate from SIDS.

DrMomma Peaceful Parenting: Sperm Bank Has "No Circumcision" Clause for Clients
Leland Traiman is the founder of Rainbow Flag Health Services, a unique known-donor sperm bank. The philosophy and goals of RFHS are always in the best interests of the child. In a YouTube video the gay man of Jewish descent discusses genital integrity and the policy of his business not to offer services if the child is at risk for genital mutilation, aka circumcision.
 

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Woman to Woman Childbirth Education: Talking with kids about circumcision
A mother wonders how she will handle explaining infant circumcision to her intact sons when they question the difference. See A fathers talk with his son about infant circumcision for how one father handled the discussion about infant circumcision.

Male Circumcision and HIV: Sexual lubricants used mostly by circumcised men increase risk for sexually transmitted disease, including HIV
Lubricants used predominantly by circumcised men may be contributing to the high rate of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Many lubricants contain ingredients that create conditions that allow infections to occur. Intact men use less lubricants because the foreskin provides a gliding action.

Conducive Chronicle: Opposing Views on Female Circumcision
Many people think that no one could possible think that female genital mutilation is a good thing. But, there are women who endorse FGM. The author describes one such woman, Fuambai Ahmadu, a Sierra Leonean who grew up in the United States,  and how her culture has affected her. Often, the same reasons cited by men in the US supporting their male circumcision are cited by women in FGM cultures.
 

Friday, June 11, 2010

Xanthippa's Chamberpot: The trouble with circumcision
A thorough look at both female and male genital cutting and the reasons behind each for the cultures that support them. Both male and female circumcision are done for the same reasons:  religious and cultural pressures to decrease the ability of the individual to experience sexual pleasure, medical misinformation, and cultural momentum. Until we recognize the parallels between FGM and MGM and criminalize the practice of parents imposing either one onto their children, we cannot pretend we are a civilized people who respect basic human rights!

International Coalition for Genital Integrity: AAP retracts proposal to circumcise girls
The author notes that it is sad that the attention given to female "nicking" was much more intense than what they have been receiving about male genital cutting. Infant male genital mutilation (aka circumcision) is much more severe than a nick, but for some unknown reason, this is acceptable to many Americans.

The Jersey City Independent: Mamarama: Who Knew Circumcision Made Everyone Go Bananas?
A circumcision neutral YouTube Video created lots of adverse comments for the neutral stance. The video author comes out with reasons not to circumcise infant boys, but, ultimately, cops out by saying it is the parent's choice.

Anti-Sheephood! Circumcision: My failure to protect my child . . .
A mother tells how she had her son circumcised. She did not opt for circumcision immediately after birth, but chose to have it done later. The doctor use a block, but she could hear her son scream from down the hall. She deeply regrets allowing her son to be circumcised. She realizes that she failed to be fully informed before the surgery. This is a new blog and I wonder if the blog name is because she was a sheep by allowing culture and convention sway her in having her baby circumcised.
 

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Telegraph UK: It's time to protect boys as well as girls from the barbaric practice of circumcision
Cultural hypocrisy is condemning female genital mutilation while allowing genital cutting of boys to continue. While preventing female circumcision is a global political campaign, embraced by feminists of all faiths and none, no one seriously addresses the issue of male circumcision. Dena Davis, the legal consultant for the American Academy of Paediatrics, criticises this policy as nonsense. It reflects, as she told The Economist this week, cultural prejudice rather than medical knowledge.