Parents, protect your babies. 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.

The big news this week is that some in Colorado are seeking to restore Medicaid funding of male infant circumcision. Last year, Colorado stopped using Medicaid funds to pay for male infant circumcision. Last year Colorado recognized that male infant circumcision is not medically required and is elective surgery that the government should not pay for. But some want the government to start paying for elective surgery for baby boys, but not adults.

Solutions: Colorado Senate committee votes to restore Medicaid funds for circumcision
On Thursday, the Colorado Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted 6 to 3 to restore Medicaid funding for male infant circumcision. In spite of seven who testified against the measure, the committee voted to have the government pay for elective surgery.

What is this fascination that some people have with cutting off parts of a baby boy's penis?
 

Sunday, January 29, 2012

The WHOLE Network: Medical Research Studies on Circumcision
A list of studies on male circumcision. This post lists numerous studies with topics ranging from how male circumcision affects sex and sexual satisfaction of men and women to how male infant circumcision affects the ability of men to express feelings (I can relate to the results of that study).

Optimal Health Journey: TLC-X Tugger: Strapless foreskin restoration device
A video showing how to use a TLC-X, a bi-directional foreskin restoration device. Restoring devices are often preferred by those wishing to restore their foreskin.

Choose Intact: The New York Times Links to a Fetish Site
A critique of the recent article in the NYT about circumcision devices available for use in the Africa male circumcision campaign. The critique very ably points out that the NYT article is poorly researched and has few facts supporting its statements. Basically, the NYT article reflects the poor journalism that is rampant in the United States today.

Stop the Cut: Why The Caribbean Must Reject Circumcision As A Method For HIV Prevention
An article detailing why the male circumcision campaign that is being waged in Africa should not be adopted in the Caribbean. The studies promoting circumcision were performed in Africa, which has a unique culture that may account for the results. There is no justification to extrapolate the results for Africa to the Caribbean. Further, the studies are not supported by real world observations.
 

Monday, January 30, 2012

Tempe Thoughts: Free Tempe Screening of film ‘Cut,’ a debunking of circumcision
Tempe Arizona is hosting the documentary Cut: Slicing Through the Myths of Circumcision on February 17 from 4:30pm to 7pm at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. The event is organized by the Phoenix Chapter of National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Centers (NOCIRC).
 

Tuesay, January 31, 2012

Intact America Intactivist Blog: Talking Points for Intactivists – Part One
Georganne Chapin of Intact America provides responses to common questions asked of intactivists. Intactivists are those who fight for genital integrity for all children. We are often questioned as to our motivations and qualifications. Georganne covers a lot of these questions with good, short answers for naysayers.

Healthy Beginnings: Is Infant Circumcision Necessary?
A doctor examines male infant circumcision and concludes that "the choice for circumcision should be left up to a consenting adult who can make an informed decision." The doctor says that hygiene and cleanliness are myths and that an intact penis can be just as clean as a circumcised one.

Joseph4GI: NYTimes Plugs PrePex, Consorts With Known Circumfetish Organization
A critique of a recent NYT article about the male circumcision campaign in Africa. The article cites a circum-fetish site as a source. This is another example of the loss of true journalism in the US. Citing a website as a source sounds like a high schooler citing Wikipedia for a school paper. Surely, they can do better.
 

Thursday, February 2, 2012

EmpowHER: Uncircumcised Men and Their Partners
An article about the male foreskin. A recent Danish study showed that orgasm difficulties were more common with circumcised men and that the female partners of circumcised men also had more sexual dissatisfaction than the partners of intact men. With evidence like this, why do so many still wish to circumcise their baby boys?

Solutions: Colorado Senate committee votes to restore Medicaid funds for circumcision
Last year, Colorado stopped using Medicaid funds to pay for male infant circumcision. Last year they recognized that male infant circumcision is not medically required and is elective surgery that the government should not pay for. But some want the government to start paying for elective surgery for baby boys, but not adults. What is this fascination that some people have with cutting off parts of a baby boy's penis?

Joseph4GI: MALAWI: Bishops OK Circumcision, Shun Condoms (Surprise Surprise...)
Roman Catholic bishops publicly advocate male circumcision in Africa because the church does not believe in condom use. How silly is this? The studies that promote male circumcision state that condoms should be used regardless of the man's circumcision status. But the Catholic Church does not condone condoms, which are proven to be the most effective way to combat HIV.

Choose Intact: Small Victories: The New York Times Revises
The New York Times recently ran an article that cited CircList as a source. CircList is a known circumfetish site. That is, the site caters to those who are sexually turned on by circumcision, done to themselves or to others. At one time the site openly admitted to being a fetish site, but they have since taken down that warning. Joseph4GI points out that the NYT edited their article to note that their source was a pro-circumcision site.
 

Friday, February 3, 2012

Asia Sentinel: The Flap over Circumcision
Salem-News.com: The Flap over Circumcision
Intaction: Use of circumcision to prevent HIV in Asia being questioned
A look at American fascination with male infant circumcision from Asia. The article takes a critical look at the advocacy of male circumcision and how senseless it is. "Cutting off part of the penis is alien to most other cultures."

In Depth Africa Magazine: In Zambia, 1 in 4 Circumcised Men Resume Sex Before Wounds are Healed
Another news report that Africans are likely to have an increased HIV infection rate by egaging in risky behavior. Not only will circumcision not protect them against HIV, but they are having sex with multiple partners when they are most vulnerable - with an open wound.

Zap2it: 'The Office': Babies, spinoffs and the increasingly complicated world of Dwight Schrute
The Office has a scene where Dwight tells a nurse to cancel the baby boy's circumcision. This was a great scene that differs remarkably from many other shows that treat male circumcision as a joke on men.
 

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Joseph4GI: PLANNED PARENTHOOD: Mutilated is the New "Normal"
A critique of a Planned Parenthood video Different is Normal. The video is aimed at letting teenagers know that they are normal, regardless of differences in their body. Joseph takes issue that the video shows a circumcised penis as the standard issue penis, although it does talk about the intact penis later in the video. The video does not really help the growing number of guys who are intact. The video would be much better if it had not focused on circumcised as normal or common.

Saving our Sons: Deceived: A poem Dedicated to parents whose boys were circumcised at birth
Many parents had their sons circumcised because they did not receive accurate and complete information on the harms of male infant circumcision.