The news is filled with speculation and a leaked copy of the new American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) policy regarding male infant circumcision. Once again, the AAP seeks to protect their financial interests by not addressing the risks and harms of male infant circumcision. Instead, they now suggest that insurance pay for the unnecessary, elective surgery of baby boys. After all, doctors need to make a living, even if it involves putting baby boys at risk.

Click the pic to the right for a bigger view: -->

The image to the right is a comparison of the AAP policy versus the Dutch Medical Association with respect to male infant circumcision. The Dutch are much more enlightened than the AAP in the US.

Another tidbit in the news was a recent Johns Hopkins report that the reduction of male infant circumcision rates will possibly lead to increased future costs. The report sounds like a blatant attempt to promote male infant circumcision for immediate profits because the increased costs are based on the flawed Africa trials used to promote the male circumcision campaign in Africa. The report contradicts the real-world costs experienced by European and other non-circumcising countries that do not have any problems with intact men as claimed in the report for US men. As noted in one blog below, What is the deal with circumcision? Why do so many advocate for cutting the genitals of baby boys?

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.
 

Monday, August 20, 2012

BBC News: Circumcision, the ultimate parenting dilemma
Europeans increasingly question genital cutting of children, while doctors in the United States push for more genital cutting. The BBC takes a look at the unnecessary practice of male infant circumcision, which is much more common in the US than the UK. Fortunately, parents are leading the way to reducing the rate of infant circumcision in the US, in spite of doctors.

Should I circumcise?: Moms who regret circumcising
A post about mothers who circumcised their sons, only to learn about the harms of circumcision and regret that they allowed their sons to be cut. Mothers who learn from their mistakes make powerful advocates for leaving baby boys whole and uncut.

The WHOLE Network: New Study: Circumcision Increases Likelihood of STI & HIV Infections
The Journal of Sexual Medicine recently published a study that found that circumcised men suffered more sexually transmitted infections (STI) than intact men. Contrary to the trials conducted in Africa, this study of Caribbean men found that circumcised men are at greater risk for various STI's, including HIV.

Circumcision Diaries: The players in the circumcision debate
A who's who of pro-circumcision advocates are identified. A video news report features one of the most vocal advocates of child genital cutting, Brian Morris, and soundly refutes all his unsupported reasons for male infant circumcision.

Salem-News: Baby Boys Have the End of Their Penis Cut Off for the Worst Possible Reasons
Instead of saying "male infant circumcision," why not say, "baby boys have the end of their penis cut off for the worst possible reasons and it is unnatural and unimaginably painful; a surprising number of babies die each year from the procedure." Instead of the benign word circumcision, why not describe what happens to the baby when a healthy, sensitive part of his body is cut off.

Cosmetics Design: First personal care product for circumcised men claims to increase sensation
A report of a cream that helps restore the sensitivity a man loses when he is circumcised. As a circumcised man ages, parts of his penis are exposed by the loss of the foreskin. Over time, the exposed parts become tougher and lose sensitivity. The new cream restores the lost sensitivity. For best effect, a foreskin retainer should be worn to prevent future abrasion from reducing the sensitivity again. For more permanent results, the circumcised man should restore his foreskin.

Circumcision Diaries:  What is the deal with circumcision?
A blogger asks why so many are so concerned about circumcising baby boys? The intactivist point of view makes sense. Many intactivists are men who are unhappy with their circumcision. Others are mothers who either have first hand experience of circumcision harm or have researched the issue enough to understand the risks and and harms of male infant circumcision. But what drives people to want to circumcise baby boys?
 

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Choose Intact: Infant Male Circumcision and Current Human Rights Disparities
The controversy regarding male infant circumcision ignores human rights, which are applied to girls but not boys. A recent study that examined the cost benefit of male infant circumcision was speculative, but, worse yet, ignored the ethical and human rights issues of advocating elective surgery of healthy tissue.

The Examiner: Bid to outlaw circumcision in Tazmania
The Australian island state of Tasmania is seeking to better protect children by outlawing male infant circumcision. The current Tasmanian law is not clear on the legality of male circumcision for those under 18.

Joseph4GI: AAP: New Statement Over-Hyped by US Media?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is about to announce their new policy statement for male infant circumcision and the media is expected to be all over it. Traditionally, the US media provides comprehensive coverage of events and announcements that advocate male infant circumcision. Rarely does US media address the issue with any thought with respect to human rights or medical ethics, which would show that male infant circumcision should stop.
 

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

NPR: Some Israeli Parents Rethink Ritual Circumcision
A small but growing number of Israeli Jews are forgoing the circumcision rite and leaving their sons whole and intact. These Jewish parents are recognizing that their infant son is only 8 days old and that there are risks to cutting off healthy tissue from the boy's sex organ. Some parents have gone so far to found and advocacy group called the Organization Against Cutting Babies' Sex Organs in 1997.

The Healthy Bear: Circumcision Does NOT Reduce HIV Infections In Gay Men
The author notes that the recent Johns Hopkins report advocating for male infant circumcision is based on the Africa circumcision trials. The report ignores studies from Western nations that show that male circumcision has in impact on HIV infection rate for gay men.
 

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Fatherhood Uncensored: American Academy of Pediatrics: It’s the money stupid.
The AAP circumcision policy statement seems to be motivated, not by medical concern for patients, by the profitability of male infant circumcision. Doctors and hospitals make a lot of money from the many infant circumcisions being performed. They want to do more. Why else do they say that third parties should pay for the procedure.

Joseph4GI: AAP: Around the Bush and Closer to Nowhere
The American Academy of Pediatrics' AAP new policy statement has leaked. Joseph4GI reviews the leaked policy statement. It appears that the AAP is very concerned with doctor profits because their new policy appears to focus on performing the unnecessary, elective surgery without addressing the many risks and complications of male infant circumcision. The new policy also has a buy-in from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which performs many male infant circumcisions, even though the baby is not their patient, the mother is.

Intactivists of Australasia: Meet the ‘Circumcision Foundation of Australia’
An expose' of the Circumcision Foundation of Australia, which is a group of pro-circumcision advocates. These advocates include one who has strong ties to a circum-fetish organization in the UK and another who represents a small group of doctors who circumcise, that is, they profit from performing the unnecessary, elective surgery on baby boys.

RedOrbit: Intact America Condemns Anticipated Circumcision Statement from American Academy of Pediatrics
Intact America press release regarding the anticipated AAP policy statement for male infant circumcision. The doctor's association focuses primarily on the benefits while ignoring the harms and risks of male infant circumcision.

Rolling Doughnut: Liberty, But Only If Your Parents Let You Have It
Are there no limits to parental rights? Can parents do anything they wish to their children? No, except when it comes to unnecessary, elective surgery for their sons. Infant circumcision is permitted for boys, but not girls.
 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Barrel of Oranges: Pathologising the Foreskin: Unethics in Healthcare – A Guest Post By Psi Randell
A neonatal intensive care nurse in New Zealand writes about male infant circumcision. New Zealand does not practice routine infant circumcision like is done in the United States. This nurse sees no problems occurring for these many intact and whole baby boys. As a neonatal intensive care (NICU) nurse, he is well aware of the fragile hold on life many of the babies in his care have. He cannot imagine any ethical doctor recommending a baby in intensive care be circumcised.

About.com - Sexuality: Put Down the Knife and Back Away Thoughtfully
A report on the recent study that shows men in the Caribbean do not have any protective benefit by being circumcised. That is, the Caribbean study contradicts and calls into question the results of the African circumcision trials.

ynet news: Follow Germany's lead on circumcision - Op-ed: Instead of crying anti-Semitism, Israel should also abolish unethical circumcision ritual
The Jewish founder of the Protect the Child website gives eight reasons why Jews should embrace the German court decision banning child circumcision. He predicts that in a few years the tide will change and the male infant circumcision rite will become a ritual of the past.
 

Saturday, 25 August, 2012

no circumcision: Saving Babies: Dollars & Sense: the Business of Circumcision
Saving Babies: Dollars & Sense: the Business of Circumcision
Male infant circumcision is a lucrative business in the United States. Although each baby's circumcision is not terribly expensive, the great number of circumcisions performed every year makes many doctors and hospitals much money. Is it any wonder that it seems like every doctor and nurse is always asking about circumcising a newborn baby? They are like car salesman - always trying to close the deal to make a buck.

MELODIKA.net: Attorneys for the Rights of the Child Condemns American Academy of Pediatrics for Hiding the Truth
The human rights group Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (ARC) has condemned the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for its upcoming “Circumcision Policy Statement,” due out on August 27, 2012. The new policy statement is expected to ignore and minimize the truth about the risks and harms of male circumcision and place doctors’ interests ahead of patients’ needs.

Circumcision Diaries: Intact America, Doctors Opposing Circumcision, and Attorneys for the Rights of the Child Release Statements in Response to the American Academy of Pediatrics' Expected Circumcision Policy Statement
Male Circumcision and HIV: Intact America, Doctors Opposing Circumcision, and Attorneys for the Rights of the Child Release Statements in Response to the American Academy of Pediatrics' Expected Circumcision Policy Statement
The major intactivist organizations release statements advocating for the human rights and bodily autonomy of children. Their wish is for body modifications, such as male infant circumcision to stop.

The Breviary: Male Circumcision and Health Care Costs
A common sense look at the recent John Hopkins report that advocates for male infant circumcision because of expected future medical costs based on HIV and other STIs. Well, babies do not have sex and are at limited risk of getting HIV and STIs. Why not let the adult males practice safe sex or take other measures to reduce their risk of sexual diseases instead of cutting off part of every boy's sex organ?

Black Collar Citizen: The Dangers of Circumcision
A list of reasons why male infant circumcision should not be performed routinely. Circumcision adversely affects males, particularly when done as an infant. It removes the foreskin, which is erogenous tissue. It feels good. Men who have foreskin like to have foreskin.