I think most of us from the USA on this board were born at a time when routine circumcision rates were very high. Whenever I see another uncut guy I'm always curious as to why he wasn't. So, if you're in the U.S. and not circumcised, how come it wasn't done?
I was born in PA in 1987, when the circ rate in that state was something insane like 96%. Fortunately I was blessed with parents who thought circumcision was cruel and stopped the docs before they could do it. Even more surprising considering my dad is cut himself.
I'm curious to know why it's so common in the US. Is it a cultural thing? Is it because of the way your medical system works?
At one point it was common in most English-speaking countries as a result of some very charismatic snake oil salesmen around the turn of the 20th century.
It was a "cure-all" promoted largely by Harvey Kellogg (a proper nutcase who despised sex, loved enemas, and invented corn flakes) and a Dr. Sayre, who circumcised a few people and made a pretty big logical leap that the dick-cutting was what cured their ailments. So he went around North America and Europe and so on, preaching the benefits.. it really only caught on in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.
In each country, things developed a little differently. In the UK, I think it was around 1960 when they decided "you know what, this is kinda stupid" and discontinued it through their health service, and it hasn't really been a thing since. In Canada and Australia it hung on a little longer, into the 70s and 80s when it largely dropped off and now a small minority of boys are cut there. But in the US...
Not only did the circumcision craze come at a time when medical science was finding out about pathogens, but it was also when proper hospitals were starting to appear. Circumcision became a status symbol: if you were rich enough to have your baby born in a hospital, you'd get him cut to show it off. Even today, especially in the South, being uncut is associated with being a poor minority (black or hispanic). Aaaand of course Americans are very, very slow and stubborn to change their views in the face of contradictory evidence, so... it's still here. Most boys are cut just for the reason of "well I was cut and I want him to look like me" or because of a vague, uninformed idea that it's "cleaner" somehow. Profiteering is probably another big reason it's stuck around in our ridiculous for-profit medical system. Might be some racism thrown in for good measure for the reason I already mentioned. In fact, I think there are stats that show that when America's public healthcare stopped covering infant circ, the circ rate among poor minorities dropped precipitously, but the rate among middle- and upper-class whites has remained almost the same. So while the stats are *better* today, it's mostly as a result of fewer lower-class people doing it.
I too was lucky to have parents (hippie) that left me intact. I was raised in the southwest where circumcision rate is high with native Americans as well as Hispanics. I was in the minority where ever I lived.
As a first generation American, my parent's were from Mexico, I was left intact, partly cultural and partly due to racism.
I did a four year stint in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. My last duty station was at a Naval hospital on a Marine base. The hospital's
main business was delivering babies. I was assigned to the newborn nursery for about a year. The level of ignorance was amazing. One of my duties was
to get the consent form signed so that the physician could perform the circumcision. I was instructed on the verbiage that was to be given in
order to get the parents to sign. Parents were advised that it was for better hygiene, reduce risk of cancer of the penis, like father like son
and the procedure was painless. This was offered despite that in the 1970's the American Association of Pediatrics had concluded that there
were no benefits of performing neonatal circumcision. I observed at least 200 circumcisions during that time, I eventually asked to be reassigned elsewhere in the hospital. I no longer could bear watching the infants scream with pain and turn beet red as they were being circumcised or continuing to inform parents of
bad information by which would drive them to make their decision. Several things I noted with high frequency, most parents were not aware that the foreskin was removed. Many men believed they were born this way, women were the primary decision maker, doctors requested that I get the consent form on Anglo babies 100% of the time, never on Hispanics or Blacks unless the parents requested it.
Soundgreat87 made some very good points on why it still continues to prevail here in the US but also reminded me of my past experience with matter.
Actually the very existence of this discussion forum shows that RIC is an excellent policy. While the worldwide circumcision rate involving Abrahamic religions is about 30%, a large % of non-Abrahamic regions also have a strong tradition of having the glans permanently exposed in adulthood, e.g. East Asia, which is not restricted to just Japan, Austronesian language groups, Aboriginal Australians and many African tribes.
Quote from: jafar_t on 2023-10-24 04:23:04
Actually the very existence of this discussion forum shows that RIC is an excellent policy.
No it isn't.
It's not even comparable.
Both result in permanently exposed glans, and that is the common goal, isn't it?
Quote from: jafar_t on 2023-10-24 20:17:55
Both result in permanently exposed glans, and that is the common goal, isn't it?
That's like saying eating bread and water is the same as having a proper meal, because the common goal is not to starve.
^^ yeah, I'm confused on how this forum's existence is proof of RIC being a positive trend....I struggle to even connect those dots...
anyhow, I was left intact as I was born in CA and many of the other guys I grew up with were also intact. Also pretty hippy family as well
Quote from: P51Geo1980 on 2015-11-19 13:05:08
I think most of us from the USA on this board were born at a time when routine circumcision rates were very high. Whenever I see another uncut guy I'm always curious as to why he wasn't. So, if you're in the U.S. and not circumcised, how come it wasn't done?
How about you, why were you left intact?