Honestly? Who stands around and compares genitals with their parents? I never based my sense of worth based on whether my breasts or vagina looked like my Mother's. From what I can gather, most men have never stood and actually thought about whether their penis looks like their Dad's.

I would answer that your son is going to look like you with his clothes on, genetics willing, and since it's not quite moral for you to actually go around looking at your son's nude genitals...or showing them off, so to speak, who's going to EVER notice whether he is circumcised except his doctor and future lovers. Since the doctor's only concern is a healthy body he or she isn't going to stand you side by side and compare. Any future lovers won't be looking either!

No one is ever going to look at the genitals of a father and son and say, "OH YES those two are father and son", ergo it's a ridiculous argument. I have no tonsils and my daughter and son do...they can swell and cause problems and you can live quite well without them. Should I have an elective surgery to remove said tonsils so the doctor can look into their throats more easily? To prevent future POSSIBLE infection? I mean I had a cousin die from a ruptured tonsil in a totally bizarre and freak accident...so there is a CHANCE that it could happen. This would be the slippery slope we are already at the bottom of and climbing out of.

We allow ZERO alteration of female infants beyond life saving procedures but argue and invent statistics (proper safer sex conventions prove the statistic to be specious) to prove we must alter male infants. Don't men deserve to be celebrated just as nature intended them to be...just like women? less

The Foreskin: 3 Common Questions about Uncircumcised Penises, by Roland Hulme! - Click here to read Roland's article about why the foreskin is a good thing, not a bad thing.





What does the foreskin do?

The pro-circumcision lobby might tell you that the foreskin doesn’t have a purpose, but it actually has an important one: it’s a means of facilitating vaginal penetration.

Aren’t uncircumcised penises unhygenic?

One of the most common misconceptions about uncircumcised penises is that they’re somehow “dirty” or “unhygienic.” This is totally untrue – a penis is pretty much as clean as its owner, and you’d be better off with a clean guy’s uncircumcised cock than a skuzzy fellow’s cut one.

I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?

Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no.

One of the reasons so many kids get circumcised because of “complications” with their foreskin is because American parents and doctors alike are woefully ignorant of how a boy’s penis grows and develops during childhood – and they can actually damage them as a result.

The foreskin issue in American culture often leads to heated debates with one or both parties throwing their arms up in the air and storming off when a decision can't be reached. One camp is that it's been done safely for thousands of years, that an uncut cock is more appealing to the eye, and that it's generally cleaner and easier to take care of in the end.

The extremists for the other side likens it to female genital mutilation and thinks its an abomination of the worst kind and that the practice should be outlawed. If you're up on current events, there's no doubt you heard about the poor child who's mohel preformed a "routine"' circumcision and sucked the blood from the child's wound with his mouth, giving the child a herpes infection which proved to be fatal. So, there is no doubt that things can go terribly, terribly wrong.

What is your opinion of circumcising? Were you aware of the facts Roland points out in his article? less

The Foreskin: 3 Common Questions about Uncircumcised Penises, by Roland Hulme! - Click here to read Roland's article about why the foreskin is a good thing, not a bad thing.





What does the foreskin do?

The pro-circumcision lobby might tell you that the foreskin doesn’t have a purpose, but it actually has an important one: it’s a means of facilitating vaginal penetration.

Aren’t uncircumcised penises unhygenic?

One of the most common misconceptions about uncircumcised penises is that they’re somehow “dirty” or “unhygienic.” This is totally untrue – a penis is pretty much as clean as its owner, and you’d be better off with a clean guy’s uncircumcised cock than a skuzzy fellow’s cut one.

I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?

Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no.

One of the reasons so many kids get circumcised because of “complications” with their foreskin is because American parents and doctors alike are woefully ignorant of how a boy’s penis grows and develops during childhood – and they can actually damage them as a result.

The foreskin issue in American culture often leads to heated debates with one or both parties throwing their arms up in the air and storming off when a decision can't be reached. One camp is that it's been done safely for thousands of years, that an uncut cock is more appealing to the eye, and that it's generally cleaner and easier to take care of in the end.

The extremists for the other side likens it to female genital mutilation and thinks its an abomination of the worst kind and that the practice should be outlawed. If you're up on current events, there's no doubt you heard about the poor child who's mohel preformed a "routine"' circumcision and sucked the blood from the child's wound with his mouth, giving the child a herpes infection which proved to be fatal. So, there is no doubt that things can go terribly, terribly wrong.

What is your opinion of circumcising? Were you aware of the facts Roland points out in his article? less

Probably not since we still have pinky toenails and vestigial tails. Only when something is truly not needed does nature do away with it.

I dunno how it is in most households but for my family Mama teaches potty habits...I guess it could be a bit daunting for cut men to think about.
Perhaps Kindred could field this? I have the benefit of Arch's Mom to ask how she trained him. Is it harder for a cut man to potty train an uncut son? Sexually speaking there isn't much difference between putting a condom on a cut or uncut penis. We've tried both pulling the foreskin back fully and leaving it natural and the condom seemed to slide off his penis easier if we retracted the foreskin. less

The Foreskin: 3 Common Questions about Uncircumcised Penises, by Roland Hulme! - Click here to read Roland's article about why the foreskin is a good thing, not a bad thing.





What does the foreskin do?

The pro-circumcision lobby might tell you that the foreskin doesn’t have a purpose, but it actually has an important one: it’s a means of facilitating vaginal penetration.

Aren’t uncircumcised penises unhygenic?

One of the most common misconceptions about uncircumcised penises is that they’re somehow “dirty” or “unhygienic.” This is totally untrue – a penis is pretty much as clean as its owner, and you’d be better off with a clean guy’s uncircumcised cock than a skuzzy fellow’s cut one.

I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?

Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no.

One of the reasons so many kids get circumcised because of “complications” with their foreskin is because American parents and doctors alike are woefully ignorant of how a boy’s penis grows and develops during childhood – and they can actually damage them as a result.

The foreskin issue in American culture often leads to heated debates with one or both parties throwing their arms up in the air and storming off when a decision can't be reached. One camp is that it's been done safely for thousands of years, that an uncut cock is more appealing to the eye, and that it's generally cleaner and easier to take care of in the end.

The extremists for the other side likens it to female genital mutilation and thinks its an abomination of the worst kind and that the practice should be outlawed. If you're up on current events, there's no doubt you heard about the poor child who's mohel preformed a "routine"' circumcision and sucked the blood from the child's wound with his mouth, giving the child a herpes infection which proved to be fatal. So, there is no doubt that things can go terribly, terribly wrong.

What is your opinion of circumcising? Were you aware of the facts Roland points out in his article? less

The Foreskin: 3 Common Questions about Uncircumcised Penises, by Roland Hulme! - Click here to read Roland's article about why the foreskin is a good thing, not a bad thing.





What does the foreskin do?

The pro-circumcision lobby might tell you that the foreskin doesn’t have a purpose, but it actually has an important one: it’s a means of facilitating vaginal penetration.

Aren’t uncircumcised penises unhygenic?

One of the most common misconceptions about uncircumcised penises is that they’re somehow “dirty” or “unhygienic.” This is totally untrue – a penis is pretty much as clean as its owner, and you’d be better off with a clean guy’s uncircumcised cock than a skuzzy fellow’s cut one.

I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?

Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no.

One of the reasons so many kids get circumcised because of “complications” with their foreskin is because American parents and doctors alike are woefully ignorant of how a boy’s penis grows and develops during childhood – and they can actually damage them as a result.

The foreskin issue in American culture often leads to heated debates with one or both parties throwing their arms up in the air and storming off when a decision can't be reached. One camp is that it's been done safely for thousands of years, that an uncut cock is more appealing to the eye, and that it's generally cleaner and easier to take care of in the end.

The extremists for the other side likens it to female genital mutilation and thinks its an abomination of the worst kind and that the practice should be outlawed. If you're up on current events, there's no doubt you heard about the poor child who's mohel preformed a "routine"' circumcision and sucked the blood from the child's wound with his mouth, giving the child a herpes infection which proved to be fatal. So, there is no doubt that things can go terribly, terribly wrong.

What is your opinion of circumcising? Were you aware of the facts Roland points out in his article? less

I have seen a few television shows on this matter, as well as read a few articles and been involved in a few face to face talks with people on the matter.
Firstly, I am un-cut. I rather like it because I have the foreskin protecting the sensitive area of my pecker which I believe greatly increases my ability to wear whatever pants, jeans, or shorts I want with no underwear underneath. Plus with a foreskin covering the head of my pecker as it does, I retain sensitivity which makes sex feel great.
I also know there are a few different degrees in which a foreskin can be present. Mine is fully retractable, however my stepson who is uncut has his foreskin partially fused to his penis head...(I don't want anyone thinking that my knowing this is a sign I have an unhealthy relationship with the kid. I know these things because I was the main parental figure who aided in his potty training and taught him to take his own showers). I feel so bad for him from the bottom of his heart because he tells me whenever he tries to pull his skin back it feels like it's being ripped off and it makes him scream. I was not in his life when he was born so I don't know if he ever had the possibility to be circumcised.
And there is also the presence of foreskin which is open at the end, but not enough so that it may be fully pulled back to expose the head of the penis....I have seen this in a few porn movies.

Anyway, as being an uncut male; I see absolutely no health benefits to having the foreskin removed. Yes, it requires a bit extra cleaning, but so what. I learned early on that there are always certain areas of my body that require a bit more attention and that helped me gain responsibility for myself.

I do not believe one bit that circumcision is needed and must be forced upon a baby boy...because in fact the operation itself can be risky and can lead to nasty infection.
As I said before, having a foreskin is nice. I am not alone in this because I have seen on a few TV programs that there are men who grew up circumcised and chose during adulthood to have a foreskin surgically replaced....mostly because they felt robbed of their right of choice to have it growing up, and learned that the benefits of having the foreskin outweighed the risks of the procedure later in life.

And most importantly....in response to a section of the post....
"I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?
Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no."

If that is a parents' answer to this issue then they don't have business parenting a young boy. How could a responsible parent not emphasize personal hygiene to their child. I say shame on you. less

Don't men deserve to be celebrated just as nature intended them to be...just like women?

Of course they do, I still haven't the foggiest clue how it all came about to begin with and I know that my mother, my sister, and I have vastly different bodies just from initial clothed sightings.

To say that you want your boy to be like his dad, I think is some sort of a knee-jerk reaction that is based in fear. It's like an uncirc'd dad can teach an uncirc'd kid the right way and wrong way of things, but would a cut dad be able to teach the proper way to his kid? WITHOUT having to ask someone (you know how men can be)...

I think I know one thing for sure - it will be a debate and an issue for all eternity until someone can produce hardcore evidence in favor of one over the other.

And this is slightly off topic and kind of abstract, but if we continue to remove the foreskin would evolution take the hint and stop producing the cells responsible or would it indeed prove its existence to be wholly necessary? less

Funny, one of my teachers just used circumcision as an example of why Inheretance of acquired characteristics is false last week.

I don't understand why mutilating a baby's genitals is "standard procedure" in the US. It's disturbing to me. I would be pretty mad if I found out a vital piece of myself was removed without my consent. less

I would love to have been a part of that lecture that day. Sounds fascinating.

I was always led to believe that the practice of circumcision in the U.S. wasn't something that was ever discussed, it was just the norm. I know European countries and indigenous people do not practice circumcision on a regular basis. Why the huge shift from their cultures to American culture...your guess is as good as mine. less

...And most importantly....in response to a section of the post....
"I have a son. Should I tell him to wash under his foreskin when he takes a bath?
Quick answer: No. Lightly longer answer: Hell, no."

If that is a parents' answer to this issue then they don't have business parenting a young boy. How could a responsible parent not emphasize personal hygiene to their child. I say shame on you....


Jesse,

Because foreskins should NEVER be forcibly retracted in children. The foreskin remains attached to the penis shaft for a period of time - during this period of time IT SHOULD NOT BE RETRACTED or it can damage the penis severely. Therefore, during this period of time, NO DIRT or germs or ick can build up underneath it - it's like a fingernail growing on a finger. This period of time (in which the foreskin SHOULD NOT BE RETRACTED and does not need to be cleaned under) is from birth up to whatever age it naturally retracts on its own. (Anytime ranging from 10 years all the way to 20 years of age.)

Pre-adolescent boys NEED NO INTERNAL CLEANING whatsoever and should NEVER be taught to forcibly retract their own foreskin during bathing.

A good rule of thumb with intact penises: ONLY CLEAN WHAT IS SEEN. No forcing, no yanking, no peeling, no ouch! It should not hurt. If something hurts, something is being done wrong.

I do not know the age of your stepson, but if he is young, it is quite likely that his foreskin has not retracted entirely yet. This is normal. The process should NOT be sped along through forcible retraction, it will likely retract itself with time and patience. Now, if he is already in his 20's and still experiencing pain with retraction he may need to see a doctor. But my educated guess is that he's young, and not at the age yet when foreskin naturally retracts on its own. less

"I think that circumcised penises are nicer to look at."

You see THIS is the mentality that I have a problem with. We are supposedly sex positive, and we are against giving giving women unrealistic expectations of how their body is supposed to look, and certainly shouldn't encourage a society in which breast enlargements, or labioplasty, or any other body modifications are required to be beautiful.

Yet when it comes to women talking about men's equipment, there's NO reaction to the frankly unsettling suggestion that men should mutilate themselves because it "looks nicer."

If ADULT men want to do that, that's their choice - same with breast enlargements or labioplasty or anything else for women. But I would CERTAINLY consider any man who said "I prefer fake breasts, they look nicer" to be a superficial and sexist douchnozzle, and the fact that we don't hold women who say circumcised penises "look nicer" to that same standard is beyond me. less

It seems to be a pretty easy avenue to argue one way or another, but I guess (and I'm just asking honestly as well) how can one really know what is increased and what isn't if you haven't experienced both?

Sure they say there is increased sensitivity, but what if along with that sensitivity comes other issues, like being too sensitive? less