10-01-2004, 08:18 AM
Fortunitely having girls ( and expecting a third) this decision I have escaped . I don't however believe boy infant circumcision carried out in safe and hygienic conditions is child abuse. But if I were to make the decision I don't know where I stand. My husband was circumcised at birth and would want his son to be circumcised. My brother was never circumcised at birth . And this caused him ' anguish' until he plucked up the courage to have it done is late twenties. He said it was extremely painful (especially in the mornings) and he wished our mother had circumcised him.
To digressed a tad bit. Someone mentioned tribal circumcision earlier on . Highlighting if it needs to be done it should be done at an age that the boy has a choice. Not wanting to debate the right of cultural circumcision , there is little choice in tribal circumcision. If a boy is not circumcised he will never be seen as a man in the tribes eyes. I have had experience while working in a general hospital in the eastren cape. (The Xhosa culture practice circumcision religiously.) With the end product of the bush surgeon's botch ups. Not at all nice from death by septaemia to complete amputation due to ganrene. Yet to deny circumcision also brings anguish . I have also experienced Xhosa men that have come into to hospital to be circumcised as their mother had failed to let him undergo the 'right of passage into manhood' due to fears of dangers.
At the end of the day if it is cultural and religious the choice is a little simpliar. If it is a choice made with no strong religious and cultural ties it becames that more difficult. Thank goodness I don't need to decide.
To digressed a tad bit. Someone mentioned tribal circumcision earlier on . Highlighting if it needs to be done it should be done at an age that the boy has a choice. Not wanting to debate the right of cultural circumcision , there is little choice in tribal circumcision. If a boy is not circumcised he will never be seen as a man in the tribes eyes. I have had experience while working in a general hospital in the eastren cape. (The Xhosa culture practice circumcision religiously.) With the end product of the bush surgeon's botch ups. Not at all nice from death by septaemia to complete amputation due to ganrene. Yet to deny circumcision also brings anguish . I have also experienced Xhosa men that have come into to hospital to be circumcised as their mother had failed to let him undergo the 'right of passage into manhood' due to fears of dangers.
At the end of the day if it is cultural and religious the choice is a little simpliar. If it is a choice made with no strong religious and cultural ties it becames that more difficult. Thank goodness I don't need to decide.