# Circumcision of infants and minors without consent should be outlawed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 18, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203 "2015-08-18T18:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/21 "2015-08-18T22:21:49Z")
Uncut penises look like a disgusting slug. Only people who aren’t circumsized complain about this shit because they got shafted by their “high-minded” parents. ---
**Author:** ![Flyer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/flyer/32/7298_2.png) [@Flyer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flyer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/22 "2015-08-18T22:34:47Z")
Other than the “mutilation” part, the OP’s line of reasoning applies equally well to vaccinations. If he wants to be consistent, he’s going to have to be against vaccinations too. Alternatively, if you’re going to say that vaccinations are necessary because of their benefits, you should know that most medical authorities agree that the benefits of circumcision outweigh the drawbacks. > **[Circumcision (male) - Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/circumcision/about/pac-20393550)** > > Circumcision — the surgical removal of the skin covering the tip of the penis — can be a religious ritual, a family tradition or a matter of personal hygiene. > **[Circumcision benefits outweigh the risks, CDC says](https://www.today.com/health/circumcision-benefits-outweigh-risks-cdc-says-1D80331010)** > > U.S. health officials on Tuesday released a draft of long-awaited federal guidelines on circumcision, saying medical evidence supports having the procedure done and health insurers should pay for it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/23 "2015-08-18T22:40:26Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Uncut penises look like a disgusting slug. > > Only people who aren’t circumsized complain about this shit because they got shafted by their “high-minded” parents. QFT. ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/24 "2015-08-18T22:41:26Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Uncut penises look like a disgusting slug. You are 100% wrong. I cite my experience as a former jizz moper. 😛 Cut or Uncut, they all look fine to me. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/25 "2015-08-18T22:43:11Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > That doesn’t mean Anthony Kennedy can’t PRETEND there is. He’s good at that. So was Harry Blackmun. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/26 "2015-08-18T22:44:27Z")
Uncircumsized men who dont wash thoroughly are a health risk to their partners. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/27 "2015-08-18T22:49:41Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Uncut penises look like a disgusting slug. So? That’s what they’re supposed to look like. Cut penises look like a weird mushroom. Is that somehow more acceptable to you? Not to be too blunt about it, but during penis in vagina intercourse (and a variety of other sex acts) it’s not like anyone is _looking at_ the penis so what does it matter what it looks like? > [@Flyer](#): > > Other than the “mutilation” part, the OP’s line of reasoning applies equally well to vaccinations. If he wants to be consistent, he’s going to have to be against vaccinations too. Why? Seems to me vaccinations are MUCH more conducive to physical health > [@](#): > > Alternatively, if you’re going to say that vaccinations are necessary because of their benefits, you should know that most medical authorities agree that the benefits of circumcision outweigh the drawbacks. Both of those are _American_ authorities - Europeans weight the matter differently. > [@madsircool](#): > > Uncircumsized men who dont wash thoroughly are a health risk to their partners. Cut men with poor hygiene are also a risk to their partners. Again, what’s the point here? Teach the kids to wash their dicks properly, end of problem. ---
**Author:** ![Rune](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e68b1a/32.png) [@Rune](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rune)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/28 "2015-08-18T22:53:14Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > Uncut penises look like a disgusting slug. > > Only people who aren’t circumsized complain about this shit because they got shafted by their “high-minded” parents. I’ve found that having a glorious non-mutilated superior European penis attracts the curiosity of a number of American women who’ve ever only seen the smaller US version. I call it the uncut privilege and try to revel in it. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/29 "2015-08-18T23:16:27Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Cut men with poor hygiene are also a risk to their partners. Again, what’s the point here? Teach the kids to wash their dicks properly, end of problem. Not so much. > **[How does male circumcision protect against HIV infection?](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1127372/)** > [@](#): > > There is conclusive epidemiological evidence to show that uncircumcised men are at a much greater risk of becoming infected with HIV than circumcised men > [@](#): > > Male circumcision should be seriously considered as an additional means of preventing HIV in all countries with a high prevalence of infection > **[Is His Uncircumcised Penis Dangerous?](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/relationships/a19925433/is-his-uncircumcised-penis-dangerous/)** > > Safe-sex tips for sleeping with the uncut man ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/30 "2015-08-18T23:22:51Z")
> [@Flyer](#): > > Other than the “mutilation” part, the OP’s line of reasoning applies equally well to vaccinations. If he wants to be consistent, he’s going to have to be against vaccinations too. > > Alternatively, if you’re going to say that vaccinations are necessary because of their benefits, you should know that most medical authorities agree that the benefits of circumcision outweigh the drawbacks. I don’t think any sane person is going to dispute the value of vaccination (plenty of nuts out there though). But I don’t think the case for circumcision is as strong. Circumcision is comparatively rare in places like Europe, Canada, and Japan and comparatively common in places like the United States, Australia, and South Korea. I’m assuming if there were significant health problems connected with being uncircumcised we’d see the empirical evidence of it. And vice versa - there doesn’t appear to be any significant health risk in being circumcised either. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/31 "2015-08-18T23:23:15Z")
I am sure there is conclusive evidence that mastectomies greatly reduce the chance of getting breast cancer as well. I think what is being discussed here is if someone should be afforded the opportunity to decide for themselves when they reach sexual maturity if they wish to get circumcised. If they perceive the risk of HIV (or other) to be too great, then they can get it done. If they do not see the risk as great, they can pass. Same for females regarding a host of potential serious illnesses: One could argue that girls should have their breasts removed because it would greatly reduce the chance of them getting breast cancer later in life. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2015, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/32 "2015-08-18T23:24:21Z")
When I was born they cut off the end of my dick. It hurt so much I didn’t walk for almost a year. ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/33 "2015-08-19T00:06:59Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > When I was born they cut off the end of my dick. It hurt so much I didn’t walk for almost a year. Water. All over my keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/34 "2015-08-19T00:14:10Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Not so much. > > > [@](#): > > > > There is conclusive epidemiological evidence to show that uncircumcised men are at a much greater risk of becoming infected with HIV than circumcised men The HIV infection rate among men in most western nations, outside of drugs users, is actually pretty low. It’s dropping among homsexuals. Maybe we could drop it further by encouraging more use of safe sex practices and discouraging needle sharing, then we won’t have to chop bits off little baby boys. The data supporting lopping off foreskins to prevent HIV is from Africa, where homosexuality is still outlawed in many nations and circumcision is strongly correlated with being Muslim, which is likewise correlated with different sexual practices than non-Muslims on the continent. I am not convinced those other social and religious factors aren’t skewing the data. I certainly have never seen those results replicated in studies from other continents. It’s pretty damn sad when the problems of another continent are used to justify slicing off bits from US baby boys. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/35 "2015-08-19T00:46:43Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Well more like removing a small portion of the breast, leaving the basic breast function intact, to basically eliminate the risk of breast cancer. > > I bet a lot of parents would be all over that if it was an option. You must be female, as any male would disagree that there is such a thing as a “small portion” of his penis. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/36 "2015-08-19T00:50:53Z")
My penis is a “small portion” in its entirety… But, seriously, no, I’m circumsized…and could still cope with losing a bit more tissue. There are entire cubic millimeters I could comfortably spare. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/37 "2015-08-19T01:14:38Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I agree, but where do you draw the line? How about pierced ears? Ear and nose gauges for infants? What about neck rings? Or binding feet? Or clitoral-ectomy? All these things have been inflicted by parents on their kids for no other reason than inertia. I am not sure someone couldn’t find some law broken for any of those things, but to me they are all in the same class as circumcision, which is permitted. Foot-binding and neck rings in childhood cripple a person for life. Circumcision does not. They are not remotely comparable. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/38 "2015-08-19T01:21:12Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > You must be female, as any male would disagree that there is such a thing as a “small portion” of his penis. No, male. But the hyperbole in these thing always turns into “Let’s cut off our arms to prevent arm cancer!” when circumcision doesn’t come anywhere near that level of alteration. Circumcised men have perfectly healthy sex lives and, of course, urinate just fine. Everything you need your penis to do, it still does. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/39 "2015-08-19T01:25:09Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > No, male. But the hyperbole in these thing always turns into “Let’s cut off our arms to prevent arm cancer!” when circumcision doesn’t come anywhere near that level of alteration. Circumcised men have perfectly healthy sex lives and, of course, urinate just fine. Everything you need your penis to do, it still does. I had a feeling you’d come along and tell me you were male. But I was just playing with the ideas around size anxiety with men- just a joke. I wasn’t taking issue with your actual premise. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Call\_Me.Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Call_Me.Tim)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/40 "2015-08-19T02:14:33Z")
My paternal grandfather was circumcised as an adult during WWII. He reported that sex was better after circumcision. I was circumcised as a baby. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203.md?page=3)