# Circumcision of infants and minors without consent should be outlawed.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203>\
**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:** 5\
**Page:** 7

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/121 "2015-09-30T12:44:36Z")

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You try and try to get consent.

But they just wave their little arms and legs and wail.

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**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/122 "2015-09-30T22:43:57Z")

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> [@R3d\_Anonymous](#):
>
> My apologies - I can’t articulate this well. Maybe someone else can explain it better.
> 
> Mutilation of infant boys without their consent is unconstitutional.

I am 100% against banning Jewish and Muslim religious practice – that is pure antisemitism. Fortunately USA would not pass such laws.

Also circumcision has slowed down the spread of HIV – it has saved millions of lives.

PS. I am Jewish.

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**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/123 "2015-09-30T22:45:18Z")

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> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> Neonatal circumcision provides benefits that circumcision later in life does not provide ([example](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3139859/)). It is, like many medical decisions made for infants or children, something to be decided by informed parents.

Agree 100%.

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**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:** [September 30, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/124 "2015-09-30T23:35:06Z")

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> [@Cheesesteak](#):
>
> The drawbacks being what, exactly? There is no evidence of increased penile problems for circumcised boys or men (the reverse seems to be true). There is a claim of reduced sensitivity during sex which is, at best, poorly documented, and at worst, completely non-existent.
> 
> I don’t think anyone is trying to put circumcision on a ‘medically necessary’ list like a polio vaccine, just let it be a medical ‘non issue’ because it doesn’t harm genitalia any more often than not-circumcising harms genitalia.

Just for the record - there _are_ documented instances of circumcision gone wrong, up to and including losing the entire penis as a result. Fortunately, such instances are very rare but over millions of instances of circumcision the numbers start to add up. I’d say missing part or or all of one’s penis is, in fact, a “penile problem”. There can also be problems with scarring as well. Again, rare, but they do occur.

So… it harms genitalia slightly more often than not circumcising (with the understanding there is a tiny, non-zero risk of problems either way).

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/circumcision-of-infants-and-minors-without-consent-should-be-outlawed/728203/125 "2015-10-01T04:32:56Z")

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> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> Can you quote the part of the constitution you are referring to? My copy doesn’t mention circumcision. Or, you can quote a SCOTUS decision backing up your assertion.

I always see that as SCROTUM and for once it’s almost appropriate.

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