# How can you tell if you are circumcised? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626 "2011-05-12T05:00:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/41 "2011-05-12T22:11:31Z")
> [@Hambil](#): > > So your opinion is that I am either 1) a moron, 2) lying, 3) lazy, or possible some combination of the above? Ignore her, please. Ask your doctor - then come back and tell us what the doc said! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/42 "2011-05-12T22:13:30Z")
> [@Hambil](#): > > No, the images definitely helped. I am the image on the left (Iā€™m pretty sure). Which means, I am not circumcised. Thatā€™s rather interesting, because my understand is that in the year of my birth (1965) it was almost common practice, and parents were often not even consulted. Do you see what I told you? Someone googled the pics for you and now youā€™ve figured it out. It isnā€™t that difficult. ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/43 "2011-05-12T22:14:43Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > So tell us, how many penises have \*you \*seen in person? What kind of a question is that? You donā€™t have to see 2000 penises in person to know what it means to be circumcised. ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/44 "2011-05-12T22:16:09Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > What basis do you have to conclude heā€™s lying? He says he canā€™t tell. Why on earth would presume to think heā€™s not describing his situation exactly as it is? Thatā€™s rather presumptuous, donā€™t you think? > > ETA: his post wasnā€™t there before. The confused face confuses me. What other conclusion could there be if you keep telling him just google it when he said he couldnā€™t tell? I donā€™t know if heā€™s lying or not lying. Who cares? Itā€™s really not that hard to tell. Did you notice that many people googled it for him? iā€™m not the only person who suggested it yet you choose to pick on me. Off to find another thread actually worth posting in. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/45 "2011-05-12T22:18:31Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > I donā€™t know if heā€™s lying or not lying. Who cares? Itā€™s really not that hard to tell. In his OP he said he had googled and it WAS hard to tell. Then you posted your series of posts saying itā€™s not hard to tell, even when he had said it was. Do you realize the strident tone your posts took on, especially with someone asking such a potentially embarrassing question? It wasnā€™t the suggestion, it was the tone people were responding to. ---
**Author:** ![Hambil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hambil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hambil)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/46 "2011-05-12T22:20:09Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > Off to find another thread Thanks šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/47 "2011-05-12T22:20:52Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > What kind of a question is that? You donā€™t have to see 2000 penises in person to know what it means to be circumcised. Well, true, you only need to see the \*right \*one to know that you canā€™t always tell. But if youā€™ve only seen a few, I can understand why you might think theyā€™re all easy to tell. If youā€™ve only seen a few dogs and theyā€™re all, by chance, black labs or white poodles, then I could understand why youā€™d say dogs come in black and white. If youā€™ve seen a whole lot of dogs, then the chances of you seeing only black labs and white poodles goes down, and Iā€™d think youā€™re being stubborn and argumentative for some reason. Iā€™ve washed a lot of penises in the last couple of years in the hospital. I attend clothing optional festivals where men where nothing but hiking boots. Iā€™ve, to put it bluntly, seen a lot of penises in my life, erect and not, in sexual situations and not. And I assure you, itā€™s \*not \*always easy to tell. ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/48 "2011-05-12T22:21:25Z")
> [@Hambil](#): > > Thanks šŸ™‚ My absolute and total pleaseure. Have fun! ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/49 "2011-05-12T22:21:33Z")
> [@Hambil](#): > > Thanks šŸ™‚ Donā€™t know if you have a foreskin, but you have cahones! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![classyladyhp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@classyladyhp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/classyladyhp)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/50 "2011-05-12T22:22:37Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Well, true, you only need to see the \*right \*one to know that you canā€™t always tell. > > But if youā€™ve only seen a few, I can understand why you might think theyā€™re all easy to tell. If youā€™ve only seen a few dogs and theyā€™re all, by chance, black labs or white poodles, then I could understand why youā€™d say dogs come in black and white. If youā€™ve seen a whole lot of dogs, then the chances of you seeing only black labs and white poodles goes down, and Iā€™d think youā€™re being stubborn and argumentative for some reason. > > \*\*Iā€™ve washed a lot of penises \*\*in the last couple of years in the hospital. I attend clothing optional festivals where men where nothing but hiking boots. Iā€™ve, to put it bluntly, seen a lot of penises in my life, erect and not, in sexual situations and not. And I assure you, itā€™s \*not \*always easy to tell. Please tell me youā€™re a nurse:pā€¦ok Iā€™m leaving now. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/51 "2011-05-12T22:23:48Z")
> [@classyladyhp](#): > > Please tell me youā€™re a nurse:pā€¦ok Iā€™m leaving now. Perhaps the ā€œhospitalā€ part should have given it away. Yes, Iā€™m a nurse. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/52 "2011-05-12T22:27:43Z")
You canā€™t have a circumcision thread without dick headsā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Hambil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hambil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hambil)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/53 "2011-05-12T22:29:30Z")
> [@LunarPlexus](#): > > You canā€™t have a circumcision thread without dick headsā€¦ ROFL - that, was awesome. @WhyNot: And perhaps a Pagan? Clothing optional festivals is a bit of a give away šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/54 "2011-05-12T22:30:56Z")
> [@Hambil](#): > > @WhyNot: And perhaps a Pagan? Clothing optional festivals is a bit of a give away šŸ™‚ You are clearly an observant chap. Despite what some in the thread may have lead you to believe. šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Nawth\_Chucka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c57346/32.png) [@Nawth\_Chucka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nawth_Chucka)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/55 "2011-05-12T22:39:19Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > (I was born in Australia, at a time when circumcision was \*\*fashionable \*\*for all boys, and my brother was born in England.) Fashionable like, leg warmers or a bowler hat? I canā€™t picture moms comparing their naked boys and one saying, ā€œOh, thatā€™s very edgy, I like what youā€™ve done there!ā€ (I heard that in Eddie Izzardā€™s voice if that helps you any.) > [@classyladyhp](#): > > Oh come on. There is a big difference between a circumcised vs an uncircumcised one. If he googles it he can compare. Itā€™s not rocket science. More like rocket surgery. I read the OP and it was immediately obvious penis was going to ensue, but really - I have to be the one to say penis ensues?? Yaā€™ll are slowing down. Or else mature. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/56 "2011-05-12T22:41:24Z")
> [@Nawth\_Chucka](#): > > Or else mature. Say it ainā€™t so! I mean, say it ainā€™t so, poopyhead! šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/57 "2011-05-12T22:43:09Z")
Even if the OP was seriously naive and the question was legit, I wonder what possible difference it could make, if it was so ambiguously formed that NO ONE could tell one way or the other. If you canā€™t tell the difference (a notion I have difficulty understanding or believing) then there is no reason to have an answer to the question. ---
**Author:** ![Hambil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hambil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hambil)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/58 "2011-05-12T22:52:57Z")
> [@CC](#): > > Even if the OP was seriously naive and the question was legit, I wonder what possible difference it could make, if it was so ambiguously formed that NO ONE could tell one way or the other. If you canā€™t tell the difference (a notion I have difficulty understanding or believing) then there is no reason to have an answer to the question. It doesnā€™t really matter much, to be honest. Itā€™s just a simple matter of curiosity. Not being sure has always been sort of a seed stuck in my teeth whenever I am reminded of it (which isnā€™t that often). I saw a chance to remove the seed, and took it. Iā€™m not sure why thatā€™s difficult to understand. And I never said no-one could tell. In fact, clearly, I was hoping someone could. I only said my exposure had been very limited by multiple factors, and the googling I had done hadnā€™t helped. You will note that it took several very smart people googling, discussing, and providing a number of images before I found something helpful. And, even then I said I was only ā€˜pretty sureā€™. Why does every question asked by someone need to be ā€˜importantā€™ anyway? Not to mention importance is a very relative concept. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/59 "2011-05-12T23:08:09Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I think if you see the German helmet when you areā€¦not interested in sex, if I may be delicateā€¦ as mentioned above, you are circumcised. By this definition, I am circumcised. > [@Omar\_Little](#): > > My point is that if you are, then it is obvious that you are. If itā€™s not obvious or ambiguous as you say, then you probably arenā€™t. The rarely mess 'em up. By this definition, I am not. I have absolutely no doubt that for the vast majority of men, there is no abiguity, but folks here need to realise that in more or less any system of classification, there are cases that donā€™t fall immediately, obviously and naturally into any distinct category. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2011, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626/60 "2011-05-12T23:19:22Z")
Rather than hand out **moderator cautions, etc.** , Iā€™ll just close this thread. The OP seems satisfied that he now knows what he is or isnā€™t. **samclem** , Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-you-tell-if-you-are-circumcised/581626.md?page=2)