# OK, seriously. Circumcision: yea or nay? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 19, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265 "2009-10-19T01:01:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/41 "2009-10-20T03:20:52Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > You want me to find a study that proves that I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything? OK, I’ve polled me, and 1 out of 1 of me doesn’t feel like he’s missed out on anything. Is this a whoosh? It’s not whether you feel you missed out on anything, but whether you did miss out on anything. It’s like a woman who has never had an orgasm say “Orgasms? Never had one, but I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything” Yes, she may indeed _feel_ that way, but as many women who have had orgasms will tell her, she _has_ missed out on something. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/42 "2009-10-20T03:38:57Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Just have the circumcision, that way in the showers at middle or high school his classmates won’t laugh at him. Never understood this coment. I never heard anyone at school discussing or making fun of some one that was uncut or cut. This is a biger missconseption then the clean thing. I never had any jokes directed my way. And I shower daily so what is with the not being clean. Now we did make fun of one of my classmates at college because his had a hook to it. Infact his nickname was “Yhe Hook”, and that made it into the year book. ---
**Author:** ![thirdwarning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecccb3/32.png) [@thirdwarning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdwarning)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/43 "2009-10-20T03:45:38Z")
> [@kimera](#): > > I prefer uncircumcised men and will never circumcise any boys I have. [Uncircumcised men’s penises are more pleasurable for women.](http://epublications.bond.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=hss_pubs) Study sample of all of 35, and self-reported. I wouldn’t exactly call that authoritative. All it really says is that some small sample of women prefer uncut. And I haven’t seen anything that indicated how the study was conducted, or what the question(s) was. Not to mention that O’Hara and O’Hara seem to have an agenda. If I had it to do again, I probably wouldn’t have it done, but I’m not seeing big evidence to think it makes a big difference in sensation, either for men or women. I wouldn’t argue with anybody who said it makes a difference for him/her. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/44 "2009-10-20T03:54:03Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Is this a whoosh? It’s not whether you feel you missed out on anything, but whether you did miss out on anything. > > It’s like a woman who has never had an orgasm say “Orgasms? Never had one, but I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything” > > Yes, she may indeed _feel_ that way, but as many women who have had orgasms will tell her, she _has_ missed out on something. Not a whoosh at all. My statement was that I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. The vast (VAST) majority of circumsized men don’t. Therefore, I can extrapolate that my son won’t either. You asked me to prove that I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. All I can do is assure you that I don’t. Your hypothetical woman, I notice, has never had an orgasm and tries to say that she hasn’t missed out on anything. I’ve had orgasms, and they’ve been just ducky, so your comparison is intentionally misleading. You seem to believe that I’m missing out on something and that circumsized men have more pleasure. That’s a statement that would require proof. All I’m saying is that I feel fine the way I am, and my post is my cite. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/45 "2009-10-20T04:40:00Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Not a whoosh at all. My statement was that I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. The vast (VAST) majority of circumsized men don’t. Therefore, I can extrapolate that my son won’t either. You asked me to prove that I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. All I can do is assure you that I don’t. > > Your hypothetical woman, I notice, has never had an orgasm and tries to say that she hasn’t missed out on anything. I’ve had orgasms, and they’ve been just ducky, so your comparison is intentionally misleading. Wow. If you are arguing in good faith, and the above truly is your thought/debate process, I really don’t have anything to say. If you are not arguing in good faith, then again I don’t have anything to say. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/46 "2009-10-20T05:22:12Z")
Well I’m uncut so I guess I’m biased. My own son will not be cut if its my decision. Having said that, your son, its up to you. My input would be to make a positive decision one way or the other. Don’t do, or not do it because its easier, less hassle, everyone else does it - the decision made should be because its what you want. I would not cut as I don’t see any real benefits (I know statistcally there are somoe minor benefits) but a very real danger of quite big complications if it doesn’t go exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/47 "2009-10-20T15:50:03Z")
> [@Sebastienne](#): > > Speaking as a woman whose experienced both, even with all other factors being equal, uncut men feel soooooooooooooooooooo soooooooooooooooooooooo soooooooooooooooooooooooo much better that I wouldn’t circumcise any son I had for the sake of his future partner. In addition to firmly believing that any decisions relating to cosmetic alteration of the body should be left to the person whose body it is. Speaking as a woman who has experienced both my opinion is the exact opposite of yours. I find it is much more pleasurable with someone who has been circumsized and IMO giving head is much easier. If you don’t have strong feelings or cultural reasons to go one way or the other just leave it alone, but if you are half Jewish or if you want his to “match” yours so he doesn’t feel awkward about that or something then go for it and don’t feel bad about it. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/48 "2009-10-20T15:54:16Z")
Anecdotes aren’t evidence, but my 6 year old boys didn’t notice and didn’t particularly care that I look different than them. If you think about it, the existance of pubic hair is different too, so the ‘it looks different, they’ll ask’ line of thinking isn’t fully baked. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/49 "2009-10-20T16:18:07Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > if you want his to “match” yours so he doesn’t feel awkward about that or something then go for it and don’t feel bad about it. I want to keep the debate here really reasonable. But getting surgery done so it “matches” daddy is, to me at least, the absolute last and least valid reason for getting it done. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/50 "2009-10-20T19:02:03Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > I want to keep the debate here really reasonable. But getting surgery done so it “matches” daddy is, to me at least, the absolute last and least valid reason for getting it done. Obviously my point was not clear. I simply meant that whatever his reason is, whether that be for religious purposes or health purposes or appearance purposes or whatever, as long as you have a reason for it then go ahead and be fine with your decision. If you don’t have any particular reason to have it done then leave it alone but if you have a reason then go for it and ignore other people who tell you that you are right or wrong. I simply gave examples of possible reasons from both ends of the spectrum that have both been used as legitimate reasons in previous discussions on this board in the past. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/51 "2009-10-20T19:22:15Z")
Uncut; leave the mutilation of someone’s body as their own decision. Oh, and you know that to us here in Europe your habit of circumcising is seen as equally silly and scary, right? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/52 "2009-10-20T19:28:06Z")
Goddamn it to hell. This is why I wanted this thread in Great Debates. I wanted reasoned arguments, links, and data. This is exactly what I didn’t want, and what makes this thread currently useless for my purposes. This kind of shit: > [@MostlyClueless](#): > > Oh, and you know that to us here in Europe your habit of circumcising is seen as equally silly and scary, right? Yes, and if there’s any kind of actual reason to have it done, I couldn’t give less of a shit. And this: > [@](#): > > Just have the circumcision, that way in the showers at middle or high school his classmates won’t laugh at him Just, what the fuck? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/53 "2009-10-20T23:56:06Z")
It is a built in French tickler though. ---
**Author:** ![Disney\_Fan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7993a0/32.png) [@Disney\_Fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disney_Fan)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/54 "2009-10-21T00:42:28Z")
> [@thirdwarning](#): > > If I had it to do again, I probably wouldn’t have it done. And does your husband agree with that, or are those decisions you make on your own? ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/55 "2009-10-21T00:58:32Z")
> [@MostlyClueless](#): > > Uncut; leave the mutilation of someone’s body as their own decision. > > Oh, and you know that to us here in Europe your habit of circumcising is seen as equally silly and scary, right? Would that include Jewish people in Europe? Even among the non-Jews, I find it hard to believe there is that clear a consensus, but I’m willing to be proven wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/56 "2009-10-21T01:44:59Z")
I’ll just reiterate my main point from **grimpixie** ’s thread: Make the distinction between the benefits and drawbacks of a man being circumcised, and the benefits and drawbacks of an infant boy being circumcised. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/57 "2009-10-21T01:53:15Z")
> [@Panurge](#): > > No. Only being able to comfortably masturbate when lotion is at hand? - Crazy. > > Uncut btw. What in the hell are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/58 "2009-10-21T01:56:22Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Not a whoosh at all. My statement was that I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. The vast (VAST) majority of circumsized men don’t. Therefore, I can extrapolate that my son won’t either. You asked me to prove that I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. All I can do is assure you that I don’t. > > Your hypothetical woman, I notice, has never had an orgasm and tries to say that she hasn’t missed out on anything. I’ve had orgasms, and they’ve been just ducky, so your comparison is intentionally misleading. > > You seem to believe that I’m missing out on something and that circumsized men have more pleasure. That’s a statement that would require proof. All I’m saying is that I feel fine the way I am, and my post is my cite. > [@Polerius](#): > > Wow. > > If you are arguing in good faith, and the above truly is your thought/debate process, I really don’t have anything to say. > > If you are not arguing in good faith, then again I don’t have anything to say. Ahh, **Fiveyearlurker** sums up my feelings as well. This forum is IMHO, and this issue is pretty subjective, so if you’re trying to prove that one is ‘better’ than the other, you’ll have no luck. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/59 "2009-10-21T04:50:52Z")
I vote no. I see no reason why Christians, atheists or any nonJew nonMulsim should be circumcised. The medical reasons don’t amount to much if proper cleaning and condom use is performed. The social reasons don’t amount to much. Besides which, if all gentiles are uncut it means a stronger identity for us Israelites as well as more sex. If only Jews (and Muslims) are cut, they will be singled out as different. If it is known by the girls that Dave and Mohammed have different looking penises, girls will seek them out for sex. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2009, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265/60 "2009-10-21T04:52:58Z")
> [@Panurge](#): > > No. Only being able to comfortably masturbate when lotion is at hand? - Crazy. > > Uncut btw. TMI I masturbate just fine without lotion, thank you very much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ok-seriously-circumcision-yea-or-nay/514265.md?page=4)