The last time circumcision made headlines in New York City, the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene was objecting to an ultra-Orthodox Jewish practice in which mohels—professional circumcisers—sucked blood out of the wounds of newly cut infants. After three babies contracted herpes, the city tried to ban the obscure ritual in 2005, provoking an angry response from the Orthodox community… return to article
-
subscribe to print magazine
-
email this article to a friend
-
Reader Comments (8)Page 1 of 1 pagesConsidering that 80% of the world is intact, it’s remarkable how few people WITH foreskins are talking about cutting them off. I think I know why.
The foreskin is without a doubt the best part of the penis, possessing over half the sensual nerve endings and typically including about 15 square inches of sexual interface.
Most of the half-million US men who have died of AIDS were circumcised at birth. It’s obvious that circumcsion is no AIDS vaccine. It costs the UN just 3 cents to give away a condom.
Posted by TLCTugger on May 6, 2007 at 4:22 AM “...the city health department has decided to encourage male circumcision as an HIV-prevention method among at-risk populations, particularly gay and African-American men…”
African-American men are more “at risk”? Why would that be? If this is true (which I’m questioning), what makes it so? This statement just sort of hangs there, as though it’s obvious to anyone when in fact it is far from obvious.
And as for gay men, I’ve read several times in the last few years that the US gay male population has actually experienced a flattening of HIV infection rates, relative to the past, because of active efforts to inform members of that group about the mechanics of transmission, the wisdom of condom discipline, etc etc. Is that old data? Have infection rates steepened again for gay men?
Some recent (and unbiased, if I can get it) data would be welcome.
I wonder if what really should get the focus here is promiscuity, as opposed to sexual preference or racial identity. It seems much more “to the point” when HIV infection is the topic, and is far from exclusive to gay or Af-Am men. Promiscuity also seems more salient as an infection factor than whether a guy is “turtleneck” or “turtlehead”.
Posted by Kuya on May 7, 2007 at 7:39 AM Also, I notice that the little “edit” thingy doesn’t appear on my posts any more…
...too many posters “editing” in posts of a million characters, I suppose.
Posted by Kuya on May 7, 2007 at 7:41 AM Kuya - the “edit"t thingy only shows up when there are more than about 5 posts (why, i do not know). (It shows up when you click “extended discussion, which only shows up when the discussion gets “long enough”.)
When my boys were born i had a very difficult time deciding whether to circumcise them or not. Ultimately i choose not to (i am circumcised myself and have no complaints). If i were starting again, i would still mull over the options and i *might* choose differently today.
“African-American men are more “at risk”? Why would that be? “
Let me take a stab. They are homophobic and thus the gay men tend to stay on the down low, pretending to themselves they are not gay. Denial can lead to risky behaviours. They also probably are not circumcised as widely, another risk factor. Finally they may use condoms less frequently due to social reasons.
Empowering women could only help with HIV prevention.The ability to say “no” or “not without a condom” is lacking in far too much of our society (and much of Africa is far far worse in this regard).
Posted by wolf on May 7, 2007 at 2:30 PM Thanks wolf, I didn’t catch the fact that the discussion has to go to 6 posts before editing is possible.
The remark in the article above about Af-Am men and gay men still hits me funny, seems to rest upon a lot of unclarified assumptions. The “studies” cited aren’t really cited at all, just the word “studies”, as though the reader ought to accept that word like it’s actually meaningful.
We circumcised my boy after long conversations and not a few misgivings. I told him that if he ever wants to get reconstructed I’ll pay for it. He doesn’t seem too bugged by it all.
Condoms really seem to make more sense refs HIV, even if they’re not perfect. I definitely agree it’s too much lacking that a woman anywhere in the world can stipulate a relatively trivial condition before she accepts a sexual advance. I suppose it’s based on versions of the idea of a man’s sexual rights, which in plenty of places means she doesn’t have refusal rights and better not say “no”, not even “no glove no love”.
Here in the Phils there’s been a transformation in pop culture about condoms. In the past they were difficult or impossible to get, but in the last few years they’ve become widely available, even in the provinces (that makes some difference here). We even have radio and TV commercials advertising flavored ones, ribbed, dotted, etc. It’s a good step to have made; the population growth rate is almost 3% per year, meaning a rough doubling of the population in about 24 years. Bad scene in an archipelago with only 1/3 of its islands being habitable.
And, of course, there’s the uncool aspect of the sex trade here. Yet another reason to make sure you take balloons to the party. As for realistic HIV/AIDS rates here, I believe the authorities lie like hell to understate them so I have no idea how prevalent it really is. More than all those overfed caucasian/east asian “tourists” looking for little brown rented girlfriends think, is my guess. May their hydraulics fail on approach.
Posted by Kuya on May 8, 2007 at 8:47 AM The following link will show my comments on the matter.
http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=551050
Posted by Kuumba on May 10, 2007 at 5:15 PM Thats just wrong on so many different levels…...... Foreskin face cream?
Posted by texasindependent on May 10, 2007 at 7:46 PM circumcision should not cause one to risk one’s life for a little extra feeling .
Posted by cabdriverinchicago on May 13, 2007 at 1:50 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
register a new account »Posting Security
Also by Dana Goldstein
- Genetic Disorder
Parents with limited incomes are being denied access to genetic tests and the counseling that experts say should accompany them - Circumcision Promotion Divides AIDS Activists
Should results of African AIDS study be applied in the United States?
Popular Discussions
- The 9/11 Faith Movement
Many Americans believe 9/11 was a conspiracy by the U.S. government
1979 posts since Jul 11 06 - What’s the 411 on 9/11?
891 posts since Dec 21 05 - Democrats: It’s the War
659 posts since Nov 1 05 - Was the Presidential Election Stolen?
462 posts since Jun 19 06 - A Fundamental History Lesson
The rise of National Socialism proved politics and religion don't mix
427 posts since Oct 10 05
© 2007 In These Times | Reprint Policy | Privacy Policy | Powered by Expression Engine | RSS Feeds
