From the “Ask Anyone” advice column from Buffalo’s ArtVoice:
I just found out that I’m pregnant, with a boy. I don’t believe in circumcision, but my husband does, and so do our families. If I refuse to circumcise him, will he end up psychologically scarred for life? Do my wishes trump my husband’s here, or do we have to decide 50-50? —Occam’s Razor
Based on my experience of visiting Buffalo, Danielle’s hometown, I don’t imagine there’s much support for common sense on circumcision. Yet, I’m generally pleased with the answer. The condensed version of the response:
The Gay Perspective: …
… Don’t cave in to pressure. Having an uncut [sic] penis will not scar him for life. Circumcising him might.
Exactly.
Additionally, although the reader’s question involved psychological scarring, every circumcision causes physical scarring. That must not be ignored, especially because most people choose this medically unnecessary surgery for “aesthetics”. Lunacy.
Information further in the article makes me wish I could numb my forehead so that I could bash it into my desk:
The Sales Guy says: … a good friend of mine is—how do you say?—unsnipped [ed. note: The correct word is intact (i.e. normal).], as it were. He swears if he had a say he would have preferred circumcision early on. The reason being a certain mild sexually contracted infection turned unusually problematic because of the “ turtleneck”—it lasted far longer and was more painful than it otherwise might have been. So take that into consideration.
With all due respect¹, this man’s foreskin has nothing to do with his troubles. He did not contract his mild STD because his parents did not subject him to unnecessary surgery. He contracted it because he had unprotected sex with an infected partner. Don’t be irresponsible enough to contract the STD and protracted recovery will not be an issue. Condoms. Duh.
I will never understand why so many people avoid critical thinking on this.
¹ None is warranted for this individual’s conclusion.