Informed Consent: Circumcision

I’m continuing my series on Informed Consent with a critical discussion on male circumcision.

If you are a documentary junkie like me, I highly recommend watching American Circumcision - it’s currently available on Prime, and I’m sure you can find it somewhere on the internet. What I’m sharing here is information and research that my husband and I found incredibly important while having conversations about how we are raising our children.

In 1996, federal laws were passed banning female genital cutting in the USA, yet male circumcision is still routinely performed daily. This is a heated conversation, but even if you are a girl-mom, I encourage you to listen. This issue affects us all, as circumcision fundamentally changes a boy forever.

For those who might not know, circumcision is the most common surgery in the USA. It involves the surgical removal of the foreskin from the penis, typically performed within the first few days of a baby’s life. However, this is not merely a medical topic. It spans political, anthropological, sociological, and religious discussions.

Modern-day circumcision came by way of England, initially promoted in the 1860s and 70s as an anti-masturbation tactic. It was claimed to reduce sensation and pleasure, and thus the desire to “self-pollinate.” It's proven that multiple orgasms can be achieved by stimulating the foreskin, the most sensitive part of an intact penis. When a baby is circumcised, the most sensitive area becomes the site of the incision. The foreskin has 20,000 to 100,000 nerve endings, known as "fine touch nerves," and during circumcision, there is a 75% loss of this fine touch sensation.

Physicians now claim circumcision isn't sexually damaging, despite substantial literature proving otherwise. Circumcision is not neutral; it causes harm.

Throughout history, the justification for circumcision has shifted:

• 1830s: Epilepsy

• 1860s: Masturbation

• 1870s: Club foot

• 1880s: Diarrhea

• 1900s: Sexual immorality

• 1920s: Penile cancer

• 1940s: Venereal disease

• 1950s: Cervical cancer

• 1960s: STDs during the sexual revolution

• Currently: HIV

The current HIV justification stems from a "randomized controlled study" in Africa, which claimed a 60% risk reduction. In reality, the reduction was only 1.8%. The circumcised participants received additional resources and education on safe sexual practices, skewing the results. The 60% figure is based on relative, not actual, changes—a common tactic in pharmaceutical promotions. Despite these claims, the US, with the highest circumcision rates, also has the highest HIV rates among industrialized countries.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has fluctuated in its stance:

• 1971: No valid medical indications for neonatal circumcision.

• 1989: A statement in favor of circumcision, led by pro-circumcision chair Edgar Schoen.

• 1996: federal laws were passed banning female genital cutting in the USA

• 2012: Policy stating non-medical reasons might justify circumcision.

Some historians suggest circumcision evolved from child sacrifice. Biblically, initial Jewish circumcision was "just the tip." As Jewish men began to restore their foreskins for a "normal" appearance, rabbis instituted the more extensive removal seen today.

Marilyn Milos, an RN, spearheaded the NOCIRC movement in 1985 after being fired for providing parents with information on circumcision, enabling true informed consent. I've linked a TRUE INFORMED CONSENT form from NOCIRC in the show notes where they have listed 27 points on risks. Here are some key points:

Significant complications from neonatal circumcision range from 2% to 10%, including:

• Hemorrhage and infections

• Urinary retention

• Excessive penile skin loss

• Permanent penile bowing

• Keloid formation

• Concealed penis

• Loss of part or all of the penis

• Progressive loss of glans sensitivity

• Sexual dysfunction

• Heart failure and myocardial injury

• Death: Occurs at a rate of 1 in 5,000

• Permanent psychological trauma

The supposed benefits, like reduced urinary tract infections, penile cancer, and phimosis, are minimal. Most penile cancer cases are linked to HPV, and more boys die from circumcision complications than from penile cancer. 

Until the 1980s, doctors believed newborns didn't feel pain. Research now shows the younger the baby, the more excruciating the pain. Anesthesia isn't always effective, and when it is, it doesn't relieve all the pain. Often, the anesthesia isn't given enough time to take effect, making the procedure even more painful.

The notion that babies "sleep through the procedure" is a misinterpretation. Babies often disassociate due to the trauma, a survival mechanism. Studies have shown circumcised boys have higher stress and pain responses, similar to PTSD. Circumcision is where sex and violence intersect—when a nurse sterilizes the penis, causing an erection, followed by immediate violence.

This procedure affects not just men’s sexuality but also women’s. The justification that a boy's penis should look like his father’s is as illogical as suggesting a daughter undergo labiaplasty to resemble her mother. Hospitals aren't required to record botched circumcisions or related deaths. Many boys are left more mutilated than the standard procedure already does, often resulting in "concealed penis" or even total loss of the penis.

While today's topic is informed consent, I must share my thoughts. I believe the high rates of sexual violence, rape, and pornography use in the US are connected to this early trauma. I'm not saying every circumcised man is violent, but suffering often begets suffering. This barbaric torture during the first days of life sends a message that the world is unsafe. 

My heart breaks for parents, for mothers who unknowingly make this decision, believing it necessary for religion or social conformity. My heart aches for men navigating life with a part of their manhood removed. I’ve mentioned Staphysagria before, a remedy for suppressed anger from boundary violations, focusing on physical, emotional, and sexual trauma. While it's not a cure-all, it is a complete psychological picture that encompasses circumcision. From trauma caused by a blade, betrayal, feelings of “how could you”, and learning to be quiet because it’s safer for you to silence your outrage than to voice it. This highlights the deep wounds the medical establishment has inflicted in the name of profit and at the expense of our sons.

Thank you for joining me in this critical conversation. Below you’ll find linked resources and further reading for you to either repair your circumcision trauma, or resources to care for your intact baby. Let's continue to advocate for true informed consent and protect our children from unnecessary harm.

Resources:

Informed Consent Form from NOCIRC

For resources on how to raise your intact baby, I highly recommend ANYONE who will be changing his diaper to read and become familiar with Your Whole Baby.

For resources for adult men I recommend the following: NORM and or working with a STREAM practitioner.

If you enjoyed this episode I invite you to join my 3-month container The Rooted Woman. During our time together we will dive deep into remembering our innate wisdom while exploring the following topics:

• Women’s Anatomy

• Somatics

• Grief Practice

• Emotional Anatomy

• Homeopathy Psychology

• Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Plant Medicine - and so much more!

For more information checkout www.audreythorp.com

Follow along behind the scenes on social media @thenoblematriarch