When David and I found out we were having a son I was beyond happy. Yes, I would have loved having a girl but I REALLY wanted a boy. I knew that I wanted to keep my son intact because I believe that foreskin is there for a reason and that circumcision is an "elective" surgery. However, being that I was the Mom and not the Dad I decided to ultimately leave it up to David (after many days of giving him my point of view, of course!!). David is a circumcised man like most Americans. He was raised with the idea that this was the normal way a penis should be. Once I started showing him my research - botched circumcision, that foreskin has a purpose, that is does cause trauma, even though they say they can't feel it (see video below) and that babies do die from it- he soon realized he had been misinformed and changed his point of view. He actually got quite upset that he was circumcised. He began to feel like something was taken from him, a piece of his body that should have been left intact was not and he got really upset about it. Especially when he found out that uncircumcised men have an increased sense of pleasure during intimacy. What man wouldn't get upset about that? He decided that he wanted his son NOT to be cut and tortured. He wanted to give his son the best life he could and with that comes an intact penis. He believes, we believe, that babies should be left the way they come out. I am so thankful that David chose to keep our son intact even though he will look different from his Father. I asked him what he will tell Lochlan when he asks why he looks different and he said, "I will tell him that I love him and I wanted to give him the happiest life I could. I wasn't given the choice so I am leaving it to YOU to choose." And yes, men can be circumcised later in life if that is THEIR choice.
Here are some wonderful links to sources of information on KEEPING OUR SONS INTACT!! Please join in trying to make this the normal state of being for the future generations.
Peaceful Parenting
Raising Intact Sons
Moms Keeping Sons Intact
Saving Our Sons
Why did you choose or not choose to circumcise your son?
What a wonderful father and mother this little guy has! Thank you for sharing your experience with others, so they know that they, too, can speak up on this very important subject. Our sons are better off because of parents like you.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Thank you for taking the time to read it, please share it with your friends and family and get the word out.
DeleteThis is great! You may want to add Keeping Future Sons Intact to your list too, for parents like us who didn't come to find information until our second son was expected. It helps parents to know that they don't have to make the same choice to circumcise future boys just because they made a mistake (one that I dearly regret) with the first child. www.Facebook.com/FutureSons
ReplyDeleteThat's a wonderful point. Many parents become more educated about their options with the next child. Unfortunately, baby number one tends to be a bit of a guinea pig (for better or worse). I will definitely make a point to bring that topic up because it is valid and parents need to see that just because they did something with baby number one does not mean the have to do it with their future children as well.
DeleteI'm also a circumcised father of an intact son. It often astounds me that there are still so many people in the United States who are not educated on this subject. I see it changing here, however (since statistics show that it is), and I think that in the future most people will look back on this era as the beginning of the end for unnecessary forced infant genital cutting in the US. Thank you so much for this post. I have shared it with my Twitter followers along with the comment, "Sounds familiar." :)
ReplyDeleteI too am surprised by how many people are uneducated or simply don't care about this. Thank you for standing above the majority and choosing a better life for your son. He is one lucky boy. And thank you for sharing on your twitter account!!
DeleteThank you for speaking up! And to David as well. Your post has been featured as the "Article of the Day" at The Intact Network on Facebook, and we hope it brings encouragement to other parents investigating decisions for their sons. http://www.intactnetwork.org/p/intact-blogs.html
ReplyDeleteThat is incredible. Thank you so much. I feel honored that I have a voice to share and you want to pass it on.
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ReplyDelete"However, being that I was the Mom and not the Dad I decided to ultimately leave it up to David"
ReplyDeleteWhy?
I understand that you gave your opinion but why leave the final decision up to your OH?
Just because you don't have a penis that doesn't mean you can't make the final decision in this situation.
I'm pleased that your son was left intact but really struggle with the mindset of 'leaving it to the man in the relationship to decide'. I feel parents should make a decision jointly rather than leaving it to one or the other.
I agree completely. She said it herself that its torture to the baby and the baby misses out on pleasure later in life. Heck she even admitted that babies die from the surgery. I wonder what would have happened if her hubby said yea i want it done its tradition. Would she have let her son go through all of that?
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