Today I finished a issue on NS that brought this to my direct attention. The issue gave me several options detailing the specifics of male circumcision within my nation, I chose the option that allowed the procedure on consenting adults and those who need it for a medical reason. Yet I noticed that my Civil Rights index fell sharply due to my decision. It made me think, "Why is there such an outcry against female genital mutilation in third world countries, yet these same individuals who claim to be egalitarians hardly blink an eye when it comes to circumcision in the first world." How is it that common practice, especially in the United States, dictates the removal of around 20,000-70,000 nerve endings in the male genitalia? Yet we have women's rights movements barking at the gate to get rid of female genital mutilation abroad?
The same individuals who discuss the rights of a person to their own body, don't really seem to care about our own domestic issues with genital mutilation, specifically on children who are unable to consent. This is a clear human rights violation, yet it is being ignored and the behest of foreign mutilation of a more 'important' gender? Even NS issues show the bias of this double standard and hypocritical practice, when allowing individuals the right to choose, when they are of the age of consent, brings your human rights index and civil rights index down. I believe that this is a clear issue and an epidemic that should be thwarted and fought at every corner. What actually surprises me the most, is that most people who get circumcised aren't even hard line religious adherents, this practice has just become so 'normal' that most people seem to be doing it regardless of religious affiliation.
You can site medical advantages until the Earth dries up and is absorbed by the sun, but you won't be able to justify or legitimize this practice. Especially when taken with consideration of the double standards employed by politicians, religious leaders, scientists, and civil rights leaders when it comes to this issue and female genital mutilation. I grew up in a family that could hardly be considered religious, and simply had me circumcised against my will as a babe, due to that fact that this practice is considered 'normal' here. If you do support male genital mutilation, but you don't support female genital mutilation, doesn't that at it's core logic make you a hypocrite and a sexist? So how are all these people that claim to be supporting egalitarianism and equality be so deluded as to devolve back into gender's double standards and hypocrisy themselves?
You might be able to tell, but I am extremely against any form of genital mutilation, male, female, and otherwise, unless it occurs at with the consent of the individual, at the age of majority, or occurs due to medical issues. At it's core these children's bodies should be protected from mutilation because genital mutilation is wrong, regardless of what equipment you happen to be cutting on. I just see a huge Western and specifically American double standard when it comes to this issue, and I think that people should be educated about how barbaric the practice is without a consenting adult, or for a medical purpose like deformities, infection, cancer, etc. And for those of you who would decry this as a religious infraction, and a destruction of freedom of religion, I completely disagree. Religions should be able to operate how they choose, as long as it harms none. This is harm. This is violation. This is mutilation. This is a double standard that needs to be resolved and removed, and it should be done at the behest of any individual who claims to be an egalitarian or equalist.
What are the communities thoughts on this matter?
[Edit/Note: I've added a biased poll for people to vote in.]
References:
Nerve Endings in the Foreskin
http://www.noharmm.org/zoske.htm
Google
Wikipedia
