tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post5923212692644637872..comments2023-10-16T05:22:00.853-04:00Comments on Pretty Hard, Dammit: Ph.D. Pre-Parental Penis PollStewgadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05341545093347318440noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-35046762569919042582008-09-12T21:42:00.000-04:002008-09-12T21:42:00.000-04:00If Daddy is then so should son be. Less questions...If Daddy is then so should son be. Less questions later as to why Son's looks different from Daddy's. That's what I thinkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-57233522544792610452008-07-28T05:31:00.000-04:002008-07-28T05:31:00.000-04:00Your comment about circumcision and human behavior...Your comment about circumcision and human behavior is very interesting.<BR/><BR/>There is a paper on this at:<BR/><BR/>http://knol.google.com/k/george-hill/circumcision-and-human-behavior/2y9nanfagw8nr/13#viewAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-15844868706357691662007-11-10T22:16:00.000-05:002007-11-10T22:16:00.000-05:00I don't know whether you should have your son circ...I don't know whether you should have your son circumcised or not. But here is my experience. I had a gay friend who died from a foreskin. At 40 he developed a virulent kind of throat cancer. According to the doctor it was caused by contact (during oral sex) with an HPV-infected foreskin. My friend died at 42. I can tell you that after watching my friend die, I won't go near a foreskin. Sorry to be so gruesome, but that's my experience.Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16243171534018654463noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-25956641335625785502007-10-18T07:50:00.000-04:002007-10-18T07:50:00.000-04:00Hmmmm. "I like the look of a cut penis so I will ...Hmmmm. "I like the look of a cut penis so I will enforce my aesthetic values on my kid"?? Arrogant or what! Who knows what aesthetic values will be the norm in 20 or 30 years. The only person who can possibly consent to non-life threatening irreversible body surgery should be the owner of the body. Wait till he is 16 then offer him the choice of having it done. Arguments like "its easier and will hurt less when he's a baby", "it'll be easier to clean", "he'll look like his dad" can never override an individual's right to bodily integrity in a free society.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-67353209219967025732007-09-02T16:04:00.000-04:002007-09-02T16:04:00.000-04:00Thanks so much you guys for all of your helpful an...Thanks so much you guys for all of your helpful and thoughtful posts on this complicated and emotional issue. We still haven't decided, and I suspect we won't until we're staring down the barrell of the Gadlet's little gun. (Sorry about the bad metaphor, I couldn't resist!) But, you all have given us a lot to think about, which is always good.Stewgadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05341545093347318440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-10884232447266368152007-08-31T14:50:00.000-04:002007-08-31T14:50:00.000-04:00I prefer circumcision, because I like the way it l...I prefer circumcision, because I like the way it looks. My reasona are aesthetic. So sue me. And having seen a few performed, it can be quick and pretty painless, like piercing an ear if done well. I say go for it if you want to, but if you don't, it's no drama. I always find the hysteria about it (and about breastfeeding/natural birth/listeria in pregnancy) incredible. It's such a small thing ... nothing like female circumcision! It doesn't take away a man's ability to enjoy sex.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-74987472893427315072007-08-28T17:41:00.000-04:002007-08-28T17:41:00.000-04:00I have to disagree with styleygeek on the research...I have to disagree with <B>styleygeek</B> on the research. There is strong evidence, from multiple well-controlled studies, that lack of circumcision is a significant risk factor for HIV transmission. Enough so that policy advocates are seriously discussing encouraging adult circumcision. Don't take my word as an HIV researcher, check PubMed. <BR/><BR/>It's reasonable from basic physiology that it's also a risk factor for HPV as well, although I don't know the data there. Hopefully, HPV will be more or less eradicated through vaccines by then.<BR/><BR/>Does this mean you should snip? I can't say that. It's mostly an emotional decision.<BR/><BR/>HIV (not HPV!) infections in the U.S. are still low. Testing, number of partners, safe sex practices, etc. are very important so you could mitigate it with some Stewgad-Gadlet or SU-Gadlet birds/bees talks. I look forward to that blog entry several years from now!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-55515150898600791452007-08-27T11:15:00.000-04:002007-08-27T11:15:00.000-04:00I vote you opt to find out the gender now (inquiri...I vote you opt to find out the gender now (inquiring minds want to know!) and then you'll know if you really have to make this decision anyway. :)<BR/><BR/>And this, by the way, is one reason we were glad to have a girl -- I'm not good with Big Parental Decisions and this one is a doozy.<BR/><BR/>HistgradAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-53506595325276872762007-08-27T10:36:00.000-04:002007-08-27T10:36:00.000-04:00I'm also of the mind that without a religious mand...I'm also of the mind that without a religious mandate to do so, circumcision loses any real meaning. It's an unnatural act that only gains legitimacy because of the sheer number of people who have had it done to them. While it does make life easier in some ways, I don't think it's worth the risk of complications involved in an unnecessary medical procedure, no matter how small the risk.<BR/><BR/>And coming from a woman who's had an inordinate amount of genital surgery, it's not a fun experience no matter what your age. :)Mischahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04937427423214651664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-35631803637932652852007-08-26T12:56:00.000-04:002007-08-26T12:56:00.000-04:00I have read all kinds of literature on circumcisio...I have read all kinds of literature on circumcision. I find no compelling reason why anyone would perform one. (I mean, you could prevent your kid from ever getting a broken leg by simply amputating his legs at birth, but that seems a little crazy, doesn't it?)<BR/><BR/>I see it as just some kind of bizarre and outdated medical ritual that is slowly dying away.jo(e)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01488562158252331555noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-13593683610765913962007-08-26T03:44:00.000-04:002007-08-26T03:44:00.000-04:00I've heard that the only reason infections and so ...I've heard that the only reason infections and so on are more common in uncircumcised men is that many don't wash under their foreskins. Teach the kid to wash itself properly, and there shouldn't be a problem :) <BR/><BR/>As for the cancer risks, and HIV, etc, unless the evidence is very clear and the risks fairly high, I wouldn't pay it much attention. I find it hard to see why any bit of the body should be removed without really compelling medical reasons. For instance, I'm sure that breast cancer chances would be reduced by a lot more than that if we removed a whole lot of chest tissue at birth, but we don't, thank goodness.<BR/><BR/>And hypatia's argument only holds if these complications of these diseases are really common. Like, more common than the <A HREF="http://www.courtchallenge.com/refs/complic1.html" REL="nofollow">complications</A> of circumcision (which can include accidental removal of the whole penis!)<BR/><BR/>Of course, I am probably slightly biased against, anyway, since I live in a culture that has only very rarely circumcised boys since the 1950s or so (between 5 and 10 % in NZ and Australia).StyleyGeekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10287051608503966129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-79676519114859373932007-08-25T16:35:00.000-04:002007-08-25T16:35:00.000-04:00The most compelling argument for has to do with di...The most compelling argument for has to do with disease processes in older adults. Apparently common diseases can led to constriction of certain types of tissue (including the foreskin) and then gangrene and tissue can die. Then they have to take off more than just the foreskin. hmm yeah.hypatiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12652466638464405055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13280638.post-20742781173155326672007-08-25T15:59:00.000-04:002007-08-25T15:59:00.000-04:00I worked as an assistant in an overseas military c...I worked as an assistant in an overseas military clinic where circumcisions were routinely performed. I only made it through to the moment the doctor lifted the foreskin to decide that no son of mine will ever have his weenie wacked. The baby in question had been tied to a papoose (sp?) board, spread eagle with his arms and legs tied down. He was screaming in fear. I had to leave the room before the actual procedure took place as the sweat was running down my back. <BR/><BR/>So in my humble opinion, all religious and sanitary reasons aside, please don't allow your son to experience this awful mangling procedure.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com