a controversial issue… but should it be?
for years i figured it was ‘just the way things were’, largely because i’d only seen circumcised men. later on, i realized that it wasn’t exactly necessary, but it was the norm, and seemed acceptable for religious purposes. and it doesn’t hurt anything… right? this is probably the most popular point of view in the US.
then i remembered that female circumcision (AKA female genital mutilation) is considered unacceptable regardless of the family’s belief system. removing a girl’s genital tissue is always a crime, in no small part because it does irreparable damage to her ability to experience sexual pleasure. it’s also considered wrong because there is almost always a lack of consent - even though the girls are usually old enough to understand what’s going on and make their opinions known.
why don’t boys have the same rights to genital integrity? why aren’t more parents informed of the potential risks of circumcision? why don’t most people even question the permanent damage they are doing to their children?
is the status quo that fucking important?
(answer: no.)
- a proud intactivist
