Hi Nathan, saw your post on Mothering and checked out your site. Here's some more posts by a nurse who is a Canadian woman living in N. Y. Her sister is an intactivist in Vancouver and this is some correspondence between the two sisters. Gloria (last name withheld for privacy). "Foreskins for Keeps"-the end of circumcision by the 1st of Jan. 2007, an idea whose time has come. Hi Jennie, I don't usually post on Mothering---just watch the threads for good info. These 2 letters were written by a woman named Karen in Nov 2005. Can't give you more details because she might lose her job. She was responding to an article her sister had sent her on email saying that a boy in a Winnipeg hospital had been wrongfully circ'd by mistake (mixup). Gloria
See the following related news story: Infant Boy Wrongfully Circumcised )
Circumcision should be illegal. I just hate them. I love it when patients ask me my opinion. I tell them... if God wanted it to look like a pencil....he'd have made it look like a pencil! i've almost fainted twice while trying to assist with the stupid procedures.... so now I just say... it's against my religion...and I don't have to help anymore... although I have to teach parents how to clean the things. Makes me want to throw up looking at it. We make our patients sign two page long consent forms talking about how it's strictly for cosmetic reasons... totally not necessary... risk of infection... bleeding to death... and of course... accidently cutting too much of the little thing off. and we get them to acknowledge that the baby will be given NO pain medication either before or after,and some (most) stupid people continue to do it... although most have no idea why. I love jewish people... they do it at home (on the 8th day)... and give the baby! wine to sedate it. I tell them.... just give the baby an extra little bit for me. What really makes me laugh is when I have to draw blood (one drop for a blood sugar check)... and people lose their fucking minds over that.... but won't bat an eyelash when it comes to wacking off a huge part of his flesh with a knife!!!!! people are sooo stupid! you're right... they should be illegal.
I think pretty much most of the states has a high rate of circumcision.... it's all about ignorance. most men feel that because they were done (and don't remember it)... their sons should be too. I really admire those men... like our brother, Paul... who was done... but realized it was completely unneccesary and did not do either of his boys. Most of the latin countries don't do it... and you should see the women's faces when I ask them if they want their boy circumsized... they say what is that??? I say... well... we'll take him into the nursery and cut off some of his penis. They are simply horrified. Most latin women have never even heard of this practice. (of course... my method of explanation paints quite the picture.....but i just call it as i see it.) speaking of which... have you ever watched a circ? i think everyone should see it. (at least as much as you can stand until you faint!). You will instantly become a national spokesperson for 'Foreskins for Keeps' campaign. and I definitely think all parents should watch it. The parents are truly mortified when their child returns from the nursery because it looks like a piece of chopped up liver. They think it's going to look like a little miniature of their husband's. HA!! as part of my admission assessment... I ask them..... are you planning on having his little pencil sharpened up while you're here in the hospital???? but I tell ya... couldn't believe the little granola crunchers the other day... everything all natural but then was going to whack off his penis "so he didn't get teased in gym class". and it is hospital policy to not return babies from their circs crying. we have to console them before taking them back to their parents.... so the parents don't think it hurts too much...."oh look... he's sleeping". please.... he screamed his fucking head off for 30 minutes and is now simply passed out from pain and sheer exhaustion!! ya... ok dummies... think what you want. it's all ! about ignorance. America is full of ignorance.. good God...just look at our president!