I made the decision to not circumcise my son for a couple of reasons. First, after extensive research and consultations with multiple physicians (through my local children's hospital) I deemed it medically unnecessary. Second, I choose to raise my children to explore what they believe is true to them, not just follow my beliefs (on religion). When they ask me questions like "do you believe in God...do you believe in evolution, etc" my only answer to them is "what do YOU believe? And why do you believe that? I don't want them to grow up to just regurgitate my beliefs and thoughts. And rarely, if ever, have I shared my beliefs about religion and God with them. But...that's just me. I also understand people wanting to instill tradition and rituals into their children.
So, after making my decision, I also decided if the day came at any point in my son's life that HE decided he wanted to be circumcised, I would financially and emotionally support his decision.

I am not circumcised and I have not had any infection or hygiene issue whatsoever. I come from a culture where almost every one is uncircumcised and no one one I know has had any health issue because of that, at least not that I know of. I have read that in gay men being circumcised reduces your chance of getting stds. Let your son make that choice when he is ready.

As a uncircumcised male, I can assure you that circumcision is the way to go. As one ages the immune system declines and infections become more common. Since this area is generally more "humid" it is an invitation for infection. Circumcision eliminates an environment which promotes infection. Infection in this area is not pleasant.

Otherwise, "it's got no character. No personality.". (stolen from Seinfeld).

Unless you have a religious conviction to do so it would probably be worth discussing with a health practioner, preferably GP. Not being Jewish I have no insight into the benefits but I believe it was part of the Mosaic Law and therefore over 3,000 years old. I would hope we have moved forward from the required practices of the Bronze Age.

One way of approaching your question is to go with established medical science. Pubmed.org is the single recognized data base for all juried medical research.
Simply enter circumsision

No. it is a barbaric practice and totally unnecessary apart from a few cases. It is not so common in the UK apart from religious reasons but seems to be common practice in the USA. Probably just a habit but the medical profession should counsel against it.. With privatised health care it probably makes them some money.
Normal hygiene is all that is required for health reasons.

My sons have not been circumcised

I was circumcised as a kid and I’ve had my kids circumcised. To me it seemed the norm and I thought it was supposed to be healthier/cleaner(?). As for it affecting sex life. I obviously wouldn’t know I’ve only ever had sex as a circumcised man and I still seem to enjoy it. If it’s a lot better with the skin then damn, you guys are lucky!

When my kids turned 100 days, I got them tattoos of Calvin pissing on the Grim Reaper. It marked a big day. I have the same tattoo and I just wanted then to look like Daddy.

My parents circumcized me for the sake of societal norms and hygenic issues (though neither of them knew much on the matter, I later realized). If I were to have a son I would prefer not to have them shipped but let them make that choice for themselves as teens or young adults. I think, given a choice, I would not have chosen to have it done to myself. The members become less sensitive and I think there is a hightened level of pleasure I will never experience simply because a choice was made on my behalf by people who just saw it as "normal."

My past foster kids (brothers) were one yes and one no; not sure why their parents did it that way, and of course they're not around to ask. But the uncirced one was really stressed out about being "odd"; I tried to reassure him it was becoming more common nowadays.

1. While I don't believe it's necessary, I think this is a decision you'll have to make yourself. Yes, it's not your body, but you'll make many decisions about your son's body until he can do it for himself.

2. Not sure my opinion is pertinent, but my mother said it was just standard procedure in the 60's.

3. I think it's fine for anyone to have an opinion, but ultimately it's the individual's choice.

I have 2 biologically male kids and neither of them are circumcized. I just didn't see a reason for it. Why put them through it when any positives are either not firmly established or just marginal? My wife wanted them to be circumcized because she was scared they would feel "different" - but I disagreed just because it's not something that ever comes up with guys (no pun intended). I am circumcized but my mom said it was just the norm back then and she wouldn't do it now.

A good argument for circumcision is reduction in STD transmission.

(My comments which follow below pertain to religious circumcision.)

Is the boy not a person in their own right?

Is their body theirs and not yours?

Circumcision should be the choice of the person who has it. No one else's. *

Circumcision imposed on someone is physical assault. *

And finally... Why are someone else's genitals your business? To force religious circumcision on a boy is to push your beliefs in an irreversible way.

• unless there is a medical reason.

As a circumcised male, I would circumcise my son(s). Obviously not for religious reasons, but for better hygiene and acceptance. I don’t know from experience, but I’ve learned that non-circumcised males, if lazy (as young boys and even grown men can be), can get infections and odors. The acceptance part is, that I’ve known some women that are just grossed out by the extra skin of non-circumcised males and said they would never date a guy for that reason. There’s so many other disqualifiers that are possibile, that I don’t want to subject my son(s) to another one that could’ve been done early on and without memory. I can’t imagine having the procedure done as “my choice” when I became of age and wanted it done. The pain, the memory, and the downtime would suck.

Male. Once again men can discuss and judge but not women? Women have as much right to question and discuss this as men. I believe women have the right to abortion. I do not believe women should have their clitoris cut off and genitals mutilated as done in some countries. I am circumcised, had my sons circumcised due to social norms. I did work for a few years in an orphanage in France where circumcision is NOT the norm. I had to make sure the little boys pulled the foreskin back and clean the head of the penis. I have seen where this was not done regularly and it got infected and VERY painful, lots of screaming and crying. It is easier to cleaner but I am against it as I truly believe it is a great trauma to a baby boy and bloody and painful. On some level I think it creates a sub conscious feeling of inadequacy, shame and who knows what mental agitation. In Canada it is no longer covered under the government sponsored medical health plan. It is considered an optional cosmetic surgery that must be paid for out of pocket. I believe it should be illegal.

I feel circumcision is a personal choice but personally see it as mutalation unless medically necessarily.

3. I hate when women push their beliefs on this topic, while also ask men to stay out of decision-making when it comes to women's reproductive rights. Have your opinion, sure. Please don't ever argue against a Male on this topic though. Agree? Disagree?

Disagree. We're all thinking moral agents.

Maybe the arguments of those in the group who "own the same equipment" should be considered more carefully, but I don't think it invalidates non-owners' thoughts.

I'm not sure I'm 100% consistent on this, though, since e.g. in the case of circumcision, a woman advocating against infant/child circumcision is advocating on behalf of the child and his right to choose what happens to his own body. Whereas a woman arguing for it is advocating to cut off a part of someone else's genitals, of which she doesn't even have first-person experience...

As a mom giving birth to sons in the 1970s, it was just expected that baby boys would be circumcised. I signed the consent while still medicated. I now wish I had thought more about it, but don't know if that would have changed my decision. This is a question that could be answered more accurately by men, I think.

I personally was not circumcised and believe it is a brutal practice that should not be done. I mean you wouldn't chop off the end of a kids finger right?

I had my son circumcised. Back then I still prayed to God. However, it had nothing to do with religion. Most men have been circumcised therefore most women are used to seeing a circumcised unit. I didn't want son to be different to the point he was self conscious about it. Also, the flap can get infected if the person doesn't clean it right. And all my daughter's ears were pierced when they were young. I wasn't a big fan of that because the pain, but that was y ex wife's call.

Maybe the worst topic ever

I was put up for adoption, but was cut b/c back in the early 70's. From what I understand it was deemed healthier to do so b/c of cleaning the area. Now, I think that is debunked, at least to the extent that it isn't as much of a health issues as it was originally made out to be. I myself disagree with the practice. It is barbaric and misandric IMO, and stopping this practice (I hope) will be a step towards recognizing men's rights and issues.

My atheist ex and myself had our son circumcised at birth. My ex had it done when he was 13 for cosmetic reasons so he wanted our son to not have to go through it later on in life. It just looks better and it's apparently cleaner.