CIN (Circumcision Information Network) 1:21

Introduction
This weekly bulletin is a project of CIN, the Circumcision Information Network (formerly CIN CompuBulletin). The purpose of this weekly bulletin is to educate the public about and to protect children and other non-consenting persons from genital mutilation. Readers are encouraged to copy and redistribute it, and to contribute written material.
--Rich Angell, Editor.

OB.GYN NEWS, 1 NOVEMBER 1994  (From P8 of the letters page)

"I would like to address two items on circumcision that were published in
your newspaper.  In the 15 July 1993 issue, Dr. George Denniston hoped for
reaffirmation of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists'
long-standing position against routine circumcision when Dr. Ralph W. Hale
became the new executive director ("Stopping Routine Circumcision," letters,
OB. Gyn. News, P7).

"In March 1993, I submitted the following position statement to Dr. Richard
Jones III, who was then president.  The text was drawn up in collaboration
with the [NOCIRC].  Our intent was to draw up something concrete as a basis
from which the college could begin this important mission.

"Recommended Position Statement On Neonatal Circumcision
"'The ACOG supports the conclusion that routine circumcision of the newborn
is an unnecessary and harmful surgical procedure with no proven medical
benefit and unacceptable risks and disadvantages.  Circumcision causes pain,
trauma, and a permanent loss of protective and erogenous tissue.  Expressions
of resentment and aguish from thousands of adult circumcised males
demonstrate long-term psychological effects.

"'Removing normal, healthy, functioning tissue for no medical reason has
ethical implications:  Circumcision violates the UN's Universal Declaration
of Human Rights (Article 5) and the UN's Convention on the Rights of the
Child (Article 13).

"'The physician's first responsibility is to the health of the patient, who
in this case is the nonconsenting infant.  For these reasons the college
calls on its members to inform themselves thoroughly and to educate parents
about the effects of circumcision.  The college recommends that parental
request for circumcision be refused.'

"No further communication from ACOB on this matter has occurred, despite Dr.
Jones' admirable high profile on domestic violence.  I would urge members to
support the publication of such a statement.

"Unfortunately, most ob.gyns. are not aware of the structure and function of
the prepuce and the growing number of men across the country who are
undergoing foreskin restoration.  They also are not generally aware of the
disbelief and scorn by physicians in the rest of the 'civilized' world
because circumcision is a medically condoned procedure in the U.S.

"Most physicians in the U.S. would not perform female circumcisions.  Indeed
Rep. Pat Schroeder of Colorado has a bill in Congress to outlaw it.  Yet the
majority of infant males in this country become sexual amputees (an average
of 12 sq. in. of erogenous tissue is lost in the adult male) without their
consent.

"Although the 15 Feb. 1994 article 'Circumcision:  Whose Job is it Anyway?'
(P1) said that 'nationally, no one really seems to want the job,', the
circumcision rate was 61% in 1991, so there are still plenty of physicians
after such blood money.

"Let ob.gyns. lead the way not only in refusing to perform circumcisions
themselves, but also in refusing to teach the procedure to ob.gyn. residents
and pediatricians.  Once the law against female genital mutilation in this
country is in place, males will become similarly protected as they cannot be
discriminated against on the basis of their gender."

Leo Sorger, M.D.
Stoneham, MA

Dr. Sorger is the president of Women's Medical Arts

ELLE, DECEMBER 1994
The December issue of the English edition of Elle magazine featured a
two-page article by Markie Robson-Scott entitled "The Penis Protector" on
Marilyn Milos and her NOCIRC crusade.  Other than a few little misquotes, it
really exposes the truth about North America's obsession with foreskin
amputation and explains things which the U.S. media are afraid to touch--like
docking, masturbation, lubrication, etc.  Following are some excerpts:

"Marilyn Milos is on the telephone.  Just a routine call, it seems.  

"'I'm glad circumcision worked out for you and that you were old enough to
have a choice,' she says sceptically.  'But haven't you lost sensitivity?
 And how do you masturbate now that you don't have that gliding erogenous
tissue?  It's the gliding that makes for the full explosion of orgasm.  What
about sex, don't you have to use lubricants?'

"The caller is silenced, no longer so sure of his newly-nipped member.

"Some men do know [what they're missing], as Marilyn discovered when a friend
gave her a subscription to a gay magazine called 'Uncut,' and told her to
look at the personal ads if she wanted to see how circumcision affected men.
 'There are circumcised men looking for an intact man to share a foreskin
with--it's called docking.'  In general, she says, all is not well with the
American organ.  'The sexually sick American males says, 'There's nothing
 wrong with me, mine's the best penis on earth,' but gay guys look at each
other's penises and they're not afraid to say something's wrong--like
extensive scars, skin bridges, curvatures because so much so taken off one
side.  Like a ball-point pen, if you take the cap off, pretty soon it's going
to fail because it dries up.'

"She had to steer clear of the Jewish question--tricky because circumcision
is a covenant demanded by God of Abraham in Genesis Chapter 17, with the
ceremony performed by a mohel (ritual circumciser)-until a Florida lawyer
asked her if she was anti-Semetic because she wasn't fighting for the rights
of Jewish babies.  Now she sends out information about brit Milla (Jewish
circumcision rituals) to those looking for a kinder, gentler way.

"A surprising number of men are snipped in adulthood, sometimes in the quest
to be a 'real American,' sometimes because of teasing experienced in
childhood.  the letters are full of woe:  'This was the  biggest mistake of
my life;' You have to be circumcised as an adult to realise what a terrible
loss of sexual pleasure  results;' my pleasure has been reduced by 70 per
cent.  I no longer feel like a real man.'"

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