Here are are a few thoughts to ponder, in no particular order :
It is very well to say, wait until the baby can decide on his own if he wants to be circumcised. If he decides to be circumcised later, it is a much serious matter though. It is more of a major surgery, more expensive, more dangerous, longer recovery time. There is the period of abstainance to consider in an adult too. Leaving a baby uncircumcised leaves him very little more choice than circumcising him.
The adult penis is very different from the infant's. The glans is one of the last parts of the body to fully develop. The penis as a whole does not grow in proportion with the rest of the body either - mine doubled in length, and tripled in circumference at least. The foreskin also goes through a process of development, beginning with seperation from the glans, later the development of the sebaceus glands, ect,and even sometimes l of little hairs. Sexual pleasure increases through development. We might consider that some of the negative effects eperienced after adult circumcision, are caused precisly because it was an adult who was cirumcised. When such a small amount of skin is removed on an infant, perhaps it has comparitively little effect on how the penis grows and developes. On the other hand, many men report positive results after adult circumcision.
It is often mentioned that circumcised men sometimes have sex or masturbate more "violently". Here is the other side of the story: It may be that, with a glans less easy to abrade and perhaps less sesitive, (and perhaps a less sensitive penis over all), circumcised men
are able to engage in rougher stimulation, and do, because they like it. It's not necesarily true that they
need this kind of strong stimulation to experience sexual pleasure, or reach orgasm. For me a gentle caress around the urinary opening, the corona, or underside of the glans can drive me crazy - especially from the right person. I usually like to jerk off with some good force, but like to thrust much more gently during sex. (It feels better- I don't know) On some ocasions (in my very limited experience
my sex partner has requested something a little harder. I had no insignificant degree of pleasure comlying with that either though.
Now, no doubt sex is a little easier when you have some skin to help you out, especially for the "bigger" guys when we are getting used to somebody new. On the other hand, many women express a preference for a circumcised penis. Along with many other factors (familiarity, asthetics, ect), that "violence" I was just describing may just be part of it.
I very much resent the term "mutilated penis" and those like it. Now, I am not trying to minimize what some of you feel about your own penises or about circumcision on the whole. If you want to try out foreskin restoration, that's cool, and in fact, learning of it first here, I think it is fascinating. There is nothing wrong with mine though. It works just great
There is nothing wrong with anybody elses either. If it's ok to be uncircumcised, it's ok to be circumcised. And, it's ok to feel however you do, about whatever your circumcision status is. There is no "normal" in the question. Along this line of thinking, while some consider circumcision "abnormal", others would certainly consider foreskin restoration even more "abnormal", just as there are diverse opinions on ear piercing, or body art.
I realize that some of you feel very strongly about infant circumcision, just as, for example others feel about vegetarianism. I'm in fact in general inclined to think favorably on the all natural aproach to foreskin. These kind of tems, mutilated, normal, abnormal, though are a type of polarizing rehtoric. They don't do anything to help anyone, or either side's cause.
As I was hinting at before, infant circumcision doesn't necesarily in result a lesser degree of sexual pleasure later. There is simply no way to gage it.
There are, less nerve endings, less skin, less moisture on the glands, ect in the case of the circumcised penis, yes. Let's not forget though to what degree sexual pleasure is based on mental and visual stimulation, on who we are with, on novelty, mood, and what I would describe as certain other intangeble factors. Gentlemen, Imagine for a moment that Sen. Hilary Clinton is rubbing your penis. Circumcised or Uncircumcised, nothing is happening!
It's possible that the body and the penis, and the brain, ect. adapt, and compensate. Saying that being uncircumcised is "better" than being circumcised may be akin to saying writing with the right hand is better than writing with the left (which many societies do), when in fact, they are just different. The circumcised penis does not necesarily provide any lesser degree, or inferior quality of stimulation to it's owner. I'm circumcised*, and I enjoy my sexuality a great deal. I have nothing bad to say about it. Circumcision doesn't always equal less pleasure. One thing that surely does though, is constantly feeling bad about yourself, or your penis, or worrying that you "should" be be uncircumcised/circumcised.
It seemed to me, reading through posts relating to this topic, that a disproportionate number of gay guys feel robbed, or loss now, being circumcised as infants. I'm not sure if you would atribute this to the natural double focus of interest/disccusion on the penis there is in a relationship with two guys, or whether it is part of a larger ubrella of negative self esteem that affects so many gays and lesbians in this country. Gay life looks a lot like constant strife to be leaner, have better hair, snazzier clothes, fancier eybrows, cooler friends, and to gossip more about them, than they do about you. Most of this is pretty foreign to most straight guys. Here is my thinking. Loss is real, but less relavent than possibility and action. Whatever your penis is, or you wish it was like, or whatever stage of foreskin who-knows-what you are in, you're penis is great. He is your best friend
If you are having trouble finding: a partner from a limited pool of suitable applicants, with a limited number of ways of meeting them, a family, acceptance from your family/circle, or are just stressed out by a predjudiced world (it's not easy, I know) feeling better (accepting) yourself, and your penis _now_ is something that is always going to help you.
Hey, there are pros and cons to both sides of circumcision status. There are loads of posts on it on this board alone. I and most people think a penis is a pretty cool thing, circumcised or uncircumcised, a large one being of course in no way less so by the wa
. I think this is all very interesting, but personally that there are more important matters to ignite our activism.
Thanks.
Mat