Search Results for: individual preferences

However Much an Individual Cares, He Is Correct

CBS News offered the first mainstream article I remember seeing that considers the possibility that male circumcision may be genital mutilation without at least cushioning the psychological hit by putting mutilation in quotes. That’s worth applauding, even if some of the article should be better. For example: As for circumcision’s effects on sexual function, several … Continue reading “However Much an Individual Cares, He Is Correct”

Flawed Circumcision Defense: The indecipherability of “ga ga goo goo ooga bahfah fum”

Daulton Gatto asked to interview me. I agreed on the condition that he first answer a question from my last post. In response to Daulton’s alleged critiques of my “stupid arguments which claim to show that Mike Gatto likes to cut up baby boys’ wieners with surgical instruments,” I asked: “Why do you state my … Continue reading “Flawed Circumcision Defense: The indecipherability of “ga ga goo goo ooga bahfah fum””

Flawed Circumcision Defense: Jesse Bering

“It requires education to see the world through disease-coloured glasses.” – Thomas Szasz (“Circumcision and the birth of the therapeutic state”) Jesse Bering, PhD, endorses the AAP’s revised policy statement on non-therapeutic male child circumcision. He asks readers to replace the God he doesn’t believe in with the god he does believe in. He starts … Continue reading “Flawed Circumcision Defense: Jesse Bering”

Subjective versus Objective in Infant Circumcision

Slate Star Codex’s 2019 Adversarial Collaboration Contest includes an entry called, [ACC] WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS, HARMS, AND ETHICS OF INFANT CIRCUMCISION?. It’s a confusing mess. It starts with two paragraphs on penile cancer that reveal this collaboration needed more rigor in the analysis. The beginning: Circumcision greatly reduces the relative rate of penile cancer, … Continue reading “Subjective versus Objective in Infant Circumcision”

Flawed Circumcision Defense: Wesley J. Smith (Again)

I expect garbage opinions on male circumcision. Too many people don’t think about it, letting the inertia of ignorance fill in the gaps in their knowledge as parents (and humans pondering anatomy). But I don’t expect such trash from a magazine like National Review that prides itself on being smart, honest, and principled. (More on … Continue reading “Flawed Circumcision Defense: Wesley J. Smith (Again)”

Flawed Circumcision Defense: Dr. Laura Berman

tl;dr version: Dr. Berman writes: … Thankfully, [male circumcision] is a choice that we do have here in America, unlike the millions of young girls across the globe who must endure genital mutilation with no option to decline. Her analysis shifts depending on whether a male or female is cut without need or consent. Male … Continue reading “Flawed Circumcision Defense: Dr. Laura Berman”

√erifying what you want to believe

WZZM, the ABC affiliate in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has a “verify” article purporting to address the following: The story of a female genital mutilation case in Detroit has prompted lots of questions from our viewers on what this procedure actually is and how it compares to circumcision in males. So, we set out to Verify … Continue reading “√erifying what you want to believe”

False Distinction, Not False Equivalency

Note: I’m not going to write about the charges directly here. Anything involving a cursory glance of my work here will let you know I understand, abhor, and reject FGM in every form. If guilty of the charges, the doctors should serve the maximum sentence allowed. I noticed something both fascinating and infuriating in this … Continue reading “False Distinction, Not False Equivalency”

Flawed Circumcision Defense: Barbara Kay

[10/19 Update: Edited for clarity and to reduce speculation since late night posting is imperfect and probably unwise.] National Post columnist Barbara Kay used Brian Morris’ latest rehash on circumcision to repeat her ignorant thoughts on the subject. She begins by regurgitating claimed benefits, which can all be conceded here for the sake of time … Continue reading “Flawed Circumcision Defense: Barbara Kay”