Circumcision in America Essays

Circumcision in America Essays Circumcision in America Essay Circumcision in America Essay Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Real Men Wear Turtlenecks: Circumcision in America Circumcision is regarded as the excision of the foreskin of the penis in males to reveal the forehead of the penis (Gregory et al, 11). Discussion about the relevance of circumcision in a world that is regarded as modern has been under discussion in the public domain for quite some time. This has attracted both criticism and praise from various quarters in the public domain. Circumcision has been part of culture dwelling on the belief that male children or men should be circumcised. However, the recent trends in the American society have adopted a new form whereby there is lesser circumcision for male children. Despite this kind of trends, the abandonment of the circumcision culture has attracted criticism from skeptics and stereotypes within the society who still harbor beliefs, which might be considered as outdated and out of touch with the face of modernization. The purpose of circumcision was an effort to decrease the need for sexual gratification because the foreskin of the penis, which is cut during circumcision, is considered as erogenous. In addition, the author also adds that circumcision leads in the reduction of lust and violent concupiscence. The beginning of circumcision was as a means to deter young boys from acts of masturbation in the medieval periods in England (Gregory et al, 22). The practice spread into America with the Americans who were also from Britain themselves. Medical practitioners have described circumcision as unnecessary and poses threat to the psychological stability of an individual. The practice of circumcision among male infants is not evidenced adequately to attribute certain benefits or demerits from its practice. Hence, form such statements leave the public in a state of utter confusion because there are both advantages and disadvantages in the practice (The American Medical Association, 23). The practice however has been attributed to have significant positive effects on an individual in terms of health. The practice according to the American Medical Association, when properly performed on an individual protects individuals from diseases such as phimosis, paraphimosis and balanitis (The American Medical Association, 29). In addition, the practice also leads to reduced chances of contracting urinary tract infections in male children and reduced chances of contracting penile cancer in adult males. In addition, there are also claim s that the practice also aids in the reduction of chances of transmitting sexually transmittable diseases. However, this fact has not been proven and further research is still required. Despite claims by the medical practitioners, that circumcision is unnecessary it is practice, which accrues numerous benefits to both the individual as well as the society. The reduction of sexual desire in a society, which is becoming increasingly sexualized because of sexual content becoming easily available to the society via the media. It has also enabled instilling moral values in the society by the prattcie. This occurs whereby the people are able to become watchful of the ir conduct because circumcision is associated with responsible behavior and becoming morally upright in societies in non-western world as well as in the western world. The American society has been driven to abandonment of the practice, which was well embedded within the American society since historic periods. The abandonment of circumcision can be attributed to the presence of trauma within the practice of circumcisions. Trauma in relation to the DSM-IV is considered as fear and helplessness emanating form serious injury or threat to the physical veracity of an individual. In addition, the child or individual responds to the pain by dissociation, which the only psychological means of response and defense from the pain experienced by an infant. In addition, men have abandoned circumcision because of views that circumcised men do not have the ability to fulfill the sexual needs of their female partners in relation to uncircumcised men who are considered as duly able to fulfill the sexual desires of the female partners due to the presence of the foreskin. Hence, such views have been associated with the increased infidelity within marriages from both perspectives (Andrews, Fitzgerald, 39). The first perspective is that circumcised men are not able to satisfy their partners within marriages leading the women to explore sexually with uncircumcised men in efforts to seek sexual gratification. The other perspective is that uncircumcised men have sexual vigor than their circumcised counterparts due to the presence of the erogenous foreskin; hence, such prompts men to seek more partners to fulfill their huge sexual appetites. In addition, numerous sexual problems are coming into light because of circumcision (Andrews, Fitzgerald, 40). Men who have been circumcised are reported to have more sexually related problems in comparison to their uncircumcised partners. Circumcised men have reported of sexual dysfunction such as inability to gain an erection or the inability to maintain an erection, due to the insensitivity of the glans because of continuous exposure during coitus. Men who are circumcised have been on the decline due to the perception that circumcision does not accrue benefits. Social perceptions about the sexuality of circumcised men have brought the practice of circumcision on a sharp decline, which reflects the sexualization of the practice (Laumann, Masi, Zuckerman, 47). The American society is more sexualized than ever due to the presence of the media, which has enabled presence of information to people available at the touch of a button via the internet or mobile phone. In addition, it can also be attributed to self-awareness by the men and liberalization of people to choose what they find fit for t hemselves. Hence, circumcision might be in the future a forgotten issue due to new social values as people evolve and modernize their societies. In conclusion, I find the practice necessary, as it is part of culture, which should not be abandoned due to the mere theories posed to the public. People have existed while practicing circumcision since time immemorial. In addition, the practice is also a means of protection form diseases, which affects most men who are uncircumcised due to dirt and bacteria, which accumulates in the urinary tract. In addition, the protection form health risks should override the stance that mere trauma or pain affect people psychologically which even though is still a subject that is open for discussion and in-depth research to establish the materiality of the said facts. Work Cited Andrews, K., Fitzgerald, M. â€Å"Biological barriers to pediatric pain management†. Clinical Journal of Pain, 13, 138-143. (1 March 1997). Web. 14 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/Andrews/ Gregory, J. Boyle, Ronald, Goldman, J. Steven Svoboda, Ephrem Fernandez. â€Å"Male Circumcision: Pain, Trauma and Psychosexual Sequelae† Journal of Health Psychology: An Interdisciplinary, International Journal. Volume 07 (03). 2002. Web. 11 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/Gregory/ Laumann, Edwrad.O., Masi, Christopher.M., Zuckerman, Ezra.W. â€Å"Circumcision in the United States: Prevalence, prophylactic effects, and sexual practice†. Journal of the American Medical Association, 277, 1052-1057.1997.Web.14 May 2012. Accessed from cirp.org/library/general/laumann/ The American Medical Association. â€Å"Neonatal Circumcision: Report 10 of the Council on Scientific Affairs† The American Medical Association’s Policy on Circumcision, 1-99.. 1999. Web. 14 May 2012. Accessed from circumstitions.com/AMA.html