by AlicetheKurious » Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:54 am
I gave birth here in Egypt via caesarean section under full anesthesia. Afterward, back in the hospital room, still groggy, I managed to croak out to the doctors, my husband and the nurses standing around my bed that I don't want any circumcision. They all got these puzzled smiles on their faces, before one of the doctors said, "Um, it's already done." He patiently explained to me that it was best for hygienic and health reasons and that they do it at the same time they cut the umbilical cord because that way it's over quickly and the baby doesn't feel any pain. I looked at them, and they looked at me, and that was that.
Frankly, I'm not sure why I didn't want my boys to be circumcised, I don't think it's made any difference either way -- maybe it IS more hygienic, etc. I doubt it was any more traumatic than having the umbilical cord cut, then or afterward. My boys talk to me about EVERYTHING and they've never mentioned this, it hasn't been an issue in any way.
Female circumcision is a totally different issue: it's an ancient African custom and most cultures that practice it claim that it guarantees chastity before (and after) marriage. It's a bloody, traumatic and painful assault against female children, and it has a major impact on them for the rest of their lives. Even if it doesn't kill them or leave them with life-long health problems and pain.
What I'd REALLY like to see is a new tradition of surgically removing the hymen of female children at birth (fat chance!). This is something I have thought about, and wondered why God would even put it there, like the "safety seal" they put on medicine bottles to guarantee they haven't been tampered with. It just doesn't fit my concept of God, but objectively speaking, if one were to accept is as evidence, it does corroborate the view of most traditional religions that the Creator is very patriarchal indeed. That is, unless that little barrier has some other purpose or significance that I can't figure out.
"If you're not careful the newspapers will have you hating the oppressed and loving the people doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X