Reasons for your circumcision

This poll explores why guys got circumcised, and when:

1. If you got circumcised at birth (neonatal) for reasons of common (non-religious) practice, or family history, in the region in which you were born, such as in many areas of the U.S., answer here.

2. If you were circumcised at birth or later for religious reasons (Jewish, Muslim, etc.), answer here.

3. If you were circumcised as a tribal rite of male passage at puberty, answer here.

4. If you were circumcised as a youth (pre-teen or teenage years) because of health reasons (infections under the foreskin, inability to retract your foreskin, etc.), answer here.

5. If you were circumcised because your girlfriend/wife wanted you to have it done, answer here.

6. If you were circumcised because your school, the military, etc. wanted it done, answer here.

7. If you were circumcised as an adult, because you wanted to look like the other guys, answer here.

8. If you were circumcised as an adult, for some reason not listed above, answer here, and state what the reason was.

9. If your penis is naturally circumcised, and you did not need an operation, answer here.

10. If you don't know why you were circumcised, answer here.

 

My mom said snip it?

 

health reasons

 

For item number 7, it is OK if you are not an adult, but got cut as a teenager because you wanted to look like the other guys, you can answer here, but post a reply stating this.

 

Why would "because I wanted to look like the other guys" be an option? Looking like the other guys would mean remaining uncut, in most countries.

I'm a 20 year old in Canada, I've played hockey my whole life, probably have showered with about 40-50 different men my age, and the majority are uncut. And the circumcision rate on newborns has declined even further over the years.

Even in the United States the circumcision rate on newborns is only like 65% today....that's not an overwhelming majority.

 

Swass - obviously this response would only apply in those countries where a majority of the males are circumcised, such as the United States (and 2/3 is still a strong majority), South Korea, Muslim countries (and Israel), the Philippines, and parts of Canada, such as Ontario, which have higher circumcision rates than say, Quebec. Teenage boys often have a desire to "fit in", and for some of them, this might mean looking like the other guys in the shower room, although I don't think this is a good reason for getting circumcised.

When I was growing up in New England, I would say that 98% of the boys in my middle and high school classes were circumcised, and the same percentage applied at the summer camp I attended for many years, until my mid-teens. Clearly there was self-imposed pressure on those boys who were uncut to "fit in", and in fact, one of my childhood friends had it done for that reason. I never heard anyone making fun of the uncut look on those boys, but it may have happened to them.

 

So Far 28% Have No Idea Why Their Foreskins Were Cut Off. Doesn't Sound Right. Didn't They Ever Ask?

 

Yeah surely it would come up into question at some point, or you'd simply figure it out. Or it's foreskin voters trying to fuck with the system!!!


Anyway, out of interest. Other than the Jews and Muslims. Are there any other religions that have males circumcised?

 

Extreme Phoenix - Christians, Hindus and Buddhists do not require it as part of their religions, nor do the various Chinese religions (Confucism, etc.). Various ethnic groups and tribes require it, such as the Kikuyus of Kenya, and many Pacific Islanders such as Samoans also do. But these are not based on religious beliefs, but rather on cultural traditions.

 

Various American Indian tribes (North and South American) practice circumcision as a rite of passage into manhood, and the Aztecs did also.
Whether this is religion-based or tribal culture-based is unclear.

 

I always found it interesting that no matter how much Jews and Muslims hate each other, they still share the common religious practice of male circumcision. They are more alike than either group would want to admit.

 

Interesting responses so far. This poll answers a lot of questions. Keep the responses coming.

 

Don't know why? Hard to believe.

 

More posts needed.

 

More posts needed...

 

Bump

 

Keep them coming...

 

I never was, when I was young I felt self conscious about it and was mad at mom for not having it done. But now I am glad. Funny thing is my mom converted to Judiasm when I was 12, which by Jewish law makes my brother and I Jews, and we are both uncut! What a paradox.

 

It's there for a reason and so it should be there. We are born with eyelids and lips as we are born with foreskins and all of these are needed. When this kind of thing is done to girls it's known as "female genital mutilation". And there are no "health reasons"; for this as if infections are identified early the foreskin will not be an issue. There are only a few rare situations where full circumcision is required. I myself am not circumcised and in terms of relationships I have never had any complaints - quite the opposite in fact. Also sensitivity is much greater with the foreskin intact. The glans is very sensitive near it's frenelum. This sensitivity is lost after circumcision. In fact circumcision was introduced to the US because "experts" believed it reduced masturbation (or "self abuse" as it was once known) in adolescents. With sensitivity impaired it was thought that the individual would focus less on his manhood.

 

for religious purposes mainly.

though parents often do not think of it this way; circumcision is a direct intrusion to human rights in childhood and it substantially decreases sensitivity, thus pleasure. I shall never do the same thing to my son if I am to have one. it's up to him when he reaches adulthood. who am I to decide for an irreversible act on his body after all?

shine on...