Consent matters!
When talking about circumcision we are talking about consent, autonomy and harm. Despite this, there are some people who are worried that standing against circumcision is an attack on religion, culture and identity.
This is where groups such as Jews Against Circumcision are a great group to focus on. We fully endorse them and it is precisely the views of the silenced that we want to bring into the spotlight. Find more about the views of Jewish families against circumcision on this website here.
What Are The Progressive Practitioners Saying?
“Welcome! Are you surprised to discover a community of Jewish people who are united in the belief that circumcising healthy children is harmful and unnecessary? Don’t be—times are changing. We are the voices and faces of the pro-intact Jewish movement. From college students to grandparents, we’re moving in what we feel is a more thoughtful, more ethical and more Jewish direction: Beyond the Bris.”
– The Jewish educational site “Beyond the Bris“.
Tradition and ritual have a strong part to play in many peoples lives, but challenging one aspect of culture does not mean the whole philosophy is to be challenged. It shows that we are willing to use a discerning eye and develop our cultures, rituals and rites progressively.
Total Penis Removal
“Circumcision was introduced to the Iranians through Islam and is a rite of obligation amongst Jews. However, the practice has a long history in ancient Middle East and was closely related to the rituals dedicated to ancient gods and goddesses of fertility. The Ancient Mesopotamia’s had festivals where the actual sex organ of a young boy was cut off and dedicated to the fertility goddess. The action was later reduced to inducing an incision instead. The blood was offered to the goddess and the occasion was celebrated publicly.”
– Iran Chamber
This speaks for itself. Despite being a sacred ritual the harm was extreme, and culture changed, and the practice was altered.
Challenges From Within Culture
In a Huffington Post article, Ali May from the BBC has written about his take on the circumcision debate. Ali is Iranian born where circumcision is commonplace. Here is a quote from the bio on Ali’s website:
“Having grown up amidst stifling repression, the concepts of liberty, choice and individualism have shaped his intellectual framework.”
The truth is, this movement is filled with people from all backgrounds and supported from many directions. Read Ali’s article here: Child protection laws are clear – except when it comes to male circumcision. FGM and intersex activists have frequently allied their voice with ours as the foundation is the same. In what seems blind hypocrisy, UK legislation on -any- form of female genital modification or mutilation reads as follows:
“For the purposes of determining whether an operation is necessary for the mental health of a person, it is immaterial whether that or any other person believes that the operation is required as a matter of custom or ritual.” – Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003
We are in favour of harm reduction and consent, and autonomy. We wholly encourage the debate within religious and cultural frameworks that are starting to take place. This way circumcising cultures can leave the outdated harmful practices behind whilst exemplifying the progressive and positive parts. It is important for all people to be discerning when it comes to culture and to be brave enough to challenge aspects of it that risk harming their children.
Read here the anonymous archive to hear some of the accounts from men who have written into us.
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