Students for Genital Integrity (SGI) is group committed to ending the practice of forced genital cutting; a human rights abuse perpetuated on children by adults. This abuse is often done in order to conform the body to a particular society's concepts of aesthetics and normality. The group is opposed to Female Genital Cutting (FGC), "Sexual reassignment surgery" on Intersex children (IGC), Male Genital Cutting (MGC)and Routine episiotomy.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Web Spotlight: Students for Genital Integrity
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10 comments:
AMEN! It isn't the parent or doctors right
to 'assign' a gender to an intersex child...
TACKLE YOU HUGS!!!!!!!
Sounds "right on" to me with the exception of circumcision. Having spent many years caring for older uncircumcised men, big problems can develop later in life. So, circumcision may be an option to take off the "mutilation" list. I suspect that some faith traditions may feel the same way!
Stephen that is what the organization fights for so I couldn't take it off their list. Also, I happen to feel strongly against circumcision myself, I believe it is genital mutilation, and a form of child abuse. We were made with foreskins, it is unnatural to take them away. If an adult chooses to undergo circumcision that is their right, but I don't believe in forcing it upon a child.
"Having spent many years caring for older uncircumcised men, big problems can develop later in life." - L. Stephen
So you are advocating amputating healthy tissue from a new born boy because he might develop some problem seven or eight decades later?
"I suspect that some faith traditions may feel the same way!"
Golly thanks for reminding us (I like the exclamation point the most). Would there be the same "faith traditions" renown for homophobia and rigid, binary, patriarchal gender roles? - L. Stephen
L. Stephen said...
Sounds "right on" to me with the exception of circumcision. Having spent many years caring for older uncircumcised men, big problems can develop later in life.....................
Anything can happen to anybody later in life - so what do you do with older women... clean them or sew up their vagina's?
By the way isn't that part of your job, when you take care of older men or women?
I am always taken back when fellow gay bloggers react with such anger toward a fellow gay blogger. Gee folks, I was just putting out a different point of view. No need to take it personally or attack me.
I am glad this practice will remain a personal decision between the medical practioner and the parent and/or person involved. I am not persuaded by any of the above arguments. Even more so now!
Different viewpoints are healthy and make the world go round. I disagree with you on this issue, but it is important to have many minds analyze these controversial topics.
Agreed but personal attacks are not fun. I certainly did not suggest to any blogger that we sew up older women's vagina's nor did I suggest that circumcision was a good solution to all older men's problems. I have probably cleaned up more older men than anyone on this blog. That was my job for many years. I just saw older men suffering because of infections and inflammation. So I asked readers to consider both sides of the issue. I think you at QU call that a "different viewpoint". As a professor, I am very familiar with healthy dialogue. But I deplore personal attacks. They do not feel good and discourage healthy dialogue.
" So I asked readers to consider both sides of the issue."
Actually L. Stephen all you offered was some vague anecdotal evidence about elderly men. Your comments showed no analysis of alternatives to circumcision which would prevent the "older men suffering because of infections and inflammation". I expect more form an alleged professor. You also failed to address as one person noted the same issue in women and how your surgical solution applies to infants.
You describe circumcision as "a personal decision between the medical practioner and the parent and/or person involved". How is it "personal decision" if a parent or doctor forces an elective surgery on an infant? Again you entirely avoid this key issue.
Since you note you are gay, it is further galling to see a gay man invoke religious superstitions. I doubt you react well when those exact same "faith traditions" are invoked to justify homophobia and violence.
I support Students for Genital Integrity and their position statement 100%. All children male, female and intersex need legal protection from adults who have genital prejudice against normal and natural variations of genitals. Adults who were cut as children are often not aware of the damage this does, and are psychologically impelled to perpetrate this crime on others.
People who advocate FOR circumcision of children are not acting in any child's best interest. If an adult is fully informed and wishes to have their OWN genitals cut for what ever reason (personal, sexual, religious) that's their business. However adults who use faulty reasoning and illogical excuses to cut the genitals of children (or promote the cutting of children) need to be held accountable for what quite simply falls under the legal definition of Aggravated Sexual Assault.
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