I believe in individual freedom, not giving some people the freedom to deny freedom to other people. That includes limiting the rights people have over their children's bodies and beliefs.
The majority of American parents who opt for circumcision in the natal ward aren’t doing it for religious, political, or sports reasons. I’m curious if you would enforce your ethic. Should it be illegal?
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Yes, the same rule applies. I am arguing that religious customs should have no more special significance than secular ones. In most cases, we don't allow parents to modify their kids bodies without medical need. We shouldn't make an exception for this.
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OK, but let’s speak of the law and practicality first. The UK has a law against FGM and is incapable of enforcement. Do you think that outlawing circumcision will help? Because it’s consistent?
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I think it would prevent many cases coz safe options weren't available but drive others underground to less infection and pain controlled "surgeons." This is a practical consideration rather than an ethical one. Kids still have the right to freedom of choice.
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Also, it’s tangential to your principle, but do you think it matters that circumcision has a visual purpose (right or wrong) of projecting masculine sexuality, and that FGM is designed to suppress female sexuality?
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Circumcision among non-Jews in America was also about preventing sexual pleasure and decreasing masturbation, tho. But I genuinely don't know how circumcision projects masculine sexuality. We don't have it much here & I'm not aware of connotations like this for cut men.
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It’s not complicated. A circumcised penis shows more, and looks more like an erect penis. It exposes what is concealed. Circumcised penises are extremely dominant in porn, which can be presumed to not have inhibition of masturbation as a concern. 1/2
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OK, but I think this would have to be widely accepted and here we just accept that most men aren't circumcised and circumcised ones take a bit of getting used to.
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Yes, and here it’s the opposite. What I’m getting at is that FGM is a horror, it’s both illegal and ignored, and you’re going after the 11 Jews who haven’t yet been driven out of the UK. +5 points for intellectual consistency, -20 for moral relevance.
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