Circumstitions - analogies

What may and may not be compared with circumcision

Things you may - and someone does - compare with male genital cutting

Bedtime
- Leah on Babycenter.com, November 15, 2011
Hair- and
nail-cutting
- IfThen in the Guardian December 6, 2011
Vaccination,
tooth-straightening and
ear-piercing
- Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz in the Jewish Week, February 6, 2012
Tattoos,
tonsillectomies and
appendectomies
- SubZeroIQ on FITSnews.com, June 20, 2012
Feeding your kids spinach,
making them come in at night, or
get up for school
- DanMK on Zionica, July 2012
Baptism
- Tipsy Teetotaler on Intallectualoid, September 18, 2012
Removal of wisdom teeth and
stopping your child from crossing the road alone,
eating poison or
putting their hand on a lit stove
- Anonymous writer in The Word (Indianaopolis) p 21, October, 2012
Breastfeeding
- Barbara Amiel in MacLeans.ca, October 2, 2012
how u dress ur child
- Valerie Brink on Facebook, October 2, 2012
Abortion
- Winston Blake on Macleans.ca, October 3, 2012
Removal of pyrogenic granuloma (benign red skin growth) from the forehead (Granulomas often grow and shrink over time, stretching the skin in a way that surgery can not correct.)
- Leah Cypess in the Atlantic, October 3, 2012
to let teeth grow in the mouth of a child, and more cruel still
to allow all of them to break [come out]
- Sadaf Sarfaraz on MSN Arabia, October 11, 2012
to plan a trip to a region that is disease rampant, and take their child
- HapkidoNinja on The Jewish Post, October 15, 2012
Feeding him a high-fibre diet
- Mikey Bowler on the Greater New Orleans Times Picayune, October 18, 2012
The use of tobacco (for the standard of proof of harm required)
- atpontchrtrn on the Greater New Orleans Times Picayune, October 18, 2012
Putting on a coat in the winter,
taking medicines if they become ill,
eating meat their parents cook, or
for vegetarian parents - not eating meat
- Linus Scot on NPR, October 18, 2012
Umbilical cord cutting
- Tweeted by Hartwick College pre-med (!) Omar Russo, October 25, 2012
Internal examinations during labour
cesarean delivery... even at the cost of their child's life.
- Sue Ieraci on The Conversation, November 7, 2012
... forc[ing] them to go to school,
go to the dentist,
brush their teeth and
take a shower.
jonjlm on IMDb, November 19, 2012
cleft palate repair
lamk on Huffington Post, December 20, 2012
Ok yall talk about your childs rights like you cant choose whats best for them? So do they choose if they ... brush their hair
bathe
go to school ...

Comment to Mary Lanser on Facebook, January 21, 2013

poisoning your children with grape juice...
apple juice...
any type of fruit juice.
Marcapen on single dad laughing, February 12, 2013
... you buy you kid cheerios instead of frosted flakes
Thomas Lafferty on Facebook, February 27, 2013
The sequester [a national budget cut] is something like a circumcision.
Wm on Yahoo News, March 8, 2013
... like a fabric must be stitched and cut before it become a shirt.
Message to Indonesian Intactivist on Facebook, March 10, 2013
... a car accident which is much more likely [than a circumcision death], but I'm not going Amish anytime soon.
Brian Callaghan on Facebook, March 25, 2013
... Just like if I bought my son a car it's still MY car until he's 18.
- Caity Bro String on Facebook, April 4, 2012
... going to grandmas for Christmas...
Mike Baird on Metronews, Ottawa, April 10, 2013
"If you have a problem with what we did, sorry, we named you too..."
William Struemke on YouTube, April 13, 2013
... being forced to eat his string beans...
being forced to go to early morning swim team practice...
Aric Bernard in The Jewish Daily Forward, May 7, 2013
"So if a 13 year old goes to their parents & says I want to have a baby, it's my body, my right, should that parent allow it & let their child make that decision because it is THEIR BODY & RIGHT?"
Laura Dionne Gensoli on Facebook, May 11, 2013
"So is it not the mother's choice on how she raises her child?
Or how she feeds him?
Feeds herself?"
Brie Crooks on Facebook, June 1, 2013
"... getting their health checks... "
- Maxine Prime on Facebook, June 3, 2013
...do yall shave your arm pitts or is that forbidden too?
So if my son wants to drink alcohol at the age of 10 I should let him because its his choice?
Alexandria Marcelina Deleon on Facebook, June 6,2013
I should just let her do whatever she wants
and get in trouble
and run in the street
and play where dangerous traffic is, because she is her own being and can make her own decisions right?
Brettnie Nox quoted on Facebook, June 9, 2013
Ok [s]o [i]f my baby needs hea[r]t surgery I should wait for him to choose[?] [W]e make choices for our children everyday based on what we as parents feel is best f[or] them and yes like it or not that's my right[. T]h[i]s is the USA
Connie Marie Ouellette-Martin on Facebook, June 10, 2013
Children don't have rights in the traditional sense adults do. They don't have the right to bear arms,
they don't have the right to vote,
don't have the right to smoke a cigarette,
don't have the right to consume alcohol,
and they don't have the right to work.
UnknownArchive on Reddit, June 11, 2013
For all of you complaining about foreskin removal being bad for the body because it is altering the natural human form, you had also better be just as aggressives about liposuction,
breast implants,
tattoos,
botox, and
subdermal implants of ANYKIND.
Christopher Seitler Facebookon https://www.facebook.com/TheMommyArena/posts/367433730023572, June 12. 2013
Why do women shave their legs? It's not medically necessary, it's vanity.
Samantha Pry Soccio on Facebook, June 16, 2013
So if a child needs a organ removed are you going to wait until the child becomes an adult to see if they want it removed? ...
Shan-Bosslady Hardesty on Facebook, July 26, 2013
I wonder if they'd let their children roam around New York City alone just because they're not fitting into the chance that "something may happen" I mean jesus with their thought process you could let your kids roam free with no adult supervision because of the belief that something bad may happen isn't a good enough reason.
Or hey they can let their kids hang around pedophiles because just because the pedophile abused one child doesnt mean that its going to happen to their kid right!? Right?
Jackilyn Bell on Facebook, July 26, 2013
You guys are probably against cloth diapering too right? LOL
SamanthaDanielle EthansMommy Bender on Facebook, August 16, 2013
... It is no different from the rite of marriage! ...
PC user on Yahoo Shine, August 28, 2013
... are these the same people that wont get there dogs fixed because its inhumane?
Roberta Gray on Facebook, September 2, 2013
My wife was born with her heart outside her body. Guess they should have left that like it was... ?
Chris Sanders on Facebook, October 23, 2013
So itd be wrong for my mother to keep a child on life support since theyre not old enough to write a will stating otherwise?
You women use tampons right? You were taught to for hygienic reasons? Could just change your underwear and not use them since its not as nature intended.
Jordan R Howell on Facebook, October 29, 2013
Hairspray is also harmful. Should that be illegal too?
Evony Houston on Facebook, November 26, 2013
A sharpened #pencil writes better than ablunt one!
Jackie Daisy Kayizzi on Facebook, December 9, 2013
If your child decided they no longer wanted to wear clothing- would you let them run around naked all day. Would you feel you were violating their personal rights by forcing them to put clothes on??
Jill Berkman on Facebook, December 21, 2013
cheese has been shown to increase the chances of cardiac problems. Perhaps the ASA should throw any parent who feeds their child this killer food in jail for a year. ...
mivogo in the Washington Post, December 26, 2013
If any of the anticircumcision people were really that worried about the wellbeing of children, the first they would do is illegalize private swiming pools (very dangerous for children!)
BerelDovLerner in the Washington Post, December 30, 2013
And let's not grind wheat into flour since that's the way it naturally grows... (just echoing the famous discussion between Rabbi Akiva and the Turnus Rufus quoted in Midrash Tanchuma (Tazria 5))
Herb on Life in Israel, December 31, 2013
What is wrong with being circumcised? Do you think its also bad to require your kid to run?
Or to read a book he doesn't want to? Your breaking from ideals for no sound reason. It's a sign of an unhappy person, perhaps one not ready to bask a child in love.
Associated Press in Philly.com, January 14, 2014
By the logic being demonstrated here, a child with a benign tumor would be required to live with it until such a time that the child could make their own decision instead of letting the parents decide
or co-joined twins who could lead otherwise normal lives would have to stay co-joined until both decided to split. The parents wouldn't be allowed to make those decisions since making them would be a clear violation of that child's human rights.
Keith Marshak on the Copenhagen Post, January 24, 2014
Let's say a kid is born with a sixth finger, perfectly functional, no medical risk--would it violate some ephemeral right to "bodily integrity" to remove it at birth, or does he have to suffer stares and teasing because of this "right?"
David Bernstein on the Copenhagen Post, January 24, 2014
If I ever catch up to the doctor who picked me up by my ankles and spanked me immediately after I was born, there's no telling what I might do to him. I'm still traumatized by the memory...
"Jack" in the Washington Times, January 29, 2014
Presumably you would leave a baby to wipe its own backside, on the grounds that no adult should be telling that child what do with it.
James Heartfield on Spiked, February 8, 2014
Forcing a baby to eat is a violation we should ask the baby if they wanna eat first
SVTcoolguy on Youtube, April 17, 2014
... do you put shoes on your kids? Shoes permanently deform feet by constraining them into tight spaces. This affects them throughout their entire life. There are multiple studies, google it. Maybe you shouldn't let them wear shoes until they are old enough to understand.
David Rose on Facebook, April 2014
... taking them to a park or not taking them to a park,
doing homework with them or not doing homework with them ...
Olterigo on the Jewish Daily Forward, May 13, 2014
... So if a child wants to do cocaine and
eat at McDonalds everyday, the parents shouldn't do anything either? ...
Tyler Palmer on College Humor, May 14, 2014
... choosing not to introduce santa clause ...
ashely on The Stir, June 4, 2014
... weather they want to leave the hospital after birth. ...
Mike, an admin of Proud Parents Uncensored on Facebook, July 7, 2014
[After an article on Brit Shalom] Maybe the IRS would be OK with my symbolically paying my taxes?
Michael Kolb on Kveller.com, July 10, 2014
... So if your child wants to hurt someone you would not impose your beliefs on him right? ...
Lymor Saada on Kveller.com, July 10, 2014
Do I need your permission when I choose a school for my children
or if I want to force them to eat liver?
Scott Pritikin on The Tablet, July 10, 2014
Can I sue my parents for making me eat that stinky baby food out of those jars?? I didn't give my consent so.... I should be able to sue right?
They made me share a room with my sister for the first 12 years of my life... can I sue for that? It wasn't much fun sharing my things with her! It was against my consent!!
Once they took me to a hospital to get stitches when I split my forehead open.. I really didn't want those stitches at the age of 7 I was terrified of doctors but they MADE me go! Can I sue?!?! ~ Julz
Julz on Parents With Opinions on Facebook, August 6, 2014
Next we will be suing our parents because our parents gave us amoxicillin when turns out we are allergic to penicillin and had a bad reaction.
Clara A. Skinner on Parents With Opinions on Facebook, August 6, 2014
... some choose to have their children in a church as its their religion. ...
They Call Me Mom on SAHM's Uncensored on Facebook, August 7, 2014
"Do you smoke? If not, why not? There is always the possibility that nothing will happen to you. ?"
David Frigault on YouTube, June 2014
"Well then by that logic, why do we have to pick kids up from school?"
David Frigault on YouTube, September 3, 2014
... removing birthmarks? ...
Also, what about the parents that force their kids to go to all kinds of different therapies that they don't like going to. It's ridiculous, yes?
Julie Moon in the Lansing City Pulse, September , 2014
Have you ever seen a baby being born? That could be considered abuse as well.
The Brutally Honest Mom on Facebook, September 25, 2014
... Lets stop ... lapbanding [gastric constriction surgery] and
pacemakers ...
Luke Spook Hogarth on Facebook, October 17. 2014
I'm glad I didn't keep my helmet, look it's dangerous going into battle with no head gear. But I just call my cock a Special Ops Cock, at all times his [sic] out In the open leaving [sic] the dream.
Having a foreskin is similar to the Burqua [sic] situation. ...
Timothy Quirk on Facebook, November 5, 2014
... If your teenager what's to go have sex with every guy or girl are you gonna let them?? Hell no! ...
Or if they want to go do drugs and get wasted and party all the time are you gonna let them??? I mean it's their body, their choice right. ...
... to let you kid decide if they want to be fat and unhealthy or not because it's their choice.
Rita Schultz Berger on Facebook, November 17, 2014
... It's not like they are lobotomizing children. ...
Derek Connelly on Facebook, November 24, 2014
So if a kid was born with an extra arm from his BAck and would cause sever discomfort he should keep it cost he was born with it
Matt Spicer on Facebook, November 28, 2014
@morbathrmsnw - Are you going to decide that my child can't ... play video games?
riwr51 in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, December 5, 2014
@ml66uk - It would also be a human rights violation to forcibly ... have their teeth cleaned.
riwr51 in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, December 5, 2014
@thurstin - Should they wait until you are 18 to decide ... whether or not you should watch R movies or
eat candy, ... ?
riwr51 in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, December 5, 2014
Choosing your child's summer camp is way, way more of a risk, yet no one is discussing that.
caldepen in Ars Techinica, February 25, 2015
This is kinda stupid, trying to take away someone's choice to circumsize? I agree it's unnatural and unnecessary but to attempt to ban it? That's about as ignorant as trying to keep gay marriage illegal. If you don't agree with gay marriage don't marry someone of the same sex. If you don't agree with circumsision don't circumsize your child.
Brianna Indigo in Cosmopolitan, March 26, 2015
Ok so here is a question for you. Your husband has a penis. It's his penis right? So with that said sense it's his and his only can he take that penis and go have sex with whoever he wants? No matter that he is married to you and supposed to only slept with you. I mean it's his penis and he can do what he wants right?
Reannon Varney on Facebook, May 27, 2015
...if a child is tongue tied (do your research ) should the parent ask the sometimes very young child whether or not they want the surgery? And then oh well if the child says no.

Rosalie Goodwin on Facebook, June 24, 2015
... If a parent chooses to take their child yup a catho5 church, Baptist, hebrew, etc.it is that parents choice.
If a parent gets their child vaccinated to prevent illness, it is their choice. If a parent teaches their child to swim, homeschools, breast milk or formula,
hospital birth vs home birth, private school, surgically fixes a birth defect, opts for surgery for any reason-it is the parents CHOICE because as parents it's our CHOICE for what as individual patents we think is best.

Ashlee Kinman on Confessions of Rapid City, April 1, 2015
I hope you don't suggest tossing babies out into the streets so they can make all their own life decisions. Should we birth our babies on beaches and let them crawl away into the ocean, like a freakin sea turtles?

Jason Clark on Facebook, July 21, 2015
At birth you cannot consent to anything. You cannot consent to being born. You cannot consent to having a tumourous lung removed
You cannot consent to being assigned a gender.
You don't get to choose your name. ...
I suppose we should let the child decide if he or she wants to ... have its bottom wiped lest we risk traumatizing the poor thing.

Tyler Lee Myles on Facebook, July 21, 2015
... What dr to go to,
what food they can and cannot have and
when they can and cannot have it,
when they can start dating,
whether or not to get a filling at the dentist,
whether or not to go see a dentist,...

Carolyn Sims on Stay At Home Moms on Facebook, July 30, 2015
...it is amazing how circumcision does this damage while a baby falling down the stairs or otherwise suffering pain has no such effect.

Neil Curne in the Vancouver Sun, August 1, 2015
Some babies are born with tails... Save the tails as well we would look awesome with tails!
Jay Pilipovich on Facebook, August 12, 2015
Well than I guess when my son hits or spits than I shall let him because that's his right, right?! No! I'm his parent it was our decision and that's that! I don't need anyone's permission and don't care to argue because you have an "opinion". Thanks!!

Dina Jay Scarbro on C-section mommies on Facebook, March 24, 2016
Why pluck Ur eyebrows. Wax Ur bikini line, have c
Veins treated , dye ur hair, etc etc all unnecessary but still people go ahead with all of this....why encourage Ur child to play sport - they could get hurt!!! Blah blah blah

Wendy Warner on Kidspot on Facebook, March 24, 2016
Not cutting girls' clitorises off!
I got a message from someone posing as a Urologist trying to preach to me about the fact that they don't do it In other countries. My response "they also cut off the clitoris of little girls in other countries". Douchebags

Ashley Ila Marie Taylor on Zach Myers' page on Facebook,
April 6, 2016
Cutting off the foreskin is a hygiene choice. Just as wiping their butts, and bathing them.

Christopher McDevitt on Ken Webster Jr aka Producer Kenny's page on Facebook, April 12, 2016

It's like asking my son for permission to wipe his ass when he can't even speak.

YoungPlutus commenting on Riley J Dennis's video,
"5 Reasons Not to Circumcise Your Child", December 2016
I'm protesting tomorrow....I think it's illegal for rain to be wet....
Also i will be protesting the traffic signals for not having a 4th color...

- Chris Walden commenting on a Bloodstained Men protest
on WJHG-TV's Facebook page
I want to protest the dummies on motor scooters!
In Chattanooga its freaking bicycle lanes going in everywhere!

Amber Sherlin Gardenhire in the same thread
I bet these ladies shave... But why? You people are born with it. LoL.
I bet these ladies have also done some sort of thing to stop their normal cycle... LoL, worlds biggest hypocrite's! Hang on a while ladies...
I'm just gonna smoke some marijuana
& maybe even drink & drive...

Maria Anastasia Katrina Fa'uhiva on her own Facebook page,
August 11, 2017
Havent you ever made a model car before? Sometimes you still gotta trim off a bit of excess plastic

Pimp Dragon on Twitter, August 3, 2018
Well shit...first gender dysphoria,
then socialism because the new generation doesn’t know shit about hard work, and now this...circumcision?
What’s next, dont shit in toilets because toilets have feeling and don’t like being shat in??? GROW THE FUCK UP SOCIETY! #rant #politics

- Thomas Schmidt on Twitter, September 8, 2018
I think we should stop undressing our babies to bathe them since they are not old enough to give consent, or send them to school
or tell them off
- Imran Nazir on Twitter, July 21, 2019
...there is nothing stopping you from going under and getting the foreskin removed via circumcision [ to a man who had shown no interest in doing so]... It's like being fat and doing nothing about it. And blaming people for empathy instead of food.
- King Solo on Twitter, September 5, 2019
You can't even change a child's nappy [diaper] without having to ask them first!
- Joan Keatine on Twitter, February 2, 2020
like cutting a diamond

- because cutting a baby's genitals is just like cutting a rock

Things you must never, NEVER compare with male genital cutting

Female genital cutting

An analogy would be no use if the things it compared were alike in every way. It is of use when it compares similar attributes of things. These things are either not permanent, or not done without consent, or not done to (born) infants, or choices between near-equivalents, or vital to life - unlike male genital cutting.

It is as a human rights violation that female genital cutting is comparable to male genital cutting. It is not severity that makes genital cutting a human rights violation, but that it is unnecessary, invasive, permanent, reductive and done without consent.

Analogies

What may and may not be compared with circumcision