So quick backstory, I posted on a mum's page online in response to someone questioning circumcision as my son potentially needed to be done for medical reasons.
A lady started commenting saying how I am mutilating my baby, it's unnecessary and the medical practitioners are wrong. She was trying to link me to some articles and it continued via inbox (I have ignored it all, I don't need to justify it to anyone anyways).
I clicked on her profile and see she got her daughter's ears pierced at 3 months old.
I kind of thought to myself, pot-kettle-black.
Now, I have NO issue with circumcision and I have no issue with parents piercing kids ears at an age they feel appropriate as I truly respect that we as parents need to make these decisions ourselves.
But really, at the end of the day is there really that huge a difference particularly with the mutilation argument. I understand earrings can be removed however I have permanent scarring from mine stretching as I got older so I would argue that I technically am "mutilated" by them.
As a side note, my son doesn't need to be circumcised which is a relief as I wasn't ready for him to be put under GA just yet :)
29 Replies
To even compare the two you have to be pretty uneducated about the sexual health of a male or in all honesty a f**king idiot
I absolutely agree. Surgical intervention for a medical condition (as the OP was facing) versus choosing to wound/puncture a baby for the mother's fashion ideals are worlds apart!
I get you. I feel like if you're super passionate against circumsision, then you'd THINK she wouldn't dream of any type of body alterations/modification until her daughter was of age to choose herself.
They are completely different things but at the same time, it's still inflicting pain on a child who can't consent.
I have a girl and not, done neither as I don't believe in either for my children. But each to their own.
In your situation, a girl harassing you for your choices, I'd be annoyed to see she got her daughter's ears pierced when she's badgering you for getting your son circumcised for a medical reason.
I get what you're saying, both are permanent changes to the body that has been decided by the parents, but in your case recommended by doctors. I probably would have started sending links to articles about ear piercing complications like allergic reactions, infections, sepsis, skin ripping and cutting just to give a bit of her own back. Some people are crazy.
I think circumcision of both female and male is mutilation. I agree ear piercing is too. None of it should be allowed to be done to babies. Medical issues different of course.
I had my daughters ears pierced at 1 year old. It's one of the very few things I regret a lot, even though she's nearly a teenager and she loves her earrings, nor did she have any issues with infection etc but I regret it because it wasn't my choice or my body.
I felt pressured by my in-laws because it was tradition, so I gave in.
Having said that, I have always felt that ear piercing and circumcision arent really in the same league in terms of comparison. Apples and oranges so to speak.
Hypocritical or not, she's entitled to her opinions. It's the shoving it down people's throats and attacking other people's choices that I have a problem with (regardless of where a person stands on this topic).
I'd try not to take it personally, some people just cannot help themselves when they're busy being a right fighter!
Personally I don’t agree with either (unless medically necessary then I fully support male circumcision). I was having the ear piercing discussion just the other day and 100% believe that parents do not have the right to make that decision for their child. I think the child should be the one to ask to get their ears pierced. If the parents says no then I respect that but at the same time the parent shouldn’t be the one who initiates the piercing.
I had my daughters ears peirced at 6 months old.. she didn't like them at the time, now since starting school she wears them everyday.. 2 weeks ago in fact she wanted wanted seconds at 7 years old... you know wat, I took her to get em done at her request.. I think ear piercing and circumcision are two different ball games.. I have a boy, un cut, but believe me if there were a medical need to remove foreskin there would be no argument from me...
I'm sorry but ears peirced and foreskin are two different things..
Two completely different things that’s are in no way comparable
Totally agree. Babies with piercings make me feel sick. My daughter got hers done at 5 because she begged (multiple times daily) for 6 months. I wish I'd stuck to my guns and waited.
I’m not sure they are in the same league.
Genuine medical reasons that deem circumisions necessary are super rare. And generally only encouraged by old school doctors and the people who want there sons to look like Daddy.
What are your thoughts on female circumcision?
While Earings are a permanent hole they don’t lead to loss of sensation etc..
Uncommon yes. Only encouraged by old school doctors? No. Plenty of kids with disabilities end up with circumcisions if they won't have capacity to clean it properly as an older child, teenager or adult.... if for no reason than having mum pull your foreskin back as a physically, but not mentally, limited man would be really demoralising. And that's not considering the men that need it done for physical reasons related to the area rather than dexterity limitations affecting psychological well-being.
So still rare though hey 😒
People live to argue for arguments sake..
Uncommon. Not rare. Working in disabilities, trust me.... I see this a lot. Hardly an argument for arguments sake. Oh, and my best friend's son has quadriplegic CP, so he is circumcised. My nephew has a brain aneurysm, lost upper limb function, so he is. My husband's father had a stroke... His wife passed away and he chose to get it done because having nurses wash him was awful... It's not every man, but certainly not 'rare'
Not rare in your experience but within the general population it is generally rarely needed!! 😒😒
My son is not circumcised. But 32% of males under 30 in Australia are. In addition to health conditions that require the procedure, it reduces risk of other conditions such as penile cancer for men and cervical cancer for women (due to being less likely to spread the viral infection that causes cervical cancer). Lots of other medical benefits too.
You do realise all that you have just stated are all myths! Yes 32% are done but if those 32% the “medical reasons” for doing so are rare! And usually cosmetic to look like daddy
Most if If the reasons you cite are not medical though. They are convenience based and or pride based.
Out of curiosity how do you KNOW that circumcision means loss of sensation?
My father in law was done later in life and says it’s no different, my husband and his best friend actually got done later in life also (one by choice, one medically) and have also said they feel no difference at all. That coming from sexually active men who know the difference.
When we were potentially looking at our child being done for medical reasons the doctors we saw were 30-40 and had exhausted medication options and natural remedies.
Ok so you have 2 examples you must be right 😒
They loose nerves endings and so therefore there is a decrease in sensation!
Well I think there’s more credibility given 1. It’s actually THREE examples so you can’t count therefore I can’t take you seriously and 2. You don’t have first hand experience.
Are you a sheep who believes everything you read..?
I think the divided opinion on this topic proves the OP's point....
Not really. She is criticising someone who criticised another. She is the pot and the kettle. Her comparison isn’t fair or similiar
You're right. Medical vs fashion isn't fair or similar.
Circumcision can be arguably considered for fashion in a large amount of cases! 😒
But we could argue circumcision is fashion as people do it so they look the same as dad.. therefore, aesthetically pleasing.
Totally agree (though for many it's religious not fashion). But if you're not doing it for a medical reason, then you just agreed that it's the same as ear piercings... So you just lost your own argument!
At the end if the day, the internet is full of salty, over opinionated hypocrites who want nothing more than to beat people over the head with googled facts that fit their agenda. You just have to laugh and brush it off.
Truthfully, I just wish people would shut the fuck up about both of these topics 😂
Don't wanna chop off part of your baby boy's penis? Then don't.
Don't wanna shove pretty pieces of metal through your baby's ear lobe? Again, just don't do it.
Want to do one but not the other? OK cool, do what you want...
People gotta stop making other parents feel bad because they decided to make such choices for whatever reason though. Some other kid's ears or penis affect me or my family precisely 0% so I don't get why this riles people up so much, especially when there are children around the world who are really getting mutilated, abused or experiencing other unspeakable atrocities. A loving family deciding to pierce their baby's ears or have him circumcised kind of pales in that comparison, but whatever gets people's outrage boat floating I guess...
Amen.
I do get annoyed though when people sprout mythical medical reasons to justify their decision! Just own it! Or keep it off the internet!