I filed a criminal complaint regarding the removal of part of my penis! I went to the website for the Sheriff's office in the county that I was born, downloaded a "Voluntary Statement Form," completed it, scanned it and e-mailed it. YES, I DID! And, they sent back a case number!
Yes, I'm betting there are going to be many people that will laugh. That's fine, every person in history that challenged a popular belief was laughed at.
This is what I said:
"Sometime between {birthdate} and {8 days later}, a part of my penis was removed without a medical indication at the {hospital} where I was born. I consider this to be a sexual assault and battery with a deadly weapon."
Am I hoping to win a financial settlement? This was not a civil case that was filed, thus, no. Besides, I'm pretty sure we are well past the statute of limitations.
Am I hoping someone will get arrested? Gosh, no. However, if the doctor is still alive, I would request that the doctor make a public statement against the procedure.
So, what am I hoping for? I am hoping that it will get attention. I am hoping the news media may decide to make a story out of it. I am hoping that the hospital administrator(s) and maybe even some doctors hear about it. They may laugh and joke, but, the next time they chose to cut off a part of a baby's genitalia, I bet they will be thinking about me.
Note my selection of words. I didn't even use the word "circumcision" because that would give it credence as a medical procedure. I didn't identify that it was a doctor that did it, either, because that wouldn't make it any more OK.
If you're curious, there is this well known case of a man that did win a settlement:
This link no longer works: https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=127183&page=1
This is an interview of William Stowell, the person that was covered by the story: https://youtu.be/H8szj1jFCWM
And, here's a story of a lawyer that has been fighting a "war on circumcision:"
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4361831-moorhead-lawyer-fights-two-decade-war-circumcision
Another lawyer that takes "circumcision" cases: David J Llewellyn
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Aren't hospitals and doctors risking fraud charges?
If you've read my previous posts, you already know that I'm an intactivist. There are many reasons that I am, that I have not gone into detail, as there is a mountain of information out there and I just attempt to point my readers to where the information is rather than re-hash the details here. But, I seem to continue coming up with thoughts that I have not really seen covered elsewhere.
I am tempted to send this to all doctors and hospitals where infant circumcisions are performed.
This is how I understand the prepuce (foreskin): During childhood, it's attached to the glans (an indisputable fact) similar to how a fingernail is attached or how a kitten's eyes remain closed until the finish developing. During the "circumcision" procedure, it is torn away. In many cases that I've heard, if the parent chooses to keep the boy intact, the parent/caretaker is directed to forcefully retract the foreskin to clean underneath it and to do that repeatedly until it stops adhering.
Now, I'm not a doctor, but: I know that, when a toenail is ripped away, it doesn't grow back the same. Of course, I didn't rip away my toenail repeatedly. I wonder if the inner-mucosal part of the foreskin and the glans are permanently damaged by this process. And, if that's the case, the foreskin probably seems like just "extra skin." I also imagine that if I removed my toenail repeatedly, I would be increasing the chances for infection. I also imagine that there would be plenty of scar tissue build-up, leading to a lack of sensitivity. I have lots of scar tissue where my appendix was removed (3-4 inches in length) and it's like there is no nerves in the scar tissue.
This leads me to believe what I have heard: In the USA, many boys, that are left intact, end up having to have foreskin amputation later because of problems like skin bridges (scar tissue buildup) and recurrent infections.
Now, either the doctors are culpable because of malpractice or they are committing fraud in order to make the money on performing the circumcision. Another possibility is that they simply are taught wrong. I have seen an anatomy book in a doctor's office and it does NOT go into detail about the prepuce; which is why I can see why they just think it's extra skin. Of course, if you speak with an intact doctor, I doubt they would say that.
I am tempted to send this to all doctors and hospitals where infant circumcisions are performed.
This is how I understand the prepuce (foreskin): During childhood, it's attached to the glans (an indisputable fact) similar to how a fingernail is attached or how a kitten's eyes remain closed until the finish developing. During the "circumcision" procedure, it is torn away. In many cases that I've heard, if the parent chooses to keep the boy intact, the parent/caretaker is directed to forcefully retract the foreskin to clean underneath it and to do that repeatedly until it stops adhering.
Now, I'm not a doctor, but: I know that, when a toenail is ripped away, it doesn't grow back the same. Of course, I didn't rip away my toenail repeatedly. I wonder if the inner-mucosal part of the foreskin and the glans are permanently damaged by this process. And, if that's the case, the foreskin probably seems like just "extra skin." I also imagine that if I removed my toenail repeatedly, I would be increasing the chances for infection. I also imagine that there would be plenty of scar tissue build-up, leading to a lack of sensitivity. I have lots of scar tissue where my appendix was removed (3-4 inches in length) and it's like there is no nerves in the scar tissue.
This leads me to believe what I have heard: In the USA, many boys, that are left intact, end up having to have foreskin amputation later because of problems like skin bridges (scar tissue buildup) and recurrent infections.
Now, either the doctors are culpable because of malpractice or they are committing fraud in order to make the money on performing the circumcision. Another possibility is that they simply are taught wrong. I have seen an anatomy book in a doctor's office and it does NOT go into detail about the prepuce; which is why I can see why they just think it's extra skin. Of course, if you speak with an intact doctor, I doubt they would say that.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Circumcision Researcher's Shopping Cart
There is a mountain of information about circumcision out there. I thought I'd put together a quick shopping list for those looking to educate themselves.
There are more books here: https://www.yourwholebaby.org/books
Videos:
I enjoy videos and find most people have the patience for them. I'm sorting these by what I find most valuable and relevant. There are also many videos on YouTube that don't cost anything, and well worth watching; I just recommend watching these first:Books:
I am not a big book reader, but you may be. I tried to group the books based on specific interest/subtopic.Female:
General:
Religion:
There are more books here: https://www.yourwholebaby.org/books
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Why more circumcised men aren't complaining
Why do so many men seem OK with the fact that a highly functional and valuable part of their body was removed during infancy?
First of all, how many of the circumcised men even have the slightest idea what foreskin is?
If they're like I was for the first 35 years of my life, they probably think it's just "extra skin" that's problematic. They don't teach anything about it in sex education. Even anatomy books that doctors have do not go into detail. An old AAP statement did more than the doctor's anatomy book that I looked at, but they removed the information even though it is no less true today than it was then.
Guys don't talk about their junk, either. Women talk about their genitalia more than men do. I'm not attempting to be homophobic here, but, homophobia is a reason; and, even the guys that aren't, think talking about their junk is just weird.
Don't guys miss it?
Why would they? Imagine being born without something that so many other people have. This something would have to be hidden from most people's view most of the time. Even those born without limbs or with some deformity are going to notice that everyone else has a "normal" body. Heck, in the USA, it's the other way around considering the number of men without foreskin. This can make circumcised seem "normal." It's the reason so many people say that someone with their foreskin are "uncircumcised."
And, if they do know what foreskin is?
Even after I started learning about what foreskin is, its functions and benefits, the harm that does as well as the harms that may come from not having it, I didn't completely realize it all for several years. Just because you read, watch or listen to something doesn't mean that it's all going to click right away. And, even as the realizations came, I had to go through the stages of grief (look them up if you don't know what they are) as they happened. And, since I didn't realize all the impacts all at once, I had to go through the stages repeatedly. And, there's no time clock on grief; it takes as long as it takes.
Even if a guy does know, you think he's going to be brave enough to face the public about it? Not likely. Men aren't supposed to complain; it appears weak. And, hey, you can urinate standing up and have sex, right?
After I personally got through all the realizations, the grief and thought through all the fear, I finally realized that I have to be an intactivist. It's not about me, it's about the next generation. It's about those baby boys getting their foreskin ripped off every day! No, they aren't starving to death and that's an important issue too. But, this is an issue that I understand well. It's an issue that I'm well informed about and can speak from personal experience. Something I really think I can have an impact on. Thus, it is my DUTY to do so.
Here's another good essay on the topic: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1j3SptZXnDo7au6WhNtpI30dk-p51nUcZ
First of all, how many of the circumcised men even have the slightest idea what foreskin is?
If they're like I was for the first 35 years of my life, they probably think it's just "extra skin" that's problematic. They don't teach anything about it in sex education. Even anatomy books that doctors have do not go into detail. An old AAP statement did more than the doctor's anatomy book that I looked at, but they removed the information even though it is no less true today than it was then.
Guys don't talk about their junk, either. Women talk about their genitalia more than men do. I'm not attempting to be homophobic here, but, homophobia is a reason; and, even the guys that aren't, think talking about their junk is just weird.
Don't guys miss it?
Why would they? Imagine being born without something that so many other people have. This something would have to be hidden from most people's view most of the time. Even those born without limbs or with some deformity are going to notice that everyone else has a "normal" body. Heck, in the USA, it's the other way around considering the number of men without foreskin. This can make circumcised seem "normal." It's the reason so many people say that someone with their foreskin are "uncircumcised."
And, if they do know what foreskin is?
Even after I started learning about what foreskin is, its functions and benefits, the harm that does as well as the harms that may come from not having it, I didn't completely realize it all for several years. Just because you read, watch or listen to something doesn't mean that it's all going to click right away. And, even as the realizations came, I had to go through the stages of grief (look them up if you don't know what they are) as they happened. And, since I didn't realize all the impacts all at once, I had to go through the stages repeatedly. And, there's no time clock on grief; it takes as long as it takes.
Even if a guy does know, you think he's going to be brave enough to face the public about it? Not likely. Men aren't supposed to complain; it appears weak. And, hey, you can urinate standing up and have sex, right?
After I personally got through all the realizations, the grief and thought through all the fear, I finally realized that I have to be an intactivist. It's not about me, it's about the next generation. It's about those baby boys getting their foreskin ripped off every day! No, they aren't starving to death and that's an important issue too. But, this is an issue that I understand well. It's an issue that I'm well informed about and can speak from personal experience. Something I really think I can have an impact on. Thus, it is my DUTY to do so.
Here's another good essay on the topic: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1j3SptZXnDo7au6WhNtpI30dk-p51nUcZ
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