[Nat]

My intention in starting this thread was to discuss any/all genital mutilation whether common and accepted or not, whether it happens to boys or girls or intersex kids. (So it's not a red herring to discuss male circumcision in this thread).

I have known men who were very glad they were uncircumcised and I have known men who felt violated that they had been circumcised. I have also known circumcised guys that were fine with the fact they were circumcised and guys who wished they were circumcised. But the ones who are uncircumcised CAN go and get circumcised a lot easier than those who were circumcised, where as those who are circumcised aren't able to grow their foreskins back. What does it do to a guy's psyche that his parents were willing to chop off bit of his penis? Why aren't men who are upset about this taken seriously? - especially in places where female genital alteration is rare? Is it like a "suck it up and be a man" thing?

I don't think male circumcision is on par with female circumcision but I do feel that altering the genitals of babies is a violation. That's my own feeling and it's strongly held.

I am very against altering female genitalia and I'm glad my bits weren't screwed with. I think it's a horrible travesty and I want it stopped. I also think surgeries meant to re-create the hymen are pretty damn fucked up.

I'm very against altering intersex children's genitalia because I think doing so can have horrible circumstances for that kid. As blackboot said, only in extreme medical situations would I advocate surgical alteration of a child's genitalia and even then my focus would be on retaining whatever functionality possible for that kid. It would never be to shove them into the box labeled male or the box labeled female.