Live data from Hacker News

Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

jpost.com

41–50 of 207 posts

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#41
post #5

It's genital mutilation. There's no medical reason [1]. Yes, having a foreskin means you need to clean it regularly (or your caregiver if you're a baby). And then there are disgusting things like this [2]: > In a practice that takes place during a ceremony known as the bris, a circumcision practitioner, or mohel, removes the foreskin from the baby's penis, and with his mouth sucks the blood from the incision to clean…

Multiple doctors and nurses told us to just leave it (not clean) and let him figure it out when he was old enough when our son was born in December.

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#42
post #11
post #2

I don't understand how parents are allowed to make major, irreversible, cosmetic medical decisions for children on their behalf. I'm not against circumcision, but it should be the choice of someone who is able to consent.

Well, parents are allowed to mark their children with musical taste, their political views, their habits, their values. These are also irreversible. Parents are allowed to feed their children the way they want, to take their children to spots where they might get a disease, to pass on their own diseases to their children. Parents are allowed even to pass on their genes, which may contain horrible psychological tenden…

"Other bad things happen so we shouldnt try to improve this Bad thing!"

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#43
post #5

It's genital mutilation. There's no medical reason [1]. Yes, having a foreskin means you need to clean it regularly (or your caregiver if you're a baby). And then there are disgusting things like this [2]: > In a practice that takes place during a ceremony known as the bris, a circumcision practitioner, or mohel, removes the foreskin from the baby's penis, and with his mouth sucks the blood from the incision to clean…

Categorically false. I have a newborn boy and talked to a number of doctors about it - there is actually a slight benefit to the circumcised child [1], it just isn't enough for the American Association of Pediatrics to recommend it outright.

[1] https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages...

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#44
post #11
post #2

I don't understand how parents are allowed to make major, irreversible, cosmetic medical decisions for children on their behalf. I'm not against circumcision, but it should be the choice of someone who is able to consent.

Well, parents are allowed to mark their children with musical taste, their political views, their habits, their values. These are also irreversible. Parents are allowed to feed their children the way they want, to take their children to spots where they might get a disease, to pass on their own diseases to their children. Parents are allowed even to pass on their genes, which may contain horrible psychological tenden…

[deleted]

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#45
post #2

I don't understand how parents are allowed to make major, irreversible, cosmetic medical decisions for children on their behalf. I'm not against circumcision, but it should be the choice of someone who is able to consent.

I know someone who had to have a circumcision as an adult. If he decides to have the procedure performed on his son to avoid the same problems he had, then I will respect his choice.

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#46

Cutting of dogs ears or tail is not ok, even illegal somewhere , but somehow it's ok to do similar things with your baby, because of ... because of religion? Might be my dog is Pastafarian. Is it ok then to cut of his ears?

It's not even religion, it's convention.

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#47
I love this particular controversy. It really highlights how most political opinions don't come from specific applications of universal principles, but from ingroup-outgroup signaling and status quo bias. A little part of my smiles whenever I see hypocrisy exposed.

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#49
post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably, yes.

Good, as long as you are morally consistent. I can't stand the hypocrisy of people that claim it's evil to circumcise your son but not evil to have your daughter's ears pierced.

I agree with you that infants shouldn't have their ears pierced, but let's all acknowledge that moral consistency can be allowed to draw a line somewhere below "permanent, irreparable damage that reduces function."

Re: Norway's Progress Party calls for ban on circumcision for boys

#50
post #19

This is one of those topics where people have extremely strong opinions, yet the vast majority of people affected by this practice (circumcised males) have no opinion or even a favorable opinion of their circumcision.

And what are they comparing it to? They quite literally do not know what they are missing. It's not like they can have it replaced, so they have to make the best of it. Any non-circumcised male could choose to undergo the process as adults, I don't hear of many takers.

It's not unheard of, but unless there is a medical condition, circumcision should be considered cosmetic surgery and the decision made by the person being circumcised. Involuntary cosmetic surgery/ genital mutilation, whatever you want to call it, is a waste of taxpayer money in countries that have publicly funded healthcare.
Post reply on HN