why do most American men get sercomsized at birth?

Question

I lived in Germany and was told that the only men there that get cut are Jewish.

Answer 1

The answers here are astounding in their ignorance; they are based on myth, not medical science.

The American Medical Association and the American Paediatric Association have both published policies that clearly state there are no increased risks of infection for adult males with an intact foreskin. They state that there is no medical reason for routine circumcision of infants.

It isn't 'dirty' any more than the labia is 'dirty' on a woman. We all need to clean the whole genital area each day, and that includes for men, pulling back the foreskin and washing the glans penis.

The fashion for circumcision developed in the US in the 50s. At one point, almost 90% of American boys were being circumcised. Fortunately, with better education, that number is now around 40% annually and falling.

The main purpose of the foreskin is to protect the nerve endings in the glans. When the foreskin is removed, the glans (head of the penis) is permanently exposed, and as the boy matures into an adult, the glans develops a thick layer of keretin, reducing the sensitivity of the penis.

The removed skin is more like the head of the penis than the shaft - it is covered in thousands of nerve endings. Removing the foreskin removes this pleasure area from the penis.

Looking back over the ill-informed answers earlier to this question, I wonder how many of the women responding would have been happy to have part of their clitoris removed at birth because men thought it was untidy, unnecessary or dirty? Not many, I suspect.

There are no other countries where circumcision is routinely performed, except as part of a religous custom.

Answer 2

Because for decades it was considered a "cure-all" from masturbation to epilepsy to infection to paralysis, etc. It's quite ridiculous. And it became so widespread that no one questioned it and no one thought that it was anything but automatically done. Yes, some people do it for religious reasons but that's comparatively small.

It got to the point where the foreskin became so rare as to be foreign. People didn't what it was, thought it looked alien, didn't know how to take care of it, etc. Thus many people began to see it as ugly and such (which it inherently isn't, that's just shallow opinions). As a result MANY misconceptions emerged, like "the foreskin is unclean/unhealthy" or "it's far more prone to infection" or "it greatly increases risk of STDs and HIV contraction." And for a while the US medical science was biased towards proving it to justify the practice. Yes, science isn't as objective as one might think (though it should be). None of the above anyway are true, and even if they were it'd be so insignificant that it wouldn't matter if one was circumcised or not.

You see many of the other posts saying how "unclean, unhealthy, and bad" the foreskin is. Well, the vast majority of men in the world are uncircumcised, does that mean they're "unclean, unhealthy, and bad"? No, that would be arrogant and stupid to say. To retain something that you're born with can't be all that bad for you, ESPECIALLY if it's something that every guy's born with.

Good thing that many people in the US now realize how unnecessary circumcision is and that the rate continues to fall. To say that the foreskin poses ANY threat to health goes under the phrase "non sequitur" or "it does not follow."

Answer 3

Dr.Kellog (the same man from whom owns the cereal company) during the early 1900s felt that circumcision was the only way to stop masturbation and sex in the US. The US felt that anything sexual is wrong. This mindset continued, though the tides are turning.

Many men are circumcised in the US, but there is a movement for circumcised men to restore their foreskin, you can find more information at the links below.

http://www.norm.org
http://www.cirp.org
http://www.foreskinrestorationchat.info
http://www.restoringmen.net

Answer 4

Actually, when I was interning in a maternity ward I got to see a circumcision. The doctor told me that circumcision is actually more dangerous for babies. She said she always tried to explain it fully to parents and only did them if the parents specifically requested it.

But I think something like 2/3 of men are circumcized. It has no function, just looks better. Also, it limits pleasure during sex (according to the doctor, I obviously wouldn't know, haha).

Answer 5

it is a jewish tradition to do it, but most men do because it can be a health risk not to. if a man is uncircumsized there is a chance that bacteria and germs can settle underneath the skin and cause infections.

plus it looks so much better.

Answer 6

specific eu nationalities, yet no longer all. greater often than not the French and human beings from the Mediterranean. in case you bypass to Northern Europe (Sweden, Norway, Finland) you will observe the severe opposite case. in fact, Scandinavians discover human beings too comfortable!!!

Answer 7

American men get CIRCUMSIZED because it makes for a healthier, cleaner, prettier American penis.

Answer 8

for sanitary purposes because uncuts are prone to infections cuts are easy to clean and nice to look at.... =)

Answer 9

Because it makes your penis much more attractive. A penis doesn't need a hoodie.

Answer 10

No anyone can be. It hurts less when you are a baby.