In 2013 a mother in the UK picked up her then three month old son from her parents' house to find that her son had been circumcised against her knowledge and consent. The distraught mother stated to BBC that her son has had constant pain in his genitals ever since.
"When he first started talking he did say a lot that it hurt," the mother told BBC.
To have her child circumcised without her consent by someone who obviously didn't know what they were doing is awful. Not being able to cope and care for the situation caused even more distress for the mother and the child.
The UK mother went on to tell BBC, "If anything good can come of what's happened to my son it's raising a little bit more awareness to the suffering that comes, and giving people that are thinking of circumcising their children a bit of understanding about what they are doing."
For her to say that her child's suffering can raise awareness of the long lasting effects of circumcision is a little misleading. IF DONE PROPERLY circumcision is perfectly safe and, for most, a spiritual obligation.
In Judaism and Islam, it is a sacred right to circumcise baby male members of the Tribe. Rabbi Aron Moss of Sydney Australia stated in an article for Chabad.org, "The bris {circumcision} is a physical symbol of the relationship between G‑d and the Jewish people. It is a constant reminder of what the Jewish mission entails."
Islam has a similar practice of circumcision for both male and female children. Khitan or khitna is preformed on the seventh day of the child's life. It is widely practiced with male children, but female circumcision in Islam is slowly disappearing.
In both cases, the bris and the khitan are sacred religious practices no different than a Jewish man wearing a yamaka (traditional male head covering) or a muslim woman wearing a hijab (female head covering). Some may argue that these customs are not harming the body, but for those who practicing members of these communities don't see the ritual as any different than any other custom.
The Anti-circumcision movement argue that there are no health benefits to circumcising a child and that it will actually hinder the child when they reach adulthood. Despite doctors in the medical field ensuring again and again that there is no long term side effects to male circumcision, people still continue to press on, spreading misinformation and confusing those who are genuinely seeking information on one of the most important decision they'll make for their child.
According to WebMD, there are no risks to circumcising a child beyond what you'd expect from any open wound: pain at the operation site, bleeding, risk of infection while the wound is open.
Generally, the medical field state that the health benefits far outweigh the risks of getting the procedure done. Less risk of sexually transmitted diseases and penile cancer are just a few of the health benefits circumcision can offer.
Similarly, the anti-vaxx movement also spreads misinformation that is causing confusion and is risking lives of children all around the world. Parents are being led to believe that vaccines that help children fight against illnesses that they are not equipped to fight off themselves will cause autism. Even though the doctor that had made these claims has since admitted that he made his study up all together and he has had his medical liscence taken away, the movement still pushes on, bullying and fear mongering parents into not giving vaccinations.
As a result, children are dying from whooping cough, measles and mumps. It is an outrageous notion in 2017.
But, the anti-vaxxers are a stern warning of the dangers misinformation can cause. For most who are considering circumcising their children, it is a religious right and privilege. With the medical field backing the procedure stating that there are no risks to circumcision if done properly, it is no one's business what you decide. The decision should be what's best for your family and beliefs. Nothing more. If it's not harming the child, then there is no risk. The decision is between you, your son and G-d.
