Deprived, depraved, damaging, disgusting, sad.

If there is one thing that makes my blood boil is the discourse on this subject. It boils for a number of reasons. The sexism. The blatant disregard for the subject. The ignorance. The assumptions. The weak arguments. The misuse of statistics. The suffering. The needless suffering. The lack of choice. The arrogance. I could go on.

Let's start with the sexism. In the UK it is illegal to circumcise a female. We have something called safeguarding where thousands of people that are involved with children are being asked to look out for signs that a girl may be subjected to a circumcision. They care nothing for boys. We have an equality act which is supposed to treat all people the same. It aims to give protection to both boys and girls. However, there is no law protecting boys from the theft and damage to a key organ. Some believe that male circumcision is no where near as bad as female. How they arrive at that conclusion I do not know. Hence the mention of ignorance in the first paragraph above.

Bill Gates is known for many things. He is often thought of as up to no good. He is the centre of many conspiracy theories. On this subject he is a true villain. If 4 boys per thousand catch a disease circumcised, versus 6 not circumcised, then he claims that it is a 50% reduction. I say the reduction is 2 per thousand or 0.2%. Quoting 50% is a dreadful misrepresentation of the data. Data which might not be that accurate anyway. I personally don't think it makes any worthwhile difference in rates of infection. It may be that by making sex less pleasurable, or in some cases very uncomfortable, it lowers the want to have sex. If that is the mechanism behind the tiny potential reduction in disease transmission, then that demonstrates what a horrid species we humans are.

It is cleaner.

Yes, in the same way as not cooking prevents the kitchen from getting dirty and untidy. Lads; roll it back when you have a shower and give it a good hosing - as often as possible. It can become gunky true, but like brushing your teeth and washing your hair it is something to attend to. Billions of us get on just fine without having this wonderful thing removed.

Tightness - The foreskin won't retract.

This can be a problem. However, circumcision is not the answer. The answer is albeit painful and testing but perfectly satisfactory. Pull it back whilst soft. Then invoke an arousal. It will hurt like hell. Repeat four times a day for as many days as needed. In all but the most, most, extreme cases this will resolve the situation. Have faith, it will get less painful each day. It is only pain, however, if far beyond what you can take then take a day of rest to let it settle. Then back to it. This is your life, so endure and conquer.

Weights

As we speak tens of thousands of deprived men have weights hanging off their penises encouraging the skin to stretch and grow. They are trying to make a foreskin return. I am sure most do this in private and tell few about it. A hidden realm of pain and trauma.

Trauma

Some men claim that they suffer a form of flashback and trauma from the evil event. We assume babies forget most of their early years but maybe an imprint of being tied up and terrorised lingers somewhere. Who knows. Mothers ask, "will it hurt". The evil doers reassure the mothers that they will have an anaesthetic and won't feel a great deal. I can't call these people doctors for a doctor must abide by the Hippocratic oath containing - "I will do no harm or injustice to them".

Masturbation

Masturbation is much more frustrating when the moving part has been robbed from the man. There were many teachers who thought circumcision was a huge benefit. They disapproved of boys masturbating. I get a sense that we are not allowed to seek pleasure and reward in their world.

Sex with women

The penis simply does not work as nature intended. If you are religious, you could argue that is how god created man. If he is so powerful and perfect, he would not have made the penis like it is. It would be 'naturally circumcised'. Instead, he understood how to get the most out of the device. He made a pretty good job of it, and it needs no part removed.

Care must be taken by writers on the subject when religion is involved. Nevertheless, the blood boiling nature of this issue makes me ask you to show me where in the Koran it mentions the need for a circumcision. You won't find it. Maybe in some texts there are hints that early leaders had it done. There are mentions in the bible. Some chapters mention a part cut - much less than the full complete removal. However, there are passages that clearly state that it is wholly unnecessary to have it done in order to be a fully paid-up member of the Christian religion. Only the Jewish Torah has an addition that promotes the practice. Odd that many religions are in effect endorsing the Jewish culture. In truth it is a cultural savage practice that is done more for tradition than religion. I repeat the following. If a man, an adult chooses to have a body part removed then I myself have no care in the world for that. He is over 18 or preferably over 21 and can decide for himself.

Sex with women is not as good. A proper complete penis can operate close to the woman and provide her much more pleasure. Maybe this is a way we can open the floodgates towards change. If it is not so good for women, then people will stand up and fight for something to be done. Most action is successful if women are disadvantaged. I feel that men are less than second best in the western world. Maybe you don't agree. Maybe women being first in line for custody of the children would add one thing to the list of how women get priority. Ultimately this is not some rant against women. Men are as much involved with this awful practice as women. Women have gender specific problems that men are not aware of, nor care two hoots about either.

Sensitivity

With the head exposed 24/7, the sensitivity fades quite a lot. Thus, we have two areas lost or impaired. The nerve endings are taken away completely. This means that these men never get to appreciate what sex is supposed to be like. Plus, what they do feel with what they have left, is considerably muted. A form of ignorance paradox. Does one miss what they never had? It must be galling to listen to the joys non-damaged men speak about.

Elective

The philosophical debate surrounds the dastardly action carried out on the defenceless. What one does with one's own body when they reach adulthood is very different. Whilst some men have taken the circumcision route on advice of the doctors, they did at least get a chance to consider the implications. A baby does not get any say so in what is to happen to their body. The worst remark I ever heard from a mother was that it looks better when done. Oh my. It is a creation of god so to speak and looks perfectly fine when complete. Some men have been given poor advice. After the operation they had major discomfort. Perpetual soreness and trouble doing basic things. Sports were ruled out entirely. Some committed suicide as a result. Get a second, a third opinion before you destroy what is good.

It affects some more than others

I suspect that some men are more affected by what has happened to them than others. It depends on the level of libido throughout their lives, what sort of sexual plays they find the most appealing and so forth. When some of your peers say to you that they have no problem with it, it provides false reassurance that it is acceptable. Some sexual activities are much less inviting in practice when your genitalia gets sore so quickly. The foreskin plays a part in enabling men to have sex for longer each time. This is a big part of the problem. As so many claim that they still have satisfactory sex lives, it overshadows the significant number that don't. The lines are blurred. Many won't admit it. It can be hard to quantify given that they have never know any different.

The list of sexual practices, delights and plays is long. Very long. I can't provide accurate numbers of how many men a circumcision has caused a great deal of bother to. Perhaps half to three quarters of men are unperturbed. Thus, you will have many people who have had a circumcision and not report any ill effect. However, certain activities are out of the question for a substantial portion of those affected. They will be nowhere near as contended. It all depends on what excites you. Long winded tantric sex - no chance. You move quickly from rewarding, pleasurable sensations to soreness and sorrow. Fun pain to unwelcome uncomfortable pain. Instead it is something quick and move the mind elsewhere.

I know that there is suffering galore. People in road accidents daily. People with hideous cancer and awful infections. That being said, to make lives miserable simply because it is perceived as the done thing is heart wrenching.

The truth is this. People in years gone by did not approve of 'wankers'. Masturbating is frowned upon. How does one really work out what turns us on? Think, fantasise, stroke stroke stroke the penis or the vulva. Try this, then that, then something else to find oneself. In some societies producing fluids of the sexual variety is distinctly naughty. People would do their utmost to prevent anything leaving their penis. Masturbating then strangling to stop any leakage. The result? Huge medical problems. What is so wrong with letting it out in private and wiping away the evidence, happy, flushed - a golden moment in a stress filled life. We travel but also take many inner journeys. Both essential, both an individual's prerogative.

I need to clarify my personal position on this. Circumcision at birth or without a child's truly informed consent is barbaric, child abuse and a horror that can't be properly elucidated. If one elected to have a circumcision as an adult that is their choice. That is when they adopt the culture or faith. It is not uniquely related to religion. Not at all. It goes on in equal measure within non-religious communities. It is only the circumcision of babies or children - those that can't provide consent that is troublesome. Anyone wanting to, when they can decide for themselves is fine so long as it is not pressured. It ought not at the behest of the those willing you to do it, to conform. It can show a true believable commitment to a faith, the way of life or the culture.

You do not own the child. The child owns themselves. The "my child, my choice" argument is wrong. My aunt, my brother, my friend. We use 'my' as ownership and get carried away with it when it is 'our' children.

I feel for those that not only lose sensation and have a dissatisfactory sex life but suffer when simply walking about. Playing sports is nigh on impossible for many. Oh, but that is just a tiny minority say those obsessed with meddling with things that is not theirs to mess with. Given that few are willing to talk about such an intimate aspect of their life I would guess that this tiny minority runs to millions of people. I am told that 38 percent of the population have had this savage sadistic intervention. It is beyond belief. How have we got here? The numbers suffering because of it, suffering in silence would fill a large nation.

Revanche? Has it occurred? Do we forgive our parents or hold a grudge for life. This is something we have to calculate for ourselves. Did they know any different? Did they just go along with what was standard practice and seemed a normal thing to do at the time. Did they question it. Did they make the decision in haste?

In the UK we have two significant laws. FGM female genital mutilation is banned. Then we have the statutes surrounding equality. Men can and will take the government to court to request vast recompense for allowing clear sexual discrimination. If anyone even suggests that it is worse for a girl than a boy, please think long and hard. In both cases the sensual nerves have been stolen.

Will banning it make it go underground? Maybe. But morality follows where the law leads. In the short-term boys will suffer in even more hideous ways, but as years go by, by standing firm the practice could fade. The biggest mystery is why so little is talked about this. Women seem to be vocal. They shout from the rooftops when something amiss is happening to them. Men need to band together and stop being squeamish about discussing this subject. It is no laughing matter. When an old lady 'comedian' laughed about it on the Graham Norton BBC show, the audience laughed along. This is real torture. Real suffering. Really unpleasant noxious hideousness. Watch the videos of the babies being tied up and screaming in absolute terror. Read up about the lasting effects. Start a campaign. End the philosophy that it was done to me so appropriate to have done to my son too.

One documentary gave me hope. A young mother said something to the effect. I may not be the beset mother in the world. I know I will fall short. However, the one thing I can be very proud of is that I haven't put my sons through this. Thankfully, the widespread practice in the USA is becoming a little less widespread each year. Here they looked at the difference in problems in relation to this compared with Europe. No benefits could be shown. Only more ill effects.

As for the mother that claimed it looked better; Will your son walk about with it hanging out for all to see when thee saunters to work? How dare you say a creature made by god can be aesthetically improved by your fallacies. Makeup yes, haircut yes, shave maybe. But cocking up his cock. Absolutely not. Can we no let him choose his style?

I wish I had the ability to write with passion. Irrespective of that, what I will lastly say is that no other object in the universe has the capacity to provide as much fun, enjoyment and contentment than a fully functional sex organ. That is when used alone and with a fantastic long-term partner. It is often a key part of what has keeps people together. It even makes the odd baby.

To roughly quote the book; for every thousand sexual acts we produce a child. Sex is for fun, procreation is incidental.