Circumcision was started for various reasons in various regions... It was a practice in Britain to treat STD sores that localized under the foreskin. It was started in Rome for cosmetic reasons. Started in Egypt and Africa as a rite of passage. In Korea... a ritual. All of these started long before America as a perceived tool to prevent masturbation. It's easy to pick and choose whatever reason you want to support your opinion.
Complications from circumcision are rare. It is proven that the older a male is when a circumcision is performed the more pain and complications there are. Yes, it is painful for the infant but the medical professionals recognize this and are trending toward prep. IE: numbing agents and pre medicating (Infant Tylenol/Advil) for pain control.
Most later in life circumcisions are performed secondary to complications. It's not like a man wakes up one morning and decides he is going to get cut for the heck of it.
BTW, you can die from a UTI. Many UTI are not symptomatic and go systemic before they get treated. Much like the example of an above poster about the little boy with brain damage from a systemic infection. Again, a rare occurrence. Studies have shown that circumcision can aid in preventing these as well as HPV, AIDS, Cancer and other diseases. Not just in men but in their female partners. Cleanliness is an issue. Teaching cleanliness is a must. However, there are those occasions when it just doesn't happen or in some cases where a man just physically cannot do it. IE: a man with arthritis in his hands that prevent him from even holding a cup little own retracting his foreskin and washing.
As mentioned previously, the foreskin produces fluids that aid in lubrication. There is a plus but that fluid also becomes what is know as smegma. That white, cheesy, smelly stuff around the glans under the foreskin.
There is no evidence that sex with an uncircumcised man is more enjoyable to a woman or visa verse. There is also no evidence that painful sex for a woman is due to circumcision. Not enough lubrication is more often a female hormone problem and has nothing to do with foreskin.
Female circumcision cannot even be compared to male. Cutting the penis off is the equivalent of female circumcision. Female is done to ensure the woman does not have orgasm or pleasurable sex. As far as cutting the labia... yes, the labia prevent and protect but still cannot be compared to foreskin. No foreskin does not leave an opening exposed for infection and whatnot like no labia would for a woman. As for cutting the breasts off to prevent cancer... we already do. The breasts have a proven function... feeding your child. The argument to do it in infancy and take that choice away... I guess if you are willing to take the benefit of breastfeeding away from your grandchildren you could make that choice at your daughter's birth. Again, cannot compare to foreskin.
As far as the infant not bonding and trust being lost... that one study was done in the 1980's and has since been modified in explanation. It now states that when the infant is returned to the mother he may be exhausted and stressed and may have some difficulty breast feeding or latching on immediately after. It is not proven anywhere in any medical study that a child remembers anything of their circumcision if it's done before they leave the hospital. Ask a 5 year old about his circumcision he had when he was 4 though and see what you get.
As far as the nerves in the foreskin... Men can argue with each other till they are blue in the face about which is more sexually pleasurable. Neither truly know what the other feels and I have heard arguments from both. I have actually heard men who had circumcisions later in life claim that sex is more pleasurable after the circumcision.
Those opposed to circumcision often use the word mutilation to slam their point home. That's like using the word sodomy to oppose anal sex or the N word to describe an African American. Strong words make strong statements but all mean the same thing.
Bottom line... IF you choose to have your infant circumcised it is best to have it done before you take him home. There are some medical risks and benefits but most are rare on both sides. Kind of like getting your child vaccinated for measles. The measles is pretty much obsolete but there is still the risk of contracting it.
