A must listen for every human! Especially if you are going to birth a son in the near future.
Circumcision is the most popular medical surgery in USA today. But somehow it got to the point of it being performed for health reasons more that religious reasons. However, the claimed “health benefits” is based on flawed science, and in contrast, circumcision has alarming health and traumatic dangers.
But is there valuable ancient wisdom based in this rite of passage that religious and indigenous cultures have been performing for centuries?
Or has the essence of these rite of passages been misunderstood?
Is circumcision a violation of human rights? or are parents confidently making responsible and informed decisions?
Our guest, filmmaker, public speaker and very passionate and active man, Brendon Marotta, made an award winning film: American circumcision, which presents science and opinions from both sides of the decision – to circumcise or not.
The film presents religious leaders, doctors, lawyers and human rights spokespeople on both sides.
This is one of the most important podcast episodes on the Vital Veda Show, as the act of circumcising or not is a highly influential non-reversible act.
ABOUT OUR GUEST: BRENDON MAROTTA
Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker, author, podcaster, public speaker, and father.
His last film, American Circumcision, won multiple awards and played on Netflix.
He is the author of The Intactivist Guidebook, The Haunting of Bob Cratchit, and Children’s Justice. He has spoken at Yale University, the International Conference on Men’s Issues, the International Symposium on Genital Autonomy and Children’s Right’s, and the Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology. Brendon hosts a regular podcast called The Brendon Marotta Show. He currently lives with his family in Austin, TX.
Table of Contents
When, Why & How Was Circumcision Introduced As An Allopathic Medical Intervention
The medical origins of circumcision date back to the Victorian era (late XIX Century), where it was prescribed as a ‘cure to masturbation’.
Masturbation & the active engagement with one’s own sexuality was considered something dirty and was believed to cause a lot of ailments.
- The idea was that if one would remove the most pleasurable part of the penis, masturbation would become less enticing.
Michelle Fucault and the concept of Biopolitics & Biopower.
- Biopower is defined in Foucault’s book “The History of Sexuality” as the Government’s regulation of subjects through “an explosion of numerous and diverse techniques for achieving the subjugations of bodies and the control of populations”.
Circumcision Trauma in Children & Adults
It has already been proven by science that no matter the age of the child, they feel the pain of the procedure (unless properly anesthetised) and many times the trauma caused by the procedure can lead to PTSD.
A lot of studies are being funded with the purpose of ‘proving’ that there is no psychological trauma related to this intervention.
Removing part of a sexual organ without the consent of an individual can obviously be highly traumatic.
Adult men resisting to face and work through the trauma of their experiences only perpetuates the feelings within, and the existence of the practice without.
Circumcision As An Ancient Practice In Africa
The foreskin and the clitoris were removed from male & female teenagers as a rite of passage.
The idea behind it would be that the foreskin was the last remnant of femininity and the clitoris of masculinity, and these needed to be removed to properly transition into manhood & adulthood.
It was also a psychological tool to create the idea of “buying into” being a member of the tribe. Having to sacrifice something and be willing to endure the pain & trauma in order to become a full member of the tribe.
- If people had to sacrifice something in order to gain that ‘membership’, they would treasure it & the tribe more dearly.
Circumcision According To Judaism and Christianity
Judaism considers circumcision to be a necessary blood sacrifice to receive God’s blessings.
However, it originally was just the tip of the foreskin that was removed, not all of it.
- This changed during the helenistic period when many Jewish men wanted to participate in Roman athletic competitions, which were done in nudity. Since having the glans exposed was considered improper, Jewish athletes started to undergo foreskin restoration procedures where they would stretch the remaining foreskin and pull it forward.
The Jewish authorities of the time didn’t want Jewish men to participate in an identity other than Judaism, so they decided they would make it even more severe so that foreskin restoration wouldn’t be possible.
Christianity condemns circumcision, under the belief that Christ made the ultimate blood sacrifice and that no further sacrifice of this nature is needed. Doing so is interpreted as denying Jesus Christ’s sacrifice.
The Impact Of Circumcision In Sexual Pleasure
Removing the foreskin from the penis & clitoris from the vagina certainly has an impact in sensitivity.
The foreskin, or prepuce, & the clitoris are the most sensitive part of the male and female reproductive organs. Both have a high concentration of Meissner’s Corpuscles nerve endings, which are highly sensitive to vibration & touch.
The difference between the sensitivity of the foreskin/clitoris and that of the rest of the skin of the penis/vagina is similar to that of the palm of your hand and the back of your hand.
Working Through Any Circumcision-Related Trauma
Notice where your trauma is lodged, what part of your psyche is it affecting.
Sit with it, feel it and work on it.
Things you can do:
Speak about it with friends, family and/or a therapist
Meditate
There are books you can read on nearly every aspect of this issue.
Watch www.circumcisionmovie.com
Listen to the Brendon Marotta Show
RESOURCES
Please leave me a comment below (I love to read every single one).
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Please seek advice from a qualified practitioner before starting any new health practice.
