Circumcision Revisted

Every morning when I first get up, I immediately go to the computer and bring up our website. Each time, I'm utterly amazed at the speed and ease of the internet. Thanks to Ted Nelson, the brilliant creator of this medium, I am instantly in touch with the whole wide world. Maybe it's my age, but I never cease to marvel at the potential of this kind of communication.

Today, I accidentally ended up on a page that had viewer responses to my article on male circumcision. As I reread them, I again realized how many thoughtful people had shared their ideas and feelings on the subject, including a few men who called me out on some of my statements. And get this, I agree with what many of my critics said. Yes, I made some brash statements with no data to back them up but I wrote that essay after I'd just watched the video clip showing a baby being circumcised. It actually sickened me as I observed this infants suffering while two adult males, one a doctor and the other his father, simply stood by and allowed this to happen to a helpless baby that was put into restraints. Still in an emotional state, I typed out my response to this unnecessary procedure.

Okay, I'll admit I got carried away with several statements about cut men hating women and how circumcision made men more willing to go to war, and claiming it was the cause of all the "hard fucks" in the world. Another blunder was calling African tribes "primitive," especially after living through the Bush/Cheney years which surpassed all of man's inhumanity to man with their penchant for torture. (I still say those missing tapes are Cheney's preferred porn. One look at his face tells me he's a practicing sadist).

To further explain my emotional outburst, I primarily learn through my eyes. That explains why I was so drawn to art. My background was the study of drawing and painting the nude with five years of the best schooling available in New York and Paris. I am not an academic so I have never crunched numbers nor am I a diligent reader or researcher. This has advantages as well as disadvantages. However, I believe many of Wilhelm Reich's ideas made sense. One that stayed with me was how the physical body retained the memory of pain as well as pleasure.

My PhD in sexology from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality was primarily based on my unique field work. I'd logged in twenty years of running masturbation workshops with women and documenting my observations about female masturbation with a book, videos and numerous articles written on the subject. When it comes to partnersex, my knowledge again comes from actual sexual experience thanks to America's sexual revolutions of the sixties and seventies. Yes, I've read some of the important books written about sex, but as I'm somewhat dyslexic, it's difficult for me to retain information. However, once I've seen it, I've got it for good.

The responses to my essay on male circumcision were very exciting and I learned from it. I want to thank all of you who posted your opinions. I only wish you were not all anonymous as several begged a reply. Others I would love to correspond with, especially the man who had only one sex partner, his wife. From what he wrote, I believe they have a divine sex life. It's moments like this when I read or see something that blasts through all my conceived ideas or theories. I'm humbled by all of your thoughtful responses.

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