Genital Autonomy: (eBook)

Protecting Personal Choice

George C. Denniston, Frederick M. Hodges, Marilyn Fayre Milos (Herausgeber)

eBook Download: PDF

2010 | 2010
XX, 252 Seiten
Springer Netherland (Verlag)
978-90-481-9446-9 (ISBN)

Infos

Circumcision affects 15.3 million children and young adults annually. In terms of gender, 13.3 million boys and 2 million girls are subjected to the involuntary removal of part or all of their external sexual organs every year. The problem of female circumcision has been addressed on an international level, but male circumcision remains a controversial subject that many academics have been reluctant to examine. Circumcision is tolerated today because it has been practiced for millennia by a small but vocal minority of religious and ethnic groups, however, when the practice is examined through the lens of modern legal, ethical, and human rights advancements, no place remains in civilized society for this body-altering ritual. In Genital Autonomy: Protecting Personal Choice, international experts address various types of genital modifications, the impact of these harmful traditional practices on the child, on human rights, and on the development of the concept of bodily integrity. The papers presented in this volume address these topics from a variety of angles. They question and dissects the true motivations of the doctors, witch doctors, and 'holy men' who promote and profit from circumcision.

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Circumcision affects 15.3 million children and young adults annually. In terms of gender, 13.3 million boys and 2 million girls are subjected to the involuntary removal of part or all of their external sexual organs every year. The problem of female circumcision has been addressed on an international level, but male circumcision remains a controversial subject that many academics have been reluctant to examine. Circumcision is tolerated today because it has been practiced for millennia by a small but vocal minority of religious and ethnic groups, however, when the practice is examined through the lens of modern legal, ethical, and human rights advancements, no place remains in civilized society for this body-altering ritual. In Genital Autonomy: Protecting Personal Choice, international experts address various types of genital modifications, the impact of these harmful traditional practices on the child, on human rights, and on the development of the concept of bodily integrity. The papers presented in this volume address these topics from a variety of angles. They question and dissects the true motivations of the doctors, witch doctors, and "e;holy men"e; who promote and profit from circumcision.

Inhalt

Preface 4
References 6
Acknowledgments 7
Contents 8
Contributors 10
About the Authors 12
1 Three-Fourths Were AbnormalMishas Case, Sick Societies, and the Law 18
Notes 27
2 Older Minors and Circumcision: Questioning the Limitsof Religious Actions 31
Introduction 32
Boldt: Disputing Custody 34
Acts and Omissions 37
Mishas Wishes and Competence 37
Medical Evidence and the Therapeutic/Non-therapeutic Boundary 40
What if Misha Chose Circumcision? 42
Omitting Religious Freedoms 44
Deciding with Older Minors 47
Concluding Thoughts 48
Notes 49
3 These Goalposts Dont Move: Non-Medical Circumcision of Boys in the Tasmanian and Australian Context 55
Human Rights Legal Context 55
Parental Authority 57
Domestic Protection 57
Pros and Cons: The Medical Argument 58
Effective Consent 59
Relevance of Paramountcy Principle---Best Interests 61
Medical Ethics 62
What Next 62
Notes 62
4 Mass Campaigns of Male Circumcision for HIV Control in Africa: Clinical Efficacy, Population Effectiveness, Political Issues 64
Introduction 64
Methods 66
Results 66
HIV Prevalence and Proportion Circumcised at National Level 67
Case Studies 68
HIV Incidence, and Dynamics of the HIV Epidemic in South Africa 69
Other Evidence of a Lack of Demographic Impact 69
Controversy About Geographical Correlations 70
Population Impact Versus Clinical Efficacy 71
Discussion 71
Rationale for Making Public Health Policies 71
Ethical Considerations 71
Ultimate Rationale of Male Circumcision 72
References 73
5 AIDS XVII, Mexico City: Reason for Hope or Panic 75
Notes 80
6 Circumcision Psychopathology 81
Introduction 81
Circumcision Psychopathy 82
Causes of Circumcision Psychopathy 82
CPCL Assessment of Circumcision Psychopathy 83
Factor Structure 85
Antisocial Personality Disorder 86
Assessment of Risk 86
Treatment 86
Conclusions 87
Notes 87
7 Physical Effects of Circumcision 88
Introduction 88
Cosmetic Effects 89
Glans Externalized and Keratinized 89
Tissue Loss from Circumcision 90
Loss of Sensory Nerve Endings 91
Loss of Reciprocal Stimulation of Foreskin and Glans 91
Loss of the Gliding Mechanism 91
Conclusion 92
References 92
8 Complications of Circumcision: A Urologists Viewpoint 93
9 NOCIRC of Italy: Scientific Activities 2006--2009 97
Introduction 97
Materials and Methods 98
Results 99
Epidemiology 99
The Opinions of Italian Urologists Toward MC 99
The Search for Facilities Performing Ritual MC 101
Discussion and Conclusions 102
Notes 105
10 A Project About Male Circumcision in the Veneto 107
References 108
11 The First Survey on Genital Stretching in Italy 109
Introduction 110
Method and Studied Subjects 110
Referents 110
Genital Stretching Cases 111
Results and Discussion 111
References 113
12 Knowledge and Opinions of North Italian Health Operators About Female Genital Mutilation 114
Subjects 115
Methods 115
Results 115
Comments and Conclusions 118
References 120
13 Stretching of the Labia Minora and Other Expansive Interventions of Female Genitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 122
Introduction 122
Survey Instruments 123
Contacted Subjects 123
Results 125
Subgroup A 125
Subgroup B 125
The Ritual 127
The Role of Plants 129
A Ritual Defloration 129
Social Meaning 131
Geographic Distribution and Involved Ethnic Groups: Evolution Over Time 132
Comments and Conclusions 132
GS and Ethnicity 133
GS and Male Opinion 133
Passing of the Ritual and Urbanization 135
References 135
14 Preventing Infibulation: Mana Sultan Abdurahman Isseat Merka, Somalia 136
Mana Sultan Abdurahman Isse: A Charismatic Figure for Your People 136
Female Somali Poetry 137
Poetry and Song or the Language of Traditional Authority 139
Conclusion 142
Appendix 1 144
Appendix 2 144
References 145
15 Writing Rites Gone Wrong: Autobiography, Testimonials, and Their Relevance to the Debate Around Genital Alterations 147
Discursive Asymmetry 148
The Conversos: The Early Confessions of Cristobal Mendez and Estevan de Ares de Fonseca 150
Kikuyu Irua 151
Jacques Derridas Circumfession 153
Riad Sattoufs Anti-circumcision Strip 154
Waris Dirie and Circumcision 156
Notes 157
References 157
16 The Impact of Neonatal Circumcision: Implications for Doctors of Mens Experiences in Regressive Therapy 159
Memory in Infancy 161
Regressive Psychotherapy 162
Re-experiencing the Trauma 164
Discovering Power 169
Restoring a Foreskin 171
Words of Caution 172
Advice for Doctors 173
Notes 173
References 174
17 Circumcision Memory 176
Introduction 176
Nightmares Passing as Dreams 177
The Account Begins 178
Estimated Time Line 180
The Memories Assert Themselves 180
Zero Hour, Wednesday, November 28, 1945, Time from Birth Records: 4:30 A.M. 180
My Birth 180
Day Two, Thursday, Time Unknown 181
The First Nursery I Remember 181
Day Three, Friday, About 10:00 P.M. 182
The Nurse Takes Me on Her Break 182
My Early Thoughts at Being Taken from My Bassinet 182
Day Four, Saturday, Early Afternoon 183
The Boston (Baby) Marathon 183
My Introduction to Numbers 183
Day Five, Sunday, About 7:30 P.M. 183
Tommie's Big Adventure 183
Day Six, D-Day, Monday, About 7:00 A.M. 184
A Rude Awakening Early One Morning 184
My Journey Through the Hospital 184
The Portable Surgical Light Question 184
The Entourage Arrives 184
Close Encounters, First Contact 185
Time to Go Now 186
Driving to Our Destination 186
Things Start Getting Serious 186
Time to Put the Horsie into his Harness 187
The Visual Barrier 187
The Torture Begins with Manual Separation of the Foreskin 187
The Metal Clamp 188
The Touch of a Scalpel 188
Surgical Technique 190
The ''Intermission'' 191
The Second Scalpel Cut 191
Blood Runs Freely 191
The Merciful End to Torture 192
Make Him Stop Crying! Pick Him Up! 192
My Vow to Remember and to Obtain Justice 193
Merciful Sleep: The End of that Day for Me 193
Day Seven or Eight, Tuesday or Wednesday, About 10:00 A.M. 194
My Reawakening 194
Power Lawn Mower 194
The Intense Itch 194
A Gauze Strip Saturated with Vaseline Brand Petroleum Jelly 195
A Visit from My Mother and Time to Get Ready to Go Home Wednesday About 11:30 A.M.
Epilogue 196
18 Foreskin Restoration 1980--2008 197
Natural Structure 197
Surgical Methods of Reconstruction 200
Non-surgical Methods of Restoration 201
A Logical and Successful Restoration Regimen 201
Restoration Devices 202
Homemade Devices 204
Non-restoring Covers 205
Natural Phimosis Treatment 205
Results 206
Notes 206
19 Restoration: The Foreskin and the American Dream 207
My Journey Begins 207
Restoration 209
You Can Get It on Ebay 210
Growth 211
Living with Integrity 213
The American Dream 214
20 Genital Autonomy: The Way Forward 219
21 Circumcision 224
George Wald (1975) 224
The Primitive Event: An Initiation Rite 225
The Jewish Rite 229
Why Did the Jews Circumcise So Early in Infancy 231
Male and Female in the Jewish Tradition 231
Is Circumcision a Health Measure 234
The Mothers 237
The Outcome 242
Notes 245
Appendix 247
Resources 247
Organizations 247
Websites 248
Books 249
Videotapes/Films 250
Newsletters 251
Index 252

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 25.8.2010
• Zusatzinfo: XX, 252 p.
• Verlagsort: Dordrecht
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Psychologie ► Persönlichkeitsstörungen
• Themenwelt: Medizin / Pharmazie ► Allgemeines / Lexika
• Themenwelt: Studium ► Querschnittsbereiche ► Prävention / Gesundheitsförderung
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► EU / Internationales Recht
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► Privatrecht / Bürgerliches Recht ► Medienrecht
• Themenwelt: Recht / Steuern ► Wirtschaftsrecht ► Handelsrecht
• Schlagworte: Circumcision, complications • Circumcision, ethics • Circumcision, harm • Female gential modification • Gender • Human Rights • Male and female genital mutilation, human rights
• ISBN-10: 90-481-9446-6 / 9048194466
• ISBN-13: 978-90-481-9446-9 / 9789048194469