Non-therapeutic Penile Circumcision of Minors: Current Controversies in UK Law and Medical Ethics

DarthEquus · 2022-05-18T19:42:12+00:00

Abstract:

The current legal status and medical ethics of routine or religious penile circumcision of minors is a matter of ongoing controversy in many countries. We focus on the United Kingdom as an illustrative example, giving a detailed analysis of the most recent guidance on the subject, from 2019, from the British Medical Association (BMA). We argue that the guidance paints a confused and conflicting portrait of the law and ethics of the procedure in the UK context, reflecting deeper, unresolved moral and legal tensions surrounding child genital cutting practices more generally. Of particular note is a lack of clarity around how to apply the “best interests” standard—ordinarily associated with time-sensitive proxy decision-making regarding therapeutic options for a medically unwell but incompetent patient, such as a young child dealing with disease or disability—to a parental request for a medically unnecessary surgery to be carried out on the genitalia of a well child. Challenges arise in measuring and assigning weights to intended sociocultural or religious/spiritual benefits, and even to health-related prophylactic benefits, and in balancing these against potential physical, functional, and psychosexual risks or harms. Also of concern are apparently inconsistent safeguarding standards applied to children based on their birth sex categorization or gender of rearing. We identify and discuss recent trends in British and international medical ethics and law, finding gradual movement toward a more unified standard for evaluating the permissibility of surgically modifying healthy children’s genitals before they can meaningfully participate in the decision.

Non-therapeutic Penile Circumcision of Minors: Current Controversies in UK Law and Medical Ethics

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r/Intactivism

Title	Non-therapeutic Penile Circumcision of Minors: Current Controversies in UK Law and Medical Ethics
Author	DarthEquus
Upvotes	25
Comments	1
Date	May 18, 2022 7:41 PM UTC (4 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/comments/uskzxg/nontherapeutic_penile_circumcision_of_minors/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/LeftWingMaleAdvocates/non-therapeutic-penile-circumcision-of-minors.1119453 https://theredarchive.com/post/1119453