TLDR: Changed my friend's view on infant circumcision. Convinced his aunt and uncle not to have their 6 year old cut.

Recently, my friend, let's call him Mike, came to visit me in New York while on vacation from working on an air force base. He lives in the Midwest, whereas his immediate family lives in New York, and his extended family lives in Virginia. Mike came to the United States at age 7 from a Latin American country, and embraced the American way of life, going as far as getting himself circumcised as soon as he turned 18. (One of the factors that influenced my friend's decision in getting circumcised is the humiliation he faced from others in public settings belittling intact penises.) Since it was his choice, I don't have a problem with this. However, when Mike's sister had a baby boy, he pushed her to have him cut too, and so she did. His argument was that he didn't want that child to have to go through the same thing he did in having it done at such a late age.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. Mike's aunt and uncle who live in Virginia have their second baby boy. After a discussion with their doctor who told them the benefits of circumcision, they asked Mike what he thought, and he again reminded them of his own scenario. His aunt did not want to have it done, because she prefers intact men, but her husband had the final say. They ended up going forward with the procedure. When Mike came to visit, he told me this story, adding that his family and the doctor were discussing having their 6 (almost 7) year old son circumcised, and had an appointment set for this current week. I was livid. I had a very long discussion with Mike and raised many points, including:

-The son should have the ability to make choices over his own body on such an unnecessary procedure.

-Circumcision is mainly a cultural practice, and that's the only reason why it has managed to survive so long.

-The boy was never asked if he wanted it done. Most children are afraid of needles, let alone having surgery.

-Having it done may raise animosity toward his parents when he gets older, because the right to choose for himself wasn't even taken into consideration, especially since a 6 year old can speak and give consent, and will even most likely remember the event.

-My friend's situation isn't very common. I told him that very few men end up getting cut if they aren't at birth, and just because you did, does not give you the right to force your opinion on other people to get it done to their child; to assume that that child will have a similar ordeal to yours if you don't save them from future pain by having it done now. It's selfish to assume that all men should be cut simply because you are, or would want to be cut to begin with.

I then showed him the video called "The Elephant in the Hospital" on Youtube, (Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ceht-3xu84I) and he realized that taking away an individual's right to choose is wrong. He showed the video to his aunt and uncle and they decided not to go forward with it, realizing that the boy should be able to decide for himself when he is old enough, and that the risks were too high. I just hope they come to regret taking away their newborn's right to choose.

It's strange because I was legitimately scared for this kid who I've only met once in my life many years ago, yet to know that I've affected his life in some way even though he doesn't even remember or know who I am somehow makes me feel connected to him. When he gets older and maybe asks, "Why is my brother cut, but I'm not?", his parents might say, "We were going to when you were 6, but Mike's friend convinced us not to, because it is your choice." and maybe he will be thankful even though he doesn't even know who I am.

This whole situation really solidified my view that male genital cutting is an institution that men mostly force upon their own gender, just like how female genital cutting is something that women force upon each other. Once the cycle starts, it becomes terribly difficult to stop. There is this view that an uncut penis is inherently dirty and disease prone, and that a cut penis is clean and healthy -- a view cultivated to keep the cultural practice alive -- and we must rid the collective mindset of those who share this view in order to get this practice to finally end.

TLDR: Changed my friend's view on infant circumcision. Convinced his aunt and uncle not to have their 6 year old cut.

EDIT: TLDR;