Circumcision, mutilation, mutilated

intensely_human · 2015-07-03T22:04:33+00:00

how it can be expressed that it's genital mutilation without implying the result is mutilation

Instead of this, the requirement should be "to express that it is mutilation, without body-shaming the victims".

To be honest, this whole idea that mentioning a horrific act on a human is body-shaming the victim is terrible. If I saw that foot binding is a horrible practice that produces people who can barely walk, am I now body-shaming the victims of foot binding? Absolutely not. If I say that it is a tragedy that men have limbs blown off by landmines in war, am I body-shaming those men? Absolutely not.

The people at /r/sex are being ridiculous by telling you that it is body-shaming. Your next move should not be to adopt their point of view and then ask us how you can talk about genital mutilation without using the word "mutilation". You should talk openly about mutilation, and not change what you say when others ban you.

Vandechoz · 2015-07-03T21:56:35+00:00

"extreme involuntary body modification"?

closetedapostate · 2015-07-04T00:53:01+00:00

I find it odd that people consider calling it "mutilation" to be body-shaming. I was mutilated (circumcised) as a newborn without my consent (obviously); you can tell by my choice of worlds that just because I was cut as a newborn doesn't mean I don't consider what was done to me to be mutilation. In my case, id anything, it seemed to offend my parents when I referred to it that way; who knows? Maybe mutilated fathers of mutilated sons have the hardest time (like my dad). They not only have to live with the fact that they were sexually degraded at birth, but also did the same to their sons because they didn't know any better (and that's if I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt.)

RedditAccount321123 · 2015-07-03T22:47:23+00:00

Sad to see people think circumcision as a joke of an issue just because its common in the us. I am but wish i was not. My family is not religious so the only reason i think i was is because of how socially norm it is. Just sad.

jimmybrite · 2015-07-04T14:38:16+00:00

That's rich, body shaming?

Cut people body shame uncut people all the time albeit maybe not on that particular sub.

It's also quite disgusting how they just outright banned you for 6 months for that, this is why people do not trust the mods.

You are absolutely right with the gender reversal analogy.

double-happiness · 2015-07-03T23:49:22+00:00

I think a way round it that is less likely to put circumcised guys' backs up is to talk about 'cosmetic surgery'. At least that leads naturally on to a conversation about whether there are actually any health benefits or is it just being done for the sake of appearance and custom. I can kind of understand why cut guys and women who are used to them would get defensive, TBH. I understand OP's POV too, but there may be ways to discuss it that are just as effective but less likely to cause umbrage.

mushybees · 2015-07-04T00:54:00+00:00

there's less of a negative connotation around the word 'circumcised' than there is around 'mutilated.' which is a shame, because if we could get everyone to call it 'male genital mutilation' which is what it is, then a hell of a lot more people would oppose it.

keep fighting the good fight and don't stop calling it MGM, traction is happening already and all we need to do is keep up the pressure, and we can end this practice.

MRA-automatron-2kb · 2015-07-04T18:01:13+00:00

"because i don't have this at all in canada."

I'm from Canada and they did it to me.

Keep on fighting MGM.

chocoboat · 2015-07-04T00:43:44+00:00

"Mutilated" is a word that's easy to understand. You were using the dictionary definition. They thought you were using it as a colloquialism, meaning that you just think it looks weird and gross (which would be body shaming).

If you care, you could contact the mods and explain it was a misunderstanding over the meaning of the word.

Cantioy87 · 2015-07-06T14:28:28+00:00

I wish I noted who said this, but someone on reddit had the wonderful suggestion of differentiating between circumcised and uncircumcised penises by describing them as cut and intact. This way, you get across the connotation of mutilation without having to say the word. Given new circumcision techniques, it may be more accurate to differentiate by saying altered and intact (genitals). Cut/uncut, circumcised/uncircumcised body shames those with intact genitals--the nature of their penises shouldn't be based on those who have had their genitals altered (and vice versa).

No matter what people want to believe, circumcision alters a penis. Sometimes it is for medical reasons, in which case it isn't mutilation (stress: medically necessary reasons), but that's not often the case with babies. Those who have had it done because they had to may take offense at being called mutilated.

I completely agree, as a cut/altered/mutilated man that any of those words should fit. You should not have been banned for expressing what is believed to be an accurate description by many (and one that is technically true). It's tricky to balance language that's fair to everyone.

SilencingNarrative · 2015-07-04T02:07:11+00:00

I think they would have had an easier time forgiving you if you hadn't spoken the truth. Let that be a lesson to you.

Zadok_The_Priest · 2015-07-04T04:13:47+00:00

You can gauge your ears, pierce your tongue, eyebrows, navel, nose, you can even get a PA in your penis, but none of that is mutilation? You cut off some excess skin, and they are now mutilated? I'm sorry, I just don't agree.

derintellectual · 2015-07-04T00:46:33+00:00

Most do circumcision for religious reasons. I wouldn't call it anti-male mutilation because Abraham circumcised himself as a tradition of sacrifice.

Title	Circumcision, mutilation, mutilated
Author	blueXcat
Upvotes	33
Comments	44
Date	July 3, 2015 9:49 PM UTC (11 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MensRights
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MensRights/comments/3c1fin/circumcision_mutilation_mutilated/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MensRights/circumcision-mutilation-mutilated.976252 https://theredarchive.com/post/976252

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