I always hear talk about how circumcision shouldn’t be allowed until 18 (or whatever the adult age is). However, allowing it at 18 is wrong for the following reasons:

  1. If I went to a hospital and asked them to chop off my finger, they would refuse, and rightfully so. If a person wants a healthy part of them removed, they must be grossly misinformed into thinking that’s a good thing.

  2. If (in western countries, presumably) an adult woman went to the hospital and asked for FGM, she’d likely be refused. Rightfully so. Why should MGM be any different?

  3. Stemming from the first two points, there will be so much propaganda thrown to intact children to pressure them into making a horrible choice the moment they turn legal. Propaganda from adamant cut people who could no longer mutilate children at birth, propaganda from the for-profit medical industry that still wants its revenue...how much is a choice a choice at 18 if you’ve been miseducated and brainwashed into making that choice? To me it’s not unlike the college and predatory loan situation in the US.

TLDR; the legal starting point should be that the foreskin is recognized with the same respect that fingers are: A healthy part that no one should be able to request an amputation of for cosmetic reasons.