[41] Cutting Culture: Tuskegee Redux? Legal and Ethical Problems of the Ramp Up to Male Circumcision in Africa

Travis Wisdom, a student of Women's Studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, organized a daylong conference on male circumcision and the issues surrounding identity and body ownership. The second speaker of the day was John Geisheker of Doctors Opposing Circumcision, who discussed the dubious nature of the 3 African studies that are now being used to promote circumcision in the name of HIV prevention. Here is a recording of the presentation, and a transcript follows.

[36] The Cut Podcast: Circumcision and HIV: A Conversation with David Wilton

Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon interviews David Wilton about the nature of the push to circumcise Africa, how this has affected the controversy over circumcising completely healthy infants, and in what ways the Intactivist Movement needs to evolve its organization. Here is the recording, and a transcript follows.

Van Lewis: Sex criminals for hire? Inquire within…

On December 17, 1970, Van Lewis made history when he and his younger brother, Ben, were arrested for demonstrating at:

Tallahassee Memorial Hospital

On the 40-year anniversary of their historic protest, Lewis planned to protest again on December 17, 2010 to remind us that human rights begin with respect for genital integrity.

(Also, see here for more information about George Wald).

Steven Svoboda: sexually-transmitted HIV occurs to adults

J. Steven Svoboda, founder and executive director of:

Attorneys for the Rights of the Child

discusses the curious medical history of circumcision, and the recent attempts by circumcision proponents [to rationalize circumcision as a solution] to HIV/AIDS in Africa.

Georgeanne Chapin: The beginning of Intact America and the common sense of Intactivism

Georganne Chapin (MPhil, JD) discusses her first awareness of male circumcision and the events leading to her becoming Executive Director of Intact America.

Chapin also talks about the curious policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Ritual Genital Cutting of Female Minors

published on 2010 April 26 (the AAP has since rescinded that statement).

Statement from Georganne Chapin, Executive Director, Intact America

Georganne Chapin (MPhil, JD) discusses her first awareness of male circumcision and the events leading to her becoming Executive Director of Intact America.

Chapin also talks about the curious policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

Ritual Genital Cutting of Female Minors

published on 2010 April 26 (the AAP has since rescinded that statement).

Intact America has first official Press Conference

Intact America is a new organization that was established “to change the way the [U.S.] thinks about male circumcision”. There was a press conference on 2009 June 22, about which more can be read in this official press release.

Unfortunately, it is often the case that people cast the issue of male and female genital cutting as 2 completely separate and mutually exclusive topics—and worse, opponents of male genital cutting are often derided as “misogynists” for not spending their efforts fighting a real injustice like female genital cutting.

The truth of the matter is that both female genital cutting and male genital cutting are genital cutting, and when this act is performed on non-consenting children—male or female—it is child abuse.

In a moving account of her own story, Soraya Miré—who was herself a victim of this abuse as a child—reaffirms the mutually inclusive nature of the fight against all forms of genital cutting, which she specifically calls genital mutilation regardless of gender.