Nordic countries may finally ban circumcision.

catsmate

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catsmate
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Yesterday [actually Monday], during a meeting in Oslo, Nordic ombudsmen for children, Nordic paediatricians, and paediatric surgeons agreed a resolution urging their national governments to work for a ban on non-therapeutic circumcision of underage boys.

The the children's ombudsmen from the five Nordic countries (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland), along with the Chair of the Danish Children's Council and the Children's spokesperson for Greenland passed a resolution to: "Let boys decide for themselves whether they want to be circumcised."
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Link

The ombudsmen concluded that: "Circumcision without a medical indication on a person unable to provide informed consent conflicts with basic principles of medical ethics." They found the procedure "to be in conflict with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, articles 12, and 24 (3) which say that children should have the right to express their own views and must be protected from traditional rituals that may be harmful to their health."

"Circumcising a child without medical justification or his consent contravenes the child's human rights," wrote Fredrik Malmberg [Swedish Ombudsman for children] in a text co-signed with representatives from the Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Society of Health Professionals, the Swedish Paediatric Society, and the Swedish Association of Paediatric Surgeons, and published in the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter. "The operation is painful, irreversible and can lead to dangerous complications."

More here and here.

A step forward in eliminating this repugnant practice. Let's hope that the governments act on this suggestion.
 
The circumcision rates in scandinavian countries are pretty much negligeable already, except for Jewish and Muslim immigrants.
 
There's been talk about this for quite a while now. There was a big debate here in Norway some time back, when a baby boy died after being circumcised.

Sadly, I suspect this will go nowhere. The special privilige that religion enjoys in society is just too strong, even in the Nordic countries.
 
Loss Leader said:
Article 2 of the Constitution of Norway: "All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion."

So, basically that'll kill any attempt to ban circumcision.

I could be wrong. I don't know the future. I'm not wrong, but I could be.
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Er, that isn't a blank check.

The constitution provides the right to practice religion in general, but there have been examples of existing law conflicting with practical lifestyle aspects of certain religious groups. For example, by law the slaughter of an animal must be preceded by stunning or administering anesthetics, which conflicts with kosher slaughter requirements and some interpretations of halal meat preparation requirements. The law effectively bans the production of kosher meat in the country, thus requiring the Jewish community to import kosher meat. The community's ability to import kosher meat, and particularly kosher chicken, is regularly an issue of concern, due to the country's strict regulations on import of agricultural products.
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Linky.
 
Loss Leader said:
Article 2 of the Constitution of Norway: "All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion."

So, basically that'll kill any attempt to ban circumcision.

I could be wrong. I don't know the future. I'm not wrong, but I could be.
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Well, it comes into a different light if you see the children as individuals and not as props in the religious beliefs of their parents.
 
Ryokan said:
Well, it comes into a different light if you see the children as individuals and not as props in the religious beliefs of their parents.
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Yep. I've no problem if adults choose to get snipped. It's mutilating infants for no good reason that bothers me.
 
Loss Leader said:
Article 2 of the Constitution of Norway: "All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion."

So, basically that'll kill any attempt to ban circumcision.

I could be wrong. I don't know the future. I'm not wrong, but I could be.
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Are there any adult Jewish men (or any non-Jewish man for that matter if circumcised as an infant) who resent the fact that they were circumcised, even if a minority? Haven't their rights as an individual been violated then?

For the record, I myself was circumcised as an infant, but I never really felt strongly about it personally. However, I have encountered some people who feel very strongly about it.
 
Puppycow said:
Are there any adult Jewish men (or any non-Jewish man for that matter if circumcised as an infant) who resent the fact that they were circumcised, even if a minority? Haven't their rights as an individual been violated then?

For the record, I myself was circumcised as an infant, but I never really felt strongly about it personally. However, I have encountered some people who feel very strongly about it.
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Yes, not Jewish but was circumcised and resent it. After restoration, sex is much better than previously.
 
Checkmite said:
Numbers?
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Most of europe is under 20% prevalence rate, most exceptions being Jewish and Muslims for obvious reasons. It's very uncommon for 'christian' babies.

* Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health reported in 2004 that, "some 500-1000 circumcisions are performed as a therapeutic measure annually in Finnish hospitals", amounting to 710 nationwide cases in 2002

* In Germany, the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents found that 10.9% of boys aged 0-17 had been circumcised.[51]
In France, according to a telephone survey (TNS Sofres Institute, 2008), 14% of men are circumcised.

* The overall prevalence of circumcision in Spain is reported to be 1.8%.


* In 1986, only 511 out of approximately 478,000 Danish boys aged 0–14 years were circumcised. This corresponds to a cumulative national circumcision rate of around 1.6% by the age of 15 years.
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The WHO rates pretty much all of western europe as <20% prevalence for male circumcision.
 
ABC10 said:
Ever see an uncircumcised penis?? UGH! :jaw-dropp
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Every morning when I look down...

...and almost every member* I see in my local gym.

Circumcised is the rarity in the UK and indeed across most of the civilised world - America being the glaring exception.


*Word chosen deliberately for its dual meaning.
 
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Ryokan said:
Well, it comes into a different light if you see the children as individuals and not as props in the religious beliefs of their parents.
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Indeed. Hopefully that day will come soon.

ABC10 said:
Ever see an uncircumcised penis?? UGH! :jaw-dropp
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Yes. Mine. Also the majority of penises I see.

Puppycow said:
Are there any adult Jewish men (or any non-Jewish man for that matter if circumcised as an infant) who resent the fact that they were circumcised, even if a minority?
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Yes.

Puppycow said:
Haven't their rights as an individual been violated then?
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Yes.


Ethan Thane Athen said:
Every morning when I look down...

...and almost every member* I see in my local gym.

Circumcised is the rarity in the UK and indeed across most of the civilised world - America being the glaring exception.


*Word chosen deliberately for its dual meaning.
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:)
 
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