Circumcision Argumentative Essay

Every year, thousands of babies in America undergo a widely practiced, but not often talked about procedure called circumcision. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the prepuce, or foreskin, that covers the glans of the penis. The practice of circumcision has been around for centuries and usually takes place due to social, cultural, or religious beliefs. Circumcision is painful, and often the baby must be strapped down to a molded plastic table in order for the doctor to perform the procedure. Most medical groups now consider circumcision to be a non-therapeutic procedure. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) states, “...health benefits are not great enough to recommend routine circumcision for all male newborns” (AAP “Circumcision”

Thirty Articles were adopted as being rights every human is allowed (UDHR 1). Article 3 of the UDHR states, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person.” This means that every human being has the right to their own physical integrity. Physical integrity, or autonomy, is the right for everyone to govern one's own body, to make choices regarding their own person, and to be free from physical harm. Violation of this right removes the ability to make choices about one's own body, and inflicts physical and psychological pain. Infants are unable to verbalize their opinions in regard to their own body, and it falls on the parent or guardian to speak for their child. Infants who undergo circumcision are not given the choice as to whether or not they want a functioning part of their body surgically removed. Because circumcision is a non-therapeutic procedure, and is generally not performed to treat diseases; this unnecessary medical procedure should be delayed until the child can speak for himself. Therefore, the forced removal of functioning tissue is a clear violation of Article 3 of the

Such benefits include, a reduction in cases of urinary tract infections (UTIs), and lessening the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It is interesting to note that the AAP points out flaws in their own Technical Report by stating, “Key studies to date have been performed in African populations with HIV burdens that are epidemiologically different from HIV in the United States” (AAP “Technical” 23). This means the hygiene and sanitation levels in African countries are less than those in the United States. In the United States, sexual education is more prevalent, and condoms are more readily available to sexually active people, which lessen the rate of spreading HIV. The potential health benefits do not “over-ride a child's right to give informed consent...[and] circumcision can be deferred to a time where the risk is relevant and the child is old enough to choose and consent for himself” (Becker 22). In regard to urinary tract infections, only one in 140 uncircumcised children will contract an infection (“Neonatal” par. 1). In the United States, antibiotics are much more readily available to treat urinary tract infections, which lessens the risk of serious infections requiring