Making the Cut: [he history of male circumcei: By Jacey Gibb, Assistant Editor ut versus uncut, turtleneck versus sweater, anteater versus mushroom head. There’s no shortage of terms used to identify whether or not a male is circumcised, but behind the creative nicknames and endless argument over which is “better,” there exists an agglomeration of history on the practice of circumcision, the motives behind it, and what emerging information tells us about the procedure’s future. Fleshing out the history of male circumcision It may seem rudimentary for some, but let’s start with what I mean when I say circumcision. Males are born with a layer of stretchable skin over their penis called the foreskin. Male circumcision is the act of removing said foreskin so that the glans penis (usually referred to as the head) is exposed. The actual procedure can take anywhere from 30 seconds to half an hour (depending on the patient's age) and can take up toa few weeks to fully heal. Like most traditions, there’s no clear-cut date on when male circumcision first came onto the scene; while some reports show the practice having been around since 2400 BC, the first documented case of male circumcision came in the 23"-century BC. For nearly 4,000 years, wherever there have been dicks, there have been male circumcisions. So why is it that people have their sons circumcised or that men undergo the surgery later in life? Religion is by the far the most common reason behind male circumcision, with purpose varying between what faith they belong to. In the case of Judaism, circumcision is required of all newborn boys (usually eight days after the child is born) during a ceremony known as the brit milah. As described in the Hebrew Bible, God commanded to Abraham that all males be circumcised as a sign of the covenant of God. This is why almost all practicing Jews are circumcised. Other religions aren’t as stern with male circumcision as Judaism is. The practice is mentioned in the New Testament, but Christianity does not make it a requirement. Islam is another religion that debates the necessity of male circumcision; it is recommended that Muslim boys are circumcised before they reach puberty, but others insist that because it is not mentioned in the Qur’an, it is not mandatory. For older males, a common reason to undergo circumcision is because of phimosis, which is when the foreskin is too tight and unable to pull back over the glans penis. Besides being uncomfortable, phimosis can pose as a serious health issue if the penis becomes swollen or develops a rash. The other argument in favour of circumcision comes from its reported health benefits. Particularly during the infant years, male circumcision can help reduce the risk of developing a urinary tract infection—though the chances of one are marginal, even before the risk reduction. Penile cancer is also more likely to occur in uncircumcised men, but like urinary tract infections, this is uncommon for both. The one area in which male circumcision proves a notable benefit is in helping to reduce the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, especially against the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In fact, the Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention declared last summer that “Voluntary medical male circumcision is one of the mos available today.” In countries wher South Africa, Nigeria, and India, m common. Cut it out, you guys While some countries are embracin before, the number of circumcision: decline, globally. Though a direct correlation is h decline in religion and reduced circ to ignore. In the United States, 20 p identify as having “no religious affi ever reported on the subject. At the infants being born are undergoing « from the 1970s, when 79 per cent of procedure. A drop in religious self- religious practices means a decline in things like male circumcision. Another factor behind circumcision’s decreased popularity is a shift in public perception. Advocates against male circumcision are more vocal than ever, calling the practice barbaric or harmful towards the infant. The controversy has even rippled governments, with a court in Germany banning the practice in the city of Cologne, after an infant experienced heavy bleeding post- circumcision.