The Circumcision Decision: An Unbiased Guide for Parents

This was an easy read and allowed us to have useful conversations about the issue. The authors try to present both sides of each issue.

If you are expecting to read this book and get echo-chamber-style re-affirmation of your views, you'll be disappointed.When I first started looking into this topic, I found that almost everyone with any opinion either way was primarily interested in making me feel bad for whatever decision I might make. Pro-circ and you're a morally bankrupt human being with no understanding of male anatomy and no regard for children. Anti-circ and you're a morally bankrupt human being with no understanding of male anatomy, culture, or the spread of STDs. On and on. This book is not like that.This book will explain (almost) everything for you. It'll be laid out in rather bland and mid-to-high-level terms, but you'll have the information. You will not necessarily feel good OR bad about whatever you decide based on what you read in it. The authors go to great lengths to remain impartial and fair, and it shows, as they don't resort to piling guilt on either side of the fence. The authors seem to realize that aggressively pushing one side of an argument just turns neutral people off and doesn't help anyone make a decision; that is, they educate rather than advocate. As a result, I found it to be a refreshing and informative read, and would recommend it to any new parent of a boy.After reading this book, I feel confident in my decision to not circumcise my son and I can support my decision effectively in an argument, while understanding that others may not agree with me (for better or worse, male circumcision is still a thing). If someone is trying to push you into a particular outcome and you feel like you just don't have the right information, or the information you find feels manipulative rather than informative, then I can't recommend this book enough.

This book is NOT unbiased. The authors go to great lengths to defend circumcision, but devote a disproportionately small amount of effort defending leaving a child intact. The book should have been called “How to make sure you choose the best possible circumstances for circumcising your son.” They claim to be unbiased, but I think what they meant is that they present their analysis of (only some) of the issues without obvious emotion or passion. Presenting an unemotional, albeit slanted, interpretation of the issue is not the same as presenting an unbiased description of the available information. They gloss over the full story or simply omit important details in many sections of the book. One of the worst parts of this “guide” is that not a single source was cited to support the authors’ arguments. Consequently, the book amounts to an opinion piece (biased, by nature). Furthermore, the authors use some pretty bizarre, biologically flawed logic in their attempts to explain the function of the foreskin and its role in sex.Please do not make the mistake of thinking this is the only book you need to make your decision. There is a slightly redeeming part of this book, which is why I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. It is the resource list at the back. If you do buy this book (although I wouldn’t waste my money on it - I checked this out at my local library), then at least save your time, flip to the back, check out several of the information sources, and read additional books on the topic. Recognize that the authors go to great lengths defending some of the reasons people give for circumcising their babies; therefore, the book is pro-circumcision, by definition. To obtain a balanced viewpoint before making your decision, consider also reading a book devoted to defending keeping your son intact, such as “What your doctor may NOT tell you about circumcision” by Paul Fleiss, MD. Then you will know you have seen both sides of the issue, including sources of the statistics (cited in better books). Do not make the mistake of assuming that a distilled, emotionless treatment of the issue is “unbiased,“ or by any stretch of the imagination a comprehensive presentation of all the facts surrounding infant circumcision. There is so much more to learn about elective infant circumcision than what is presented in this book. Do your research. Do it properly and thoroughly. Your son is counting on you to be fully informed before making this decision.

The two authors present each side of the issue from a fact based stance versus simply opinions and feelings. This was an extremely helpful resource for my husband and I when we were making the decision about whether or not to circumcise our son.

I really valued the content and the pro/con format. It prompted invaluable conversation with my husband. I found both sides of the debate WAY too extreme/fanatic (if you do it, you're barbaric - if you don't, you're dirty, etc) and the book provided a reasonable middle view. I would also highly recommend watching a procedure or two on YouTube to familiarize yourself with the process. I felt like after watching it, and reading about it, I could justify my decision.

While the authors tries to be unbiased the authors tacitly admits their true opinion on the issue. The authors say it’s the parents choice and the authors say you can’t compare it to female circumcision ( classic culturally biased arguments). You can compare it to female circumcision because there is a spectrum of female circumcisions: low level circumcisions like labiaplasty, clitoral hoodectomy ( simililar to male circ.), etc.. The other issue is that even if you cherry pick the worst female circumcisions ( cultural bias) and compare it to male circumcision, you still have the same crime ( just at different levels). In other words genital cutting isn’t okay just because it’s not as invasive as a higher level of it performed on a female. Male genital cutting ( circ.) is still leaving scar tissue ( scar ring, amputational neuroma,), altering someone’s sex life permanently without consent, parents/doctor claiming ownership of part of the childs genitals ( yes, it’s true, they are removing part of HIS body without consent), etc.. The authors are quintessential American who are so wrapped up in cultural bias that their being biased throughout the writing while “trying not to be biased”. Parents need to understand the book is still very much culturally biased.