Each circumcision impact story is a priceless gift when shared with others who may be going through something similar. No matter what role circumcision has played in your life, your experiences matter, which is why we created the “Voices” series. Your experience, your story shared with the public, will help America to reach a tipping point.
Personal experiences bring the issue into focus: the parents who questioned medical practice and prevailed (or, perhaps, did not); the midwife who used to perform circumcisions, but stopped; circumcised men or their partners dealing with sexual problems resulting from an involuntary surgery that took place decades ago; the regret mom who rejected advice of friends to spare her son from the procedure, or who consented to her son’s circumcision out of concern for her husband’s feelings.
Our writers wonder what does circumcision mean, what does uncircumcised mean, how much is a foreskin worth, and what happens after circumcision?
Perhaps it is a story about how the circumcision debate disrupted family relationships, or actually brought people closer together. Or maybe you’ve questioned circumcision for a long time, but just recently started speaking out and want to talk about how it’s going. All of their voices should be heard.
Interested in telling your story? Send an email to [email protected] giving us a brief summary of what you would like to write about. Each story is about 500 words. You can write it, or with the help of our Voices editor Sally Parker.
Voices — Sarah Zeimet
Hello my name is Sarah, I am 29 years old, I have 2 healthy children (2 & 4), and I was born and raised in Wisconsin which is where we currently reside. Both of my pregnancies were healthy and full term, my second was a boy. We didn't find out gender until birth so...
Voices — Darren Olsen
I've never actually said, though have thought it many times, how I will never be able to truly explain just how much circumcision has hurt me. Though there be days of respite, not many go by that I do not at some point reflect on: feelings of loss for what I once had...
Voices — Kent Leatham
(image copyright Kent Leatham, 2020) I've been writing public articles about — and against — routine infant circumcision in America for several years now. I primarily tend to focus on my own experiences — questions, regrets, and trauma, along with the more basic...
Voices — Elise Wicklund
I have four children, and two of them are boys. Paxton, who is older, is circumcised; his younger brother, Jaxon, is not. The story behind this is a painful one for me to tell, but it's also one of hope: Brothers don't have to "match." Before Paxton was born, I knew...
Voices — Lawn Griffiths
I crossed the threshold of awareness that I had been circumcised when I was about 12. Running naked on the farm driveway was a second cousin, who was about 6. His penis was remarkably pointed and tubelike, yet somehow covered. I learned he and his brothers were not...