Title: Circumcision, what it does
First published: 1990
Description: The uniquely American custom of non-religious circumcision has held a powerful place in the medicalization of childbirth for the past 130 years.  Prior to the 1880s, males were not routinely circumcised at birth.  The foreskin was seen as a natural and valuable part of the male sexual organ.  The moral crusade against masturbation led to the recommendation of foreskin removal (circumcision) as a way to combat this evil.  Doctors began to invent supposed medical benefits to this painful surgery and described it as a simple and painless procedure.  Circumcision also began to be seen as a social class indicator--males with foreskins were deemed to be of a lower class.

In his book, Billy Ray Boyd traces the history of non-religious circumcision and reveals what doctors do not tell parents about the effects that circumcision have on the physical and psychological well-being of the male throughout life. He points out the benefits of having a foreskin and describes the anatomy of the foreskin--most doctors never learn about the function and anatomy of the foreskin in medical school, they only learn how to remove it.
Subjects: Circumcision, Infants, Psychological aspects, Psychological aspects of Circumcision, Social aspects, Social aspects of Circumcision, Surgery, Psychology, Infant
LC classification: MLCS 93/04268 (R)