Against circumcision

In the Philippines, the Christian religions do not require routine circumcision anymore. For the Muslims and Jews, it may still be advocated but it is no longer an absolute requirement. There are even websites put up by Jewish and Muslim authors crusading against circumcision.

The debatable issue on sexual enjoyment may be a myth after all. Although there are no conclusive findings yet, Dr. Joson cites a most recent scientific article on the issue showing that more sexual enjoyment is felt by the female partners with noncircumcised than with circumcised men. The enjoyment is scientifically validated in terms of more copious vaginal secretion, less vaginal discomfort, and more frequent vaginal orgasm-multiple at that.

Driving forces

In countries like the Philippines, the predominant driving forces for circumcision in male at present are tradition and peer pressure. Though the traditional factor may be religious in origin, in the Philippines (at least for the Christians), it is usually nonreligious in nature and now more related with social customs and practices. Furthermore, the traditional factor is usually vague in the sense that the parents and the male children are not able to pinpoint the exact reason for wanting a circumcision to be done. Peer pressure in the Philippines is strong and consists of the male children afraid to be teased of being supot. Traditional practices and peer pressure are really hard to go against.

If we are not obliged by religious reasons and if we are now convinced that circumcision is not needed for medical reasons, the question is-how do we go against the tide of tradition and peer pressure to reverse the present practice of routine circumcision. That is the challenge being presented to those who think that the male Filipino children should be saved from the physical pain of unnecessary circumcision.

Position paper

Dr. Joson is rallying his medical colleagues to make a stand and help enlighten the public on the real score about circumcision. In his position paper on the issue, he says:

"As a surgeon, during the past 20 years, I have convinced quite a number of adolescent males who came to my clinic not to have circumcision anymore. Those who are convinced are happy and thankful to me. Those who are not convinced seek other surgeons to do the circumcision for them.

"I tell them that it is not needed and it is painful. I emphasize to them not to be carried away by the teasing of supot and not to be overpowered by peer pressure. I even teach them how to counter the teasing of supot by saying uncircumcised men are intact, unaltered and preferred by women in terms of sexual enjoyment and comfort.

"Thus, the challenge really consists of two aspects: First is how to change the belief of parents who will have their male children undergo routine circumcision because of the tradition. Second is how to reduce, if not abolish the peer pressure that will make the male adolescents and adults undergo routine circumcision."