Jezebel 
Enter your username and password.
New York, 1:50 AM
Sun Nov 8
20 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors:
tips@jezebel.com
Editor-in-Chief:
Anna Holmes
Email | Twitter
Deputy Editor:
Dodai Stewart
Email | Twitter
Senior Contributing Editor:
Tracie Egan
Email | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Anna North
Email | Twitter
Sadie Stein
Email | Twitter
Editorial Assistant:
Margaret Hartmann
Email | Twitter
Contributors:
Jenna Sauers
Email
Rich Juzwiak
Email | Twitter
Lizzie Skurnick
Email
Interns:
Katy Kelleher
Twitter
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
10/29/09
10/29/09
However, my partner isn't circumcised, and I find myself getting defensive over the idea the circumcision is the only way to go, or a cure-all for STDs, as it's often seen here. Scientists have a point, of course - as scientists tend to do - but basic HIV education would do a lot of good, too, and that's still largely lacking. We've got a president (Zuma) who said (during his rape trial, natch) that he thought he could shower to avoid contracting HIV. Circumcision won't help much if there's not a general understanding of STDs. #circumcision
10/29/09
When I weigh in on it, though, I tend to get dragged into the circumcision wars. I find the medical case for circumcision in the developed world to be almost entirely baseless, and I've argued so; but the anti-circumcision crowd gets on me because I support the use of circumcision in sub-Saharan Africa, or in religious or cultural practice, which is frankly none of my business. I guess it's just one of those issues that is hard to argue about dispassionately. #circumcision
10/29/09
I'm new to this discussion, relatively, and I'm still surprised by how passionate people are about it. #circumcision
10/29/09
Circumcision doesn't help outside of sub-Saharan Africa, though, because those unique factors aren't found in other parts of the world. More importantly, circumcision has no effect on the spread of HIV in what are (still) the vast majority of transmissions: male-to-male sexual intercourse and the use of intravenous drugs. Circumcision further does not lessen the risk of male-to-female infection, only female-to-male. The procedure doesn't protect the people who are at risk in the developed world, and very likely protects the people in sub-Saharan Africa because of cultural and medical realities there that are not found anywhere else in the world. #circumcision
10/29/09
10/29/09
Just wanted to highlight these points, because they are particularly important (esp. for Western readers) to understand! Thanks for your post.
10/29/09
10/29/09
10/30/09
10/29/09
10/29/09
10/29/09
As far as cultural or religious practice, that's above my paygrade. What I've said to people in the past who are wondering about it from a medical point of view is to say that perhaps the thing to do is to wait until the child is 12 or 14 or so and ask him if he wants to have the procedure then, when he is old enough to understand the situation and, with the help of parents, make an informed decision.
People tend to respond to that by saying "But then they'll never choose to get the procedure." To which I say, perhaps the fact that only infants who have no say in the matter get the procedure done should tell you something. #circumcision
10/29/09
10/29/09
@Freddie DeBoer: has it right.
10/29/09
And most insurance around me doesn't cover it at all. It's definitely considered elective to most insurance companies. #circumcision
10/29/09
10/29/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
Time to close the doors. #condoms
10/27/09
Brazil, Buenos Aires, what's the difference?
10/27/09
10/29/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
10/27/09
This add was posted around all over the city for Spring Day (21st September), also known as, Student's Day. A day in which teenage kids go out and have fun (alcohol + sex) So a condom company usually puts posters up to remind teens to wear condoms. #condoms
10/27/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
We're poor. We've talked about going without the condom but then we found his his brother was conceived while his mother was on the Pill. It's condoms & the Pill for us until we're rich enough to afford children (which will be never.) #birthcontrolmethods
10/20/09
Belts and Suspenders, FTW. #birthcontrolmethods
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
My birth control "controls" the liklihood that I will give "birth" by making me never want to have sex. It's pill enforced abstinence only birth control. If condoms didn't make the bedroom smell like a balloon artist's workshop and feel like doing it with a bratwurst in a ziplock bag, I'd use them. #birthcontrolmethods
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09
10/20/09