Disclaimer:

Do not consider the contents of this blog as professional medical advice.

28 March 2012: Awareness

It seems that this week, the week of March 25 through April 1 is Genital Integrity Awareness Week, a week-long protest that seeks to protect unconsenting infants from unnecessary, unconsentual genital cutting.  This protest has been an annual event for the past 19 years.

I am glad that there are driven, caring people out there fighting to protect others.  I also feel remorse for the children who go unprotected and suffer.  I have hope that this world may someday change, that needless infant genital cutting might someday be illegal.  I quietly read about the worthy struggles going on, feeling enthralled by the small victories won to protect children, and lamenting from the very fibers of my soul when these fights are lost.

Years down the road, the world will be a much different place.  This much I know for certain.  The direction it goes in is always in the hands of people who care about the world.  I can only hope to see positive change happen within my lifetime.

I have more or less overcome my shock from the feelings of betrayal from my unsympathetic parents, I have no more urology bills to pay (at the moment), and my penile wounds have now scarred over.  My days of waking up to a bleeding penis are now a thing of the past.

As such, I really don't have much to write about in this blog anymore in regards to what my original goal in writing this blog was--to get the feelings of hurt off of my chest.


You may be a parent that stumbled onto this blog, and your child may have a botched circumcision.  There is little advice I have for you except for this: please, for the love of your child, don't be so unsympathetic and unapologetic about this with him.

The hardest part, the part that has hurt me the most and still weighs on my heart was the feeling of betrayal from my own family--people who by all rights should have tried to comfort me for what happened, and should have not tried to legitimize any part of my pain with excuses.  I wanted their love and support, and I only got excuses and apathetically recited words.

You should also know that if you or your child has a botched circumcision, you may have legal recourse as a possible option for either yourself  or for your child.  Please contact attorney David Llewellyn for legal consultation, or for legal advice.  I have spoken with Mr. Llewellyn before, and from my contact with him, I can tell you that he is very experienced in his field of work, and a pleasure to speak with.

2 comments:

  1. Can we see an updated picture?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Why did I find all of this out now? What I wouldn't give to have known it before my son's birth. He has a buried penis from too tight of a circ. I have found a therapist who can help and who knows a lot about restoration. I want to support him completely if he chooses to go that route one day.
    I really don't know how I will ever forgive myself. Circumcision is all that was known for his father and I. It is what my husband would have chosen for himself without thinking twice. All I ever wanted was to bring a child into this world to love and give opportunities to. I am ashamed of my ignorance and pray that my now-4-year-old will one day forgive me. I am glad that people like you are putting the word out there. Hopefully one day this madness will stop.
    I am a guilt-ridden mother grieving for you and all boys and men out there, my husband and son included.

    ReplyDelete