?Seminar / lecture on evils of circumcision?

[Elliot]

Anyone interested in hearing, or hosting, a talk on the evils of circumcision?

Go ahead and have your giggle, if you must, and get it over with. Thank you.

Now.…
Black Rock City hosts a number of educational sessions of all stripes -- from lectures to debates to show-and-tell to hands-on workshops -- on everything from origami to orgasms.

So my idea must surely fit in somewhere – and perhaps even be welcomed. That’s my question – is there interest in this topic, and at what venue?

I run Elliot’s Naked Bicycle Service & Piano Bar (fanfare!), and I go nude most of the time.
Over the last few years, a handful ladies have politely commented on or inquired about my intact penis.
One or two of them had never seen one that was not circumcised, and were not quite sure what they were looking at. (Same with my x-wife and most of my girlfriends over the years.)

And one or two suggested that this may be a good topic for an educational seminar of some sort.

So…. My position is that... it is preposterous to circumcise any boy or man. I am not even open to discussing it, any more than I am open to discussion whether robbing a bank is right or wrong.

Your god said so? I am sorry you are addicted to a fable, which was originally concocted to gain control over the peasantry.

As with any body part, birth defects can happen, and can even appear only later in life, and surgical correction may be needed. And that would be repair of the foreskin, not amputation. An ingrown toenail is not cause for summary amputation of the toe.

Your son will want to look like his dad? What if Dad is missing a hand? I know exactly what to tell a boy when he notices that he is different from Dad, and it will make him glad he is intact.

So…. As silly as this may sound, I am open to serving as “Exhibit A” in a talk or whatnot on this topic.

Why? Am I some sort of exhibitionist? Wouldn’t even matter. A wrong is being committed against millions of humans, and it happens to be in my power to speak up against it – therefore I do.
That’s supposed to be the very definition of a civilized human – caring about and helping others. Call me a utopian idealist if you must.

Thoughts?
(Not arguments in favor of such mutilation, please. I have heard and read it all.)

[Popeye]

Eliot: After reading your post I scrolled down to "Similar Topics" and found this from last year. They might be interested. https://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic ... 06&t=81621

[lucky420]

Good for you Elliot. You obviously have a strong passion on this and seem to be quite knowledgeable. It seems quite interesting actually. If I were walking by and heard this or knew it was going to start I’d probably stop and listen.

[Elliot]

Thank, Popeye. It does not look like Mystical Misfits are doing a lecture series this year, but I e-mailed them.
And Lucky, yeah, there is so much craziness in this world, I feel we all ought to push for more sensible behavior whenever we can.

[Token]

Unless you can dig up a sizable population of men that got circumsized after they were sexually active for a decade or few and then conduct a study ...

How can one know?

I mean, it’s like doing a lecture on the benefits of a big dick.

You got what you got and there’s nothing to do about it.

[Elliot]

That would be a good scientific study, but is not realistic for me.
However, I have asked a number of circumcised men, including a few here on ePlaya, and several reported that erection involves an element of discomfort, as if the skin is being over-stretched. Which it is!

They seemed to accept this as unavoidable and/or natural -- "nothing is perfect" -- and sex is still far preferable to no sex, of course. But that discomfort is not natural at all!

And another thing... I cannot imagine having my glans unprotected against the fabric of my clothing and the pinching that often occurs in a man's crotch.

To amputate a healthy and important body part merely because that's what my parents did, and their parents, and so on... is simply a tragedy.

And... Token... "Nothing to do about it?" You may have missed an important point. I seek to prevent future circumcisions. And we can certainly do something about that -- by educating future parents.

[Lonesomebri]

Great contentious topic... Almost...political in aspects. Good luck finding a forum on the playa for presenting serious strong beliefs that are bound to offend, confront, and enlighten..... Heck, I've heard some camps have banned that.

Alas, I've found with my own love life, it's more of a metaphorical circumcision of personality that injects the most discomfort.

[Elderberry]

Do it at center camp and call it a TED talk.

[Dr. Pyro]

I'm not sure you're likely to get someone Jewish to lead this. I know my moyel wouldn't be interested.

[Token]

And... Token... "Nothing to do about it?" You may have missed an important point. I seek to prevent future circumcisions. And we can certainly do something about that -- by educating future parents.

Wait, that is my point. If the parent cannot find any basis pro or con to their experience... path of tradition prevails.

It comes back to not having relevant scientific data for the age we live in.

I agree that a tradition that was rooted and likely justified in the Bronze Age may no longer be relevant in the modern age with all of its privileges and comfort.

/s
How would you feel about more designer options for the procedure;

The Half-Helmt
The Emo
The Mohawk tickler
/s

Sorry, had to go there ...

[Elliot]

Doc... I discussed this with a full-fledged honest-to-Abraham effin' Rabbi of my personal acquaintance the other day, so you may rest assured I am familiar with the Jewish part of this equation.

Well.... This is the first time -- to my knowledge at least -- that I have rated a sarcastic post on the Page Two thread. And I can sense the hostility toward the topic.
Yes, it can be painful -- even impossible -- to admit anything is wrong with oneself and the way one was raised -- especially for the macho gender.

(For many years, I kept advising a friend to have a vasectomy. Long divorced, and his kids in college. But noooooo! No quack was going to cut apart his sacred manhood! Now he has two more children that he absolutely did not want, and their mother who is divorcing him for emotional cruelty. Nice going, "manhood.")

So I now realize I am addressing the wrong crowd. All the future parents who have expressed interest in my experience and opinion... are ladies!

I have my answer, and if I could lock or delete this thread I would.

See you in the Dust!

[Ratty]

Oh no Elliot. You don't get off that easy. Eplayans can debate the best pee bottle for more than 6 years. You might as well resign yourself to talking about dicks on this board ad infinitum. You might even get a playa name in the bargain.

[ygmir]

Oh no Elliot. You don't get off that easy. Eplayans can debate the best pee bottle for more than 6 years. You might as well resign yourself to talking about dicks on this board ad infinitum. You might even get a playa name in the bargain.

a perfect example of unintended consequences! and maybe, a "happy accident".

[Token]

Oh, it’s a gift that keeps on giving!

Story Time!

As I was born in a country that is generally luke-warm on elective foreskin snipping, I spent the first few years on this earth without any snipping going on.

My parents came to The States after I was over a year old.

As a wee lad, about 4 years old, I was a typical kid, doing crazy gymnastics stuff with the neighborhood kids, tumbling and whatnot when I got an inguinal hernia in the process.

We rushed to the hospital and I had to go under the knife to get it fixed.

My surgeon at the time (this was late 60s early 70s) recommended to my parents to do Da Bris at the same time. Two birds one stone.

So, as they stuffed my errant intestine back into the abdomen and stitched up that muscle tear, they done gone snipped me Willy’s hoodie back.

Now, I don’t know if it was due to my relatively advanced age or just good craft by the surgeon, he left a generous amount of foreskin on the crown jewel - pun intended.

Kind of like a Steve Jobs turtle neck if you will. Wee bit of roll there.

Anyway, visiting back at the homeland decades later, where the general trend is uncut, my personal trim was quite the novelty item. Word of mouth and all that ... good times were had by all.

So what kind of snip stories do the rest of you villains have?

Ladies? Gents? What is the worldview on styles and cuts.

God I loves me a good dick thread.

[Jackass]

I have my answer, and if I could lock or delete this thread I would.

See you in the Dust!

You wanted to talk cock, own it.

[Eric]

You wanted to talk cock, own it.

You know I'm enjoying this thread.
Both me & the hubby are from the auto-cut generation (I'd be cut anyway, being Jewish), neither of us has ever had less than a really good time using our dicks. Been with plenty of boys of both varieties, all their cocks were lovely and were terribly fun to play with. YMMV, but I've honestly never seen it as an issue.

[gaminwench]

Techniques may vary based upon hood/no hood, but all dicks are fun.
(Cooches, too, I'm equal opportunity)

Is this where "Different strokes for different folks" comes from originally?

[digdugdude]

Elliott! Love your camp and bar! I think this talk needs to happen and I women aka future mommas will be your largest demographic! Promote it early and do it mid week I'm sure you'd get a decent turn out!

As a side story I was not circumcised when I was born because my mom isn't a religious person. However a coworker of hers scared her and said if I died while uncut I'd go to purgatory /smh so in fear she went and got me snipped. And here we are. I have never had any problems or complaints with my tool but I do remember when I was 10 or so asking why I was cut when she told me the reason........ I still didn't get the logic behind it.

[gaminwench]

Elliott! Love your camp and bar! I think this talk needs to happen and I women aka future mommas will be your largest demographic! Promote it early and do it mid week I'm sure you'd get a decent turn out!

*digdugdude: Please note that Elliot's is a bike repair station with a grand piano and some lovely self care benefits. It is not a bar. Also, nude.*

The bar is next door, dude.

[tatonka]

Ah dick tales , when I was born my twin brother was born first ,and he died early on ,and wasnt all the way formed yet My Dad was peeking in ( 1955 ) and he saw my brother, and left c rushed, they didnt know I was in there . So when I came out my pee hole had not formed ,and I had abosorb my urine . So they sliced and diced me ,and my mom said she thought the hole was to big . Well it works fine, and I can pee a good stream

[Ratty]

Tatonka, Come on. Loosen up. Don't be so shy. We're all friends here. Tell it like it is. Don't hold back. (It sounds like you can be the 'after' model at Elliot's seminar.)

Elliot, instead of such a one sided negative title for your Ted Talk, how about, 'The pros and cons of circumcision'. Your audience would be more interested in a frank discussion than being lectured on just one view.

[Token]

It needs to be a show and tell format. And it must be a large panel of experts.

Then straight to the Critical Dicks parade!

Where the fuck is OED when you need him? Bet he would do something fun with that “art car” if his just on this topic.

[Traveller in Time]

I think it would be an extensive topic

• Cons and pros of the circumcision hygiene / sensitivity

• Pros and cons of consent of the person themself

• Rest and aroused state differences

[Elliot]

I'm back.
And I am listening and learning.
And I now see that the approach I stated in the original post of this thread... may not be the best.
So please keep the suggestions flowing.

Since it was brought up....

My camp's official name is Elliot's Bicycle Service, and bicycle repair is indeed our main gig.

The "next step in length" of our name is Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service & Piano Bar.
We do not have a conventional bar counter with bar-stools in front of it, but we serve cold beverages out of a glass-front refrigerator right next to the front desk in the lobby -- the service writer desk.
And we have a piano in the lobby, for all to play anytime.
Might be better to call it "Piano Lounge".

The full name currently stands at Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service, Healing Arts Clinic, Body Painting Studio, & Piano Bar Lounge.
Healing Arts includes massage and foot washing.

[Elliot]

Now....
This horror story sums up my main point perfectly:

... ... ...a coworker of hers scared her and said if I died while uncut I'd go to purgatory /smh so in fear she... ...

And I said this in my original post. I simply cannot accept such superstitious drivel as valid argument.

[Token]

14955858_1328091223914686_7890614885130896255_n.jpg

Since it was brought up....

My camp's official name is Elliot's Bicycle Service, and bicycle repair is indeed our main gig.

The "next step in length" of our name is Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service & Piano Bar.
We do not have a conventional bar counter with bar-stools in front of it, but we serve cold beverages out of a glass-front refrigerator right next to the front desk in the lobby -- the service writer desk.
And we have a piano in the lobby, for all to play anytime.
Might be better to call it "Piano Lounge".

The full name currently stands at Elliot's Naked Bicycle Service, Healing Arts Clinic, Body Painting Studio, & Piano Bar Lounge.
Healing Arts includes massage and foot washing.

It was better last decade.

viewtopic.php?f=99&t=15561

viewtopic.php?f=107&t=22569

BTW, this is all just an elaborate diversion for a tread bump.

[Elliot]

Woohoo! What a nice nostalgia trip!
Of the folks participating on that first thread, several became dear friends, and Unjon is even an active member of my camp every year!

And while I did not know Bob "The Couch" Stahl personally, or even met him in person that I am aware of.... He did so much for so many of us thru his online publications, yet tens of thousands of us were apparently still not able to do much for him.

And now I cannot see clearly enough to type any more.

https://sites.google.com/site/potatotrap/bluetarp

[Jackass]

Bob's potato trap site is something I've read in it's entirety several times over the years.

It's a must read for anyone that's planning on building a sound shelter, big or small. Great stuff in there.

[tatonka]

Tatonka, Come on. Loosen up. Don't be so shy. We're all friends here. Tell it like it is. Don't hold back. (It sounds like you can be the 'after' model at Elliot's seminar.)

I didnt want to tell all , but I also make great facials