"Here are three cliches about circumcision. First, that it is a sacred covenant between God and the Jewish people. The fact is that whether or not you believe in the biblical narrative of Abraham and his sons, this is hardly a unique Jewish custom. Every day around the world, thousands of babies, young boys and fully grown men have their foreskins removed in a wide variety of rituals and medical procedures. Only a small minority of them are Jews and even among Jews, most are not doing it out of religious conviction, but for reasons of social necessity, family and peer pressures and because it’s a good excuse for having a big party.
Second, being circumcised is good for your health. While there is research that points to certain health benefits, there are opposing studies which purport to prove that tampering with male genitalia causes trauma, impaired sexual function and carries well-documented risks. This conflicting medical evidence is hardly surprising – doctors are also partisans, who are every bit as biased as newspaper columnists when it comes to marshaling the facts.
The third cliche is that circumcision is a hallowed religious custom and in a democracy, people should be allowed to observe their traditions without politicians or courts intervening. This is normally an argument for which I have a great deal of sympathy. I don’t want the government telling me how to live my life. Except for the fact that it’s not my life. None of my four sons were asked in advance when, at the age of eight days, intense, intimate pain was inflicted upon them, and their private parts irrevocably changed. Hardly a democratic act."