God, I'm glad that finally there is a discussion somewhere that American male circumcision ranks with similar practices on girls abroad. Feminists seem so blind, so politically driven, and so utterly hateful of men and boys. Praise to the women here who have not allowed themselves to become hateful products of US Women's Studies Departments.

Ruby says "To compare male circumcision to female circumcision is a sign of ignorance. " Really Ruby? So if you're well informed you will have read the latest interagency statement on FGM and know that one of the most prevalent forms is the simple nicking of her foreskin? You will know also that what occurs in Shafi'i Islam (practised by 29% of Muslims worldwide) typically involves cutting just her clitoral foreskin - as with boys except slightly milder as it only removes the tip (type Ia). You will also know presumably that in Egypt 8% of cutting removes only the labia minora? Or have I read you wrong and you are saying that female circ is in many regions milder ? If you're not and you're saying that the deaths of 91 boys and young men in ONE region of South Africa last year from forced or coerced (unanaesthetised) amputation of the most sensitive bit of their penis was no big deal then SHAME ON YOU. They're callled HUMAN RIGHTS for a reason. Because men are humans too.

Male and female genital cutting are easily compared when they're considered in a human rights context. This is not an issue of competitive suffering. The screams of the infant or child are genderless and both genders die from these harmful traditional practices. When form is altered, so is function, which is true for both males and females. Both practices reduce pleasurable sensations and both cause loss and lifelong consequences in survivors. No excuse is good enough to excuse the amputation of normal body parts from nonconsenting or coerced minor children. There is no place for these anachronistic blood rituals in civilized society.

In Bandung, Indonesia. I added this to the Introductory text. Thanks for pointing the need knowing where this was taking place. Scott Thode Editor, VII The Magazine

Not to compare male and female circumcision is ignorance considering the fact 20 African boys died last week from this ritual. Death is death regardless of gender.

To compare male circumcision to female circumcision is a sign of ignorance.

Indonesia, I guess. I know this from the first image.

country please?

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a policy statement suggesting that the United States decriminalize lesser forms of female circumcision in order to forestall the more invasive forms and in deference to the cultures that practice it. It met with a firestorm and withdrew the statement. One of the authors later said that it is inconsistent to treat female circumcision differently from male circumcision when in this case the latter is arguably more invasive. The implication was very clear. As long as Americans continue to circumcise their boys, they cannot criticise cultures that circumcise their girls without being utter hypocrites.

Where is this taking place?