A bill to ban infant circumcision will have a hearing in Massachusetts soon. The bill is S-1777, and people can submit written testimony to Michael.Avitzur@state.ma.us and Gene.Oflaherty@state.ma.us. There will be a public hearing on all miscellaneous bills, including this one to ban infant circumcision, sometime in January 2010. The text of the bill is here.

Although the genital mutilation of infants is, to my mind, barbaric, I wouldn't go so far as to ban it under law. It is too integral to the religious identity of Muslims and Jews for that. But I would like to see it banned in public hospitals outside of religious rituals. Men have a right to grow to adulthood without having their bodies permanently altered without their consent. If they wish to do it to themselves as adults, fine.

2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan