The Rape of Innocence: Female Genital Mutilation in the U.S.A. is a book written by a woman who had her genitals cut as a child growing up in Kansas in the United States. Many people do not know that female genital mutilation was commonly practiced in the United States up until the 1960s. Insurance paid for it until the 70s and FGM became illegal only in 1996.

Patricia Robinett desribes growing up mutilated. Female circumcision affected her childhood and continued to affect Patricia as an adult. She is now a therapist who helps others with trauma.

Her female genital mutilation made Patricia very aware of the atrocity of cutting the genitals of any child. Patricia is an avid intactivist. She fights for genital integrity of both girls and boys. Female circumcision is virtually wiped out in the United sates. Male circumcision had decreased to about 54% of newborn boys in 2006.

The winds seem to be blowing for a change in the genital mutilation culture of the United States. Unfortunately, it is a foul wind that is starting to blow. Last year the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that they were reconsidering their stance on male infant circumcision. After a public outcry, the CDC backpedaled, somewhat.

I came across this video on Facebook and found it very powerful.

As I began watching the video, I did not know what to think of it. Towards the end I grokked the message. I got shivers up and down my body as I finished watching the video. The video is right. We do have the power.

I grew up in the 60s. But, I was young enough at that time that the cultural happenings were not on my radar. For example, I had just turned 7 when President Kennedy was assassinated. My only recollection of the event is a memory of wondering why all the grownups were watching a boring show on television. The Summer of Love (1967) found me as an 11 year old. That, as did all the Vietnam War protests, happened when I was too young to appreciate what was going on.

The protest era of the 60s is long gone. But that is not to say that the need has passed. The need for social change is just as great today as then.

The protest era of the 60s was remarkable because so many people were willing to speak out to support their beliefs. The protests, demonstrations, and marches, although maybe not as great in number, still continue.

One upcoming protest starts on Friday, March 26. The protest against infant circumcision is a demonstration in support of genital integrity.  A march to the White House is planned for Wednesday afternoon. The demonstration ends on April 1, the beginning of the National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

I spend too much time surfing the 'net. And, as an intactivist, I read a lot of blogs related to circumcision. I frequently come across a comment that the person has never met a circumcised man who was unhappy with his circumcision. Hello. Now you have met one. I do not like my circumcision. I do not like being circumcised.

I was circumcised more than 50 years ago. It was something that was done to most infant boys at the time. For most of my life, I never thought about my circumcision status. My penis worked, at least, I thought it did. I know it gave me lots of pleasure. At least it did when I was younger.

I remember in my twenties when I ejaculated I could not bear to have my glans touched because it was hypersensitive at that time. As I reached my late thirties and early forties, I noticed that my glans did not have the hypersensitivity after ejaculation. As my forties flew by I noticed it became more and more difficult to ejaculate during sex. My glans was turning dry and leathery. I had much less sensitivity in my glans and penis. There was only one small spot on my corona where there was any sensitivity. The rest of my glans was less sensitive than a finger.