The big news this week is that a judge ruled that the San Francisco circumcision ban measure must be removed from the ballot because it violated state law. First, the judge made a tentative ruling that the ballot measure would be stricken from the ballot. the judge said that the California Business and Professions Code prohibits local regulation of medical procedures. She said that it "serves no legitimate purpose" for an illegal measure to remain on the ballot and ordered elections chief John Arntz "to, um, cut it off." (Can we grow up enough to stop with the stupid puns, already.)

• City Insider: Circumcision ban to be snipped from ballot
• USA Today: Circumcision ban to be stricken from San Francisco ballot

Then, the following day after a hearing the judge makes her decision final.

• BBC News: San Francisco circumcision ban struck from ballot
• CNN Health: San Francisco judge removes circumcision ban from ballot

Intactivists say they are considering an appeal of the judge's ruling.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.

In less than a month, the Genital Autonomy Conference will be held in the United Kingdom. The conference is scheduled from August 31 to September 1, 2011, at Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. The two day conference will consider the legal and human rights issues surrounding non-therapeutic genital surgery on male, female, and intersex children.
 

Monday, July 11, 2011

HuffPost Religion: The Other Side Of The Circumcision Debate
Ronald Goldman is executive director of the Jewish Circumcision Resource Center and author of "Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective" and "Circumcision: The Hidden Trauma." The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center represents Jews around the world who question ritual circumcision. Some mothers have revealed great distress about permitting and watching the circumcision of their sons and have regretted their decision for years. "I will go to my grave hearing that horrible wail," one mother says.

LA Times: The debate over circumcising baby boys
The Los Angeles Times presents both sides of the infant circumcision debate. Georganne Chapin is the founding executive director of Intact America and the founder of Hudson Center for Health Equity & Quality, a nonprofit organization devoted to improving access to healthcare. She says that genital cutting of infant boys is a human rights issue. "All people, male as well as female, are entitled to bodily integrity, and nobody — for any reason — has the right to cut off part of another person's body when that person is too young to understand and to consent." On the other side is Daniel Halperin, a lecturer who recites many of the myths that have been debunked. He concludes, "I'm not interested in pushing circumcision but in making the service readily available to everybody who wants it." Hmm. I do not think the baby boy wants to be circumcised.
 

This past week has seen many intactivists in Gay Pride events across the Unted States. New York City. Chicago. San Francisco. Seattle PrideFest. There is even a YouTube video of the San Francisco Intactivist Contingent.

The British Columbia Pride Parade and the Vancouver Pride Parade are coming up later this month. The Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project (CAN-FAP) is sponsoring marching units at those pride parades. Check out the Intactivist Calendar for more information on upcoming intactivist events.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, June 26, 2011

NORM-UK: Circumcision 'Like having your tongue but not being able to taste': NORM-UK members on BBC Radio 4
The radio program "Broadcasting House" featured contributions from NORM-UK members. The men discussed the harm caused by their circumcisions and their efforts to restore their foreskin.

Dr Momma Peaceful Parenting: Pennsylvania Mother Charged For Bloody Chicken Sacrifice; U.S. Baby Blood Sacrifice Continues
A mother following the Palo Mayombe religion was charged with child neglect and cruelty. The mother held an initiation rite that included a chicken sacrifice and feeding the chicken's heart to her daughter. There was a large outcry over the barbarism of the religioius rite. Why isn't there an equal outrage over the blood sacrifice of cutting off a healthy part of a baby boy that is widely practiced in the US? No one seems concerned that the mother's right to practice her religion was restricted.

Parents, protect your babies. Support intactivism. The following list includes blogs, articles, and websites of interest to Intactivists that were published in the past week. This is a running tally of the ones I found interesting.
 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Herald Sun Australia: Crowe snips circumcision tweets
"Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature?" Russell Crowe tweeted. Crowe reached out to his Jewish friends to reject circumcision and that is when the press had a field day, calling Crowe antisemitic. He removed many of the tweets because he did not want anyone to think he was mocking other's rituals and traditions.

End Routine Infant Circumcision: Why Circumcision Does NOT Slow The Spread of HIV
The average person should know that safe sex (condoms), monogamy, and knowing one’s HIV status are by far the most effective ways of slowing the spread of HIV. Although male circumcision is touted to reduce HIV, men must still wear a condom to protect themselves. Male circumcision gives a false sense of security, causing many to forego wearing a condom.