By Mike Buchanan: We’ve spent some time over recent weeks developing a ‘Letter to the Editor’ for publication in a national newspaper or periodical, in the week preceding the Conservative party conference, which starts next Sunday. The letter has been signed by some of the world’s most well-known anti-MGM campaigners, researchers, and anti-MGM organizations.None of the numerous national newspapers and periodicals we’ve approached offering exclusivity (one after another) have been willing to publish the letter, so we’ve decided to publish it here. It takes up the remainder of this post:
Dear Sir / Madam,
We call upon the government to specifically proscribe the non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors (henceforth male genital mutilation, MGM). This would give male minors the same legal protection as that enjoyed by female minors since the passing of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985.
The original purpose of this obscene practice was to diminish sexual pleasure in adult men. It detrimentally affects many men’s physical and mental health, blighting their lives, and sometimes leads to suicide.
This mutilation of healthy minors’ bodies has always been illegal under Common Law. It is illegal under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as well as a plethora of more recent legislation, which, inter alia, protects the basic right of the individual to bodily autonomy, until that person reaches an age to make an informed decision. MGM also breaches UN and EU conventions.
MGM is directly comparable to Type 1a and Type IV FGM. There are no medical benefits which bear close examination. It is ethically and morally indefensible. This barbaric practice must be banned at the earliest available opportunity.Yours sincerely,
Mike Buchanan
Party leader Justice for Men & Boys (and the women who love them)
Tim Hammond
Survey Programmer Global Survey on Circumcision Harm
Gregory Boyle
Professor of Psychology
Bond University (1993-2013)
Jack Cohen
Honorary Professor
Institute of Mathematics, University of Warwick
Dr John Warren
Retired consultant physician
Chair, 15 Square (formerly NORM-UK)
David Smith
Chief Officer Genital Autonomy
Patrick Smyth
Organiser Men Do Complain
Natasha Philips
Legal Researcher Researching Reform
Linda Massie
Director National Organisation Circumcision Information Resource Centre of
Northern Ireland (NOCIRC-NI)
Ian Tyes
Solicitor (retired)
Source
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Researching Reform: Should male infant genital mutilation [circumcision] be illegal in the UK?
By Mike Buchanan: We’re admirers of the website Researching Reform, and Natasha Philips
– the founder, and the legal expert for the site – has published an
interesting piece on MGM. I’ve just submitted a comment (below) and I urge you to submit your own. Thank you.Non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors (Male Genital Mutilation / MGM) is already illegal in the UK, albeit not specifically illegal (unlike FGM, which has been specifically illegal since 1985). MGM also breaches a number of UN and EU conventions. In common with paternity fraud, MGM is a crime which the criminal justice system does not prosecute people for – but SHOULD.Source
MGM is an abhorrent assault on the human rights of make babies, infants, and children, who by definition cannot give informed consent. I know of no medical benefits from the procedure which bear serious examination, and I strongly recommend a blog piece by William Collins on the matter – here.
Anyone who doubts the assertion that MGM is already illegal in the UK, and breaches UN and EU conventions, should check out what James Chegwidden, a London-based barrister with no connection to J4MB, had to say in a presentation in 2013 – here.
MGM is, inter alia, a human rights issue. MGM is child abuse. Our political party is calling for it to be made specifically illegal, in line with FGM, at the earliest opportunity.
Mike Buchanan
JUSTICE FOR MEN & BOYS
(and the women who love them)
http://j4mb.org.uk
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