Circumcision and forced disability: Routine male neonatal circumcision and the consequences of amputation within a critical disability studies framework

Abstract

Through the lens of critical disability studies, this article analyzes the discourse surrounding routine neonatal male circumcision in Canadian and Western contexts. The function of the foreskin is explored, and the functional limitation inflicted by the act of routine neonatal male circumcision is presented. In a critical disability studies framework, it is argued that the act of amputating healthy erogenous tissue and the consequences of that amputation cause disability, particularly from a counter-hegemonic lens. Various principles of critical disability studies are employed, including: recognizing the expertise of disabled people in their own lives; centering the lived experiences of people; factoring in social and political definitions; accounting for the intersections of gender and sexuality; addressing accommodation and equity; and the overall reinterpretation of disability. Through the lens of critical disability studies, considerations include: the intactivist movement; social justice initiatives; foreskin restoration movements; structural violence; the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act; and support for men who live with an amputation due to forced genital cutting.

Keywords: male, circumcision, critical disability studies