Archive for June, 2010
Unpopular Opinions: Circumcision
I am contemplating writing regular “Unpopular Opinions” posts for this blog. Not only is controversy interesting and good for traffic, it seems like a lot of my thoughts end up falling on the unpopular side anyway. The concept of ‘Alternative’ Housewife was tongue-in-cheek built around the fact that my opinions don’t quite fall in with any popular blogging group. For my first Unpopular post, something a bit safe – Circumcision. I’m not sure if this qualifies as an unpopular opinion, as the rate of cut to uncut in the U.S. is said to be around 50/50 as of now (and the majority of baby boys worldwide are not circumcised), but it is definitely a heated topic in many circles.
I am not going to circumcise my son, due in September. I had pretty much decided this before I knew much more than that the procedure isn’t necessary, but reading up on the subject gave me plenty of reasons to back up my decision.
Some interesting facts about circumcision and foreskin:
Circumcision in America started in the Victorian era as a punishment for masturbation.
Cut penises often have less sensitivity as a result of constant, unprotected friction.
Foreskin is self-lubricating and a woman is less likely to require lube when having sex with an uncut man.
What is lost with circumcision:
“The essential “gliding” mechanism. If unfolded and spread out flat, the average adult foreskin measures about 15 square inches, the size of a postcard. This abundance of specialized, self-lubricating mobile skin gives the natural penis its unique hallmark ability to smoothly “glide” in and out within itself—permitting natural non-abrasive masturbation and intercourse, without drying out the vagina or requiring artificial lubricants.”
The pleasure factor is one of the main reasons I am against circumcision. If you have had sex with both a cut and an uncut man, you know what I’m talking about, and the facts above back it up. I’m not ashamed to say that I want my son to have good sex someday! Cutting off the foreskin is essentially the same thing as cutting off the clitoral hood.
There are some studies that claim circumcision might reduce the risk of contracting HIV or other sexually transmitted disease by something like .01%. (If you’re relying on that, you are really cutting things close, no pun intended.) Additionally, the justification I hear for circumcision most frequently is that it is cleaner, and that young boys in particular don’t clean under the foreskin well enough. To this I say, how about we teach our sons not to be disgusting and to clean themselves properly! The vagina requires a bit of internal cleaning too, but maybe it’s just OK for boys to be lazy. It is extreme to put a child through minor surgery to avoid having to talk to them about penile hygiene and safe sex.
Note: While I touched on cleanliness for the sake of argument, a boy’s uncirc penis does not actually require additional cleaning and in fact should not be forcefully retracted. The foreskin of a baby serves to protect the glans from the friction and ammonia of a dirty diaper. After circumcision, the fresh wound is exposed to urine, possibly feces and chemicals in mainstream diapers.
If you are considering circumcising your baby, I highly recommend that you Google some images first, watch a video of an actual circumcision, then make your decision.
Sources: The Case Against Circumcision, Should Tradition Trump Reason
Open to comments! Did or would you circumcise your son? Do uncut men make better lovers?
Maiden America – Hair Bows for Dogs!
I recently received several dog barrettes from Maiden America for Rufio to wear and review. Aside from being pretty, the clips are designed to stay in place even on dogs who don’t tolerate accessories, which includes Ruf. While he doesn’t mind clothing most of the time, anything beyond that he is less than a fan of. (OK, so he is probably less than a fan of clothes too but he’s part chihuahua so he’s forced to deal.)
Despite Rufio’s disdain for glamour, he had very little problem with these barrettes. I was very surprised at how well he sat still for me to clip them in, and once they were in place he seemed to forget about them quickly. Clipping the barrettes into some areas bothered him more than others, but I honestly think he liked having a bow to hold hair out of his eyes.
I had fun choosing a few barrettes to review, and they look better in person than they do on the site. Styles include Carrie Bradshaw style flowers and Swarovski crystals.
Maiden America doggie barrettes are handmade in the Pacific Northwest with non-toxic glues. You can order directly from their website, visit the Maiden American Facebook page, and follow Maiden American on Twitter.
I hooked up with Maiden America doggie hair bows through Business 2 Blogger. Barrettes (including some extras!) were provided to me but I was not otherwise compensated for this review.
Sunday Link Love
The past two weeks have been really slow for exciting articles – For some reason this week it really picked up! Lots of links on lots of topics so scroll through and I’m sure you’ll find at least one or two that pique your interest.
Misikko: How to Find the Right Salon. My current salon is Iris Salon in downtown Gresham, and they have all of these qualities. I am still loving the bob I got there last month and plan to return soon for bangs & a trim.
Style List: The 5 Biggest Nail Trends For Summer 2010 A friend gave me a rave review of her Shellac manicure – I may have to give that a test drive.
Logical Harmony: My Fave Beauty Picks Under 5 Bucks
Science Daily: Personality Can Predict Fertility Neurotic women are more fertile? Having gotten knocked up on my first try, this does not surprise me.
My Baby’s Green: What’s The Problem? A look at disposable school lunches and easy ways to reduce waste and save money. With so many cute reusable lunch container options out there, your kid won’t miss the plastic baggies and paper juice boxes. (In fact, here are some super scary facts about lead content in children’s juice drinks.)
Crunchy Domestic Goddess: If Parents Don’t Protect Their Kids from Harmful Chemicals, Who Will?
Organic Authority: 17 Tips to Shop for Organic Foods on a Budget
Healthy Child Healthy World: Secondhand Safety Guidelines for buying thrift items for children.
Ditz-Revolution Latest Thrift Buys In the Philippines, thrifting is called ukay, and apparently you can find lots of good shit! Helga: I want that zebra top!
Etsy: Bachman’s Sparrow now has a shop – Go scoop up some of her DIYs! She has a quick video up talking about her shop.
despising life is so passe: Fashionista Spotlight: Taylor Momsen
Real Moms DIY: Hosting a Shabby Chic Baby Shower Gorgeous photos and inspiration
Kim Kardashian Grossed Out by Public Breastfeeding
I follow the Kardashians (I’m a huge Khloe fan), but why does Kim have to say such dumb things. I mean, she says a lot of dumb things on Twitter, but I had to post something about this gem from today:
While I agree that a tabletop diaper change is unappetizing, why is Kim Kardashian taking issue with breasts? Maybe she doesn’t realize that boobs actually exist to feed babies and not just to be accessories in sex tapes. As someone who plans to breastfeed (very likely without a cover), this comment really annoyed me. I don’t think breasts are a big deal, period, but there is especially no reason a woman needs to cover her baby’s head with an uncomfortable cover just so that Kim Kardashian doesn’t have to see a nip. I wonder what Kim would do/say if someone complained about her sister Kourtney breastfeeding her son Mason.
Edit: Here is a great piece expanding on the topic with awesome illustrations: Kardashian’s Call to Cover Up.
I knew this issue would blow up the moment I saw her tweet, and it certainly has. While she is certainly hypocritical, I would like to point out that I don’t think we should be telling Kim K to cover herself up either (other than to make a point). Telling a woman how much skin to or not to show has been used throughout history as a way to control women and is not OK. Some women are modest. Some, like myself, are not at all. It is no one’s place to tell a woman how much of her body to cover – If you don’t like what you see, don’t look.
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