American Circumcision

2018 • 100 minutes

About this movie

Circumcision is the most common surgery in America, yet America is the only industrialized country in the world to routinely practice non-religious infant circumcision. Why does America continue to cut the genitals of its newborn baby males when most of the world does not? American Circumcisionexplores both sides of the circumcision debate, including the growing Intactivist movement (intact + activist), which believes all human beings have a right to keep the body they were born with intact. This is the first documentary of its scale to comprehensively explore this cutting edge issue, which involves sex, politics, and religion, all in the most personal way possible.

Ratings and reviews

The movie is somber at times, but also uplifting. I saw it in the theatre. We could hear what seemed like most of the audience sobbing at one point (not about the graphic depiction of the surgery, but rather about a person's anguish while sadly expressing their regrets about not being better informed before allowing a loved one to be cut). But that sort of intensity is broken up by moments when those who would deny a male the right to make his own choice look positively ridiculous, and don't seem to realize how silly they sound. The film also provides uplift by highlighting some men who have been able to undo the predictable sexual damage of circumcision to an extent. Very well told - fair and balanced. I hope all expecting families see this before delivering.

Eye opening. I really wish Americans would "man up" and realize the injustice that we allow to take place with our young boys. And we claim to be a civilized country, we should be ashamed. Sometimes it's hard to admit we are/have been wrong, but we need to do so and put infant circumcision in the past and respect every person's rights, regardless of age, sex, race etc. And yes, i was mutilated as an infant. MY son was not. That's my justice.

I saw this film at the 15th International Symposium on Genital Autonomy and Children's Rights, held in May, 2018 in San Francisco. It is a compelling take on an emotional issue. As a longtime opponent of genital cutting of both males and females, I found the film to be fair, but clear in its point of view. We should not be cutting the genitals of children for culture or for alleged health benefits. I'm very thankful that this film got made.