Eric Clopper

Founder of @IntactGlobalinc, a non-profit filing equal protection lawsuits across the U.S. to end the harmful practice of childhood circumcision in health care.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

My non-profit @IntactGlobalinc is filing constitutional lawsuits across the U.S. to end the harmful practice of childhood circumcision in hospitals.

Girls are protected by anti-FGM laws, so equal protection means boys must be protected too.

Learn more:
https://t.co/Fz8mCvI0QT

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

There are endless reasons to oppose childhood genital cutting practices like circumcision. That's why I founded @IntactGlobalinc, a non-profit that's filing lawsuits across the U.S. to get childhood circumcision out of our hospitals.

We're filing our next lawsuit in Colorado, press conference on June 15.
https://t.co/kvmq4PmhBx

[D. Alec Zeck @Alec_Zeck]

More here: https://t.co/wyCBtDo6JC

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

@StefanMolyneux Regardless of severity, all forms of cosmetic childhood genital cutting is unethical.

That's why I founded @IntactGlobalinc, a non-profit currently filing equal protection lawsuits across the U.S. to get male childhood circumcision out of our hospitals.
https://t.co/Fz8mCvI0QT

[miss worm @missus_wormy]

circumcision should probably be illegal

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

You're right that it's a different paper by the same authors. But the point stands: There's a sizable body of research (beyond circumcision) that suggests early pain exposure alters pain perception later.

Also, the current standard of care for newborn circumcision (if there is one) is not anesthesia like you say, but analgesia. Analgesia is not perfectly effective, and there is no standard protocol. One type of analgesia used is a sucrose pacifier (a lollipop).

Finally, even if effective analgesia is used during the surgery, that doesn't mean it will be used to handle post-operative pain.

All in all, the evidence on pain is one reason among dozens against cutting children's genitals without medical indication.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is "good evidence" that neonatal circumcision (which is often done without analgesia) leads to a stronger pain response to subsequent vaccination.

Yet another reason why the practice should be abandoned.

Source: https://t.co/ClP6B3iXLh

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

@Kylepaxoll @FutureIntact That study was sufficient for the American Academy of Pediatrics to conclude in its 2012 report that there was "good evidence" that neonatal circumcision led to stronger pain response to subsequent vaccination.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

Join us in Colorado in just two weeks when @IntactGlobalinc files its second equal protection lawsuit against non-therapeutic childhood circumcision.

We'll be sharing more details at our press conference in downtown Denver on June 15. Learn more: https://t.co/q6MT2t6xT7

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

@MadamSavvy @RupertLowe10 @LadyGravemaster You might be interested to learn that my non-profit @IntactGlobalinc is filing lawsuits to secure a ban on non-therapeutic childhood circumcision in the U.S. See my pinned post for more info.

[NateTalksToYou @NateTalksToYou]

If you understand why this is wrong, then you can understand why infant circumcision is wrong.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

Obviously no two forms of harm are identical. @IntactGlobalinc opposes all forms of non-therapeutic cutting on children.

The WHO also recognizes FGM Type Ia (including even partial clitoral hood removal) and Type IV (including ritual nicks removing no tissue) which are closer to male circumcision in extent.

But again, no cutting of children is justified unless strictly medically necessary. It's not OK to cut off a finger just because cutting off an arm is worse!

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

Unfortunately one of the reasons it's difficult to advocate against non-therapeutic genital cutting is because the procedures are not standardized, creating a moving target.

Medicalized genital cutting of the penis removes varying levels of shaft skin and often also removes the frenulum, leading to different results in function and sensation between victims. (The frenular delta was recently confirmed as the penile "G-spot.")

Sounds like varying extent of cutting is unfortunately a problem in medical FGM, too.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

@jess_ann_pin Thank you for your opinion.

[Jessica Pin @jess_ann_pin]

Wow. Happy to see a lawyer who sees this.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

Fundamentally, the issue of non-therapeutic genital cutting of minors stems from the same cause regardless of sex: institutional ignorance of genital anatomy and physiology. My non-profit @IntactGlobalinc believes sex-neutral opposition to harmful genital cutting is the best path toward change.

We're filing our second equal protection lawsuit in Denver on June 15. If you're interested, we'd love for you to attend and speak about the issue of medical FGM at our press conference. More information here: https://t.co/kvmq4PmhBx

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

You're definitely right that anti-FGM laws contain huge gaps and therefore rarely protect girls when genital cutting is medicalized.

@BrianDavidEarp has written on how these laws often conflate "medical reasons" with "medical necessity" such that purely cosmetic (i.e., unnecessary) surgery is suddenly treated as "not FGM" because it's given a medical veneer: https://t.co/uiU5LmwS4T

The problem @IntactGlobalinc sees with anti-FGM laws is that they (purport to) give special statutory protection to girls that should also belong to boys and intersex children. But in addition to making anti-FGM laws sex-equal, gaps in liability and enforcement must be closed.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

My non-profit @IntactGlobalinc is filing constitutional lawsuits across the U.S. to end the harmful practice of childhood circumcision in hospitals.

Girls are protected by anti-FGM laws, so equal protection means boys must be protected too.

Learn more:
https://t.co/Fz8mCvI0QT

[adam mcquade @AdamMcquade]

I still think all circumcision should be banned. FGM outright but male circumcision should be banned until 18 unless for medical reasons

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

@AdamMcquade Agreed. My non-profit @IntactGlobalinc is making that happen with equal protection lawsuits across the U.S. We're launching our next lawsuit on June 15 in Colorado.

Check my pinned message for more info.

[Eric Clopper @AttorneyClopper]

June is #NationalMensHealth month. Check my pinned post to learn how my non-profit @IntactGlobalinc is working to protect the well-being of boys and men.