Dear Whitney,
I’m uncircumcised. I thought it was normal until my first girlfriend in high school told me she hated my hood. Ever since I’ve been too embarrassed to get close with anyone. I’ve had a couple meaningless flings since. Women always seem surprised and turned off when the pants come down. It’s gotten to the point where I make up excuses to go home alone at the end of the night. I’m tired of being afraid of what some girl might think of my member. Any advice?
—Hood Winked
Dear HW,
Honestly, it comes down to personal preference. I know that while some of my female friends couldn’t care less about whether or not a man’s penis is cut, others wouldn’t go within eight feet of the thing. However, according to the World Heath Organization (WHO), it is estimated that roughly 30 per cent of men over the age of 15 are circumcised worldwide. According to experts, the foreskin has three known functions: protective, sensory, and sexual. Not only does it serve as a protective barrier against debris, the foreskin also keeps the head of the penis soft and moist, while protecting it from trauma. Additionally, the extra nerve endings in the foreskin make sex more pleasurable, and can often allow the guy to last a hell of a lot longer. WHO also estimated that while in Canada only 30 per cent of men are cut, nearly 75 per cent of Americans are circumcised. While some families pass on the tradition of circumcision due to religious values, to conform to Western society or the belief that the cut penis is simply more hygienic—ultimately the cleanliness of a member depends on the hygiene of the individual. If the guy doesn’t shower, a cut penis will be just as filthy as a hooded one. Bishop’s women, I want you to listen to me when I say that an uncut penis should never be discriminated against. It comes down to preference, but don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. While there are arguments for both sides of the to-cut-or-not-to-cut debate, my point is that a little extra flesh is nothing to be ashamed of, HW. Get out there!
Love,
Whitney
Have a question about sex or relationships that you can’t ask your friends? Ask Whitney!
Go here to fill out a form anonymously and get an answer!
Good info Whitney.
You are right that the foreskin offers protection, sensation, and sexual function. The foreskin has fine-touch nerve endings similar to those found in the fingertips and lips.. pretty much ALL of the fine-touch nerve endings on the entire penis – now that is unique sensation!
The foreskin also protects not just the head of the penis, but also the urethral opening. Not just from harmful bacteria if a man swims in a dirty lake, but also from scarring – 1 in 10 circumcised men develop meatal stenosis to some degree, but virtually unheard of in intact men.
And “intact” is really a better way to describe a penis that has not undergone a circumcision than “uncircumcised”. You could also call it whole, natural, or complete, but I just really can’t stand the term “uncircumcised”. It isn’t fair if the only way to refer to a penis in its intact form is by referring to a procedure that removes a large part of it! The term “uncircumcised” normalizes circumcision, and makes it seem like it is missing something.. as though someone just forgot to circumcise it. Its worth noting that in cultures that do things as horrific as Female Genital Cutting, the people often refer to intact girls as “uncircumcised” – and they don’t say it respectfully either.
So perhaps the least understood function of the foreskin is the sexual function. It comes down to the mobility of the skin, the way it moves back and forth – known by some as ‘the gliding mechanism’, and to others as ‘built-in lube’. Many women will masturbate by rubbing their clitoral hood over their clitoris, rather than directly rubbing their clitoris. The foreskin works in a very similar way, providing a ‘buffer’ to the head of the penis. Many women will point out the difference they notice by saying “its so much easier to give a handjob to a man with a foreskin!” During sex the skin moves back on the in-stroke (penis pushing in), effectively reducing the amount of abrasion that occurs (same function as lube). On the out-stroke (penis pulling out), the foreskin recovers the head of the penis. This recovering not only reduces abrasion, but also captures a female’s wetness, and “locks it in” and repositions it on the head of the penis for the next in-stroke. Without a foreskin, a female’s wetness actually gets systematically pulled out, and results in sex becoming dry faster.
So the foreskin has the sexual function of keeping sex smoother and wetter.
Thanks again, Whitney, for giving such an informed response to HW. You are absolutely right that simple basic hygiene is all anyone of any gender needs to keep their privates clean. Really, how hard is it to convince a guy to play with his penis in the shower anyways?
Thanks for the comments. Always love to hear that people are reading the column–and its making them think. You had some very informative and insightful opinions. I couldn’t agree with you more about the Western normality of the term uncircumcised! Thanks again!
-Whitney