Nurse for the Rights of the Child

Tora Spigner RN MSN discusses personal observations and experiences around infant circumcision that informed her advocacy for genital integrity rights for all children.

Why do/did you have foreskin?

The foreskin occupies a prominent position on an important organ. The foreskins location and structure indicate that it is the most important sensory tissue of the penis. Its persistence over millions of years suggests that it has played a role in the propagation of the species.

A well-integrated organ

Structurally, the penis is highly integrated. The glans, foreskin and skin of the penile shaft function as a single unit, not as a collection of separate parts with entirely different functions. The functions of the glans and foreskin are similar, and overlapping, but come fully into their own at different times during intercourse.

Simple sensations

The outer surface of the foreskin is specialized to detect feather-light touch and other sensations, including painful ones. The infamous zipper injury is an extreme example of the sort of damage the outer skin was designed to detect and prevent, long before the zipper posed a threat to the uninitiated.

Compared with the true (outer) skin of the foreskin, the glans is only feebly sensitive to light touch, pain, heat and cold. This is part of the reason we call the foreskin the primary sensory tissue of the penis. Without the foreskin, the end of the penis is numb to a host of sensations that tell the owner whether one of his most prized organs is in good company, or should move to safety.

Complex sensations

Thanks to its ridged band, the inner lining of the foreskin is specialized sexual tissue. The ridged band readily expands and contracts and is obviously designed to detect stretching forces. When penile shaft skin tugs on the ridged band, special genital corpuscles in the peaks of the ridges detect movement and trigger ejaculation. Stretching of the ridged band may also trigger and sustain erection.

Electrical stimulation of the glans triggers nerve impulses that pass to the spinal cord and then to the muscle of ejaculation. Clearly the glans has much in common with the foreskin. Where foreskin and glans part company, functionally as well as physically, is in their sensitivity to light touch, pain and heat and cold. Contrary to common opinion, the glans is not highly sensitive to a broad range of stimuli.

Foreskin vs. glans

It is unclear whether the ridged band simply plays backup for the glans, or whether the two have different functions. The location of the retracted ridged band on the erect penile shaft suggests that the difference is one of timing. Possibly, the foreskin and its ridged band are designed to ensure that sexual reflexes are triggered when, and only when, these structures are stretched during intercourse. The biological importance of the ridged band to conception is self-evident, but there is still a major gap in our understanding of the relation between form and function of the penis.

Dartos muscle

Penile skin has two important characteristics, apparent only on erection. Firstly penile skin tenses, stiffens and shortens, firming up the connection between shaft skin and ridged band. This change allows for the transmission of movement from the base of the erect penis to the ridged band.

Secondly, penile skin undergoes a marked frictional change, brought about by stiff, forward-pointing skin folds. The mechanism is similar to that which raises goosebumps.

The changes in penile skin are brought about by contraction of the Dartos muscle. Between them, stiffening and frictionality ensure that the ridged band is instantly alerted to changes in position of the penis within the vagina.

Why two layers?

The double-layering of the foreskin allows the delicate ridged band, which normally is safely hidden from view, to be deployed on the upper surface of the penile shaft during erection. There it stands a better chance of being activated. Double-layering also eases vaginal entry by offsetting the frictional resistance of erect shaft skin.

Summary

The various parts of the penis, including the foreskin, form a functional whole. The foreskin is the primary sensory tissue of the penis. The ridged band of the foreskin is built to trigger orgasm and ejaculation.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• nurse
• patient
• advocate
• newborn
• baby
• kindness
• compassion
• peace
• genital
• integrity
• labor
• delivery
• maternity
• pregnant
• penis
• foreskin
• labia
• clitoris
• vagina
• sexual
• education
• health
• care
• 2009
• African
• American
• Jewish
• circumcision
• mutilation
• medical
• fraud
• wounding
• child
• abuse
• infant
• human
• rights

[fintyrock]

I did not say it was not cruel. I said that nurse think that an abortionist worker killing babies are wonderful! What is wonderful in killing babies?

[Bonobo3D]

@fintyrock How does you question pertain to this video? If your comments are not on topic they will be removed.

[AceOfHearts001]

BAN circumcision. Its a human rights violation. CRUEL EVIL.

I hope one day we look back at it as a shameful part of human history.

[TLCTugger]

Since she notes that she has encountered Jewish moms with intact sons, I should share that my own surveys at anti-circumcision rallies prove that US Jews are 5 times more likely than Americans in general to be at an anti-circumcision rally.

This is to say I think there are more than enough Jews to work within the Jewish community on ending infant circumcision.

Foreskin feels REALLY good. HIS body HIS decision.

[Bonobo3D]

@Kevvo2011 Yes intact adults in cultures that generally cut children are very lucky indeed. Your perspective can help educate and end this torture on children, and the adults that they become.

[Kevvo2011]

@Bonobo3D I'm not saying that it's exclusive to one race, but the US in general are the main ones who still practice that kind of torture on children for no rational reason. Most of the world's men (about 80% or so) are intact. Living in this country makes me realize that I'm lucky I wasn't mutilated like that.

[Bonobo3D]

@Kevvo2011 I don't think the problems associated with telling right from wrong are a more frequent problem for any one race, I think that is a human problem of ethics and morals for all people.

[Kevvo2011]

@Bonobo3D You are absolutely correct, no matter what people say. Somewhat of a disturbing story (made me cringe, because it's so wrong to do that to a defenseless child) but very true. It would be nice if more people would realize the difference from right and wrong, this seems to be a more frequent problem in the black community now. Would you agree?

[Bonobo3D]

@fintyrock Well there's lots to learn then. There are a lot of informative videos on this channel and elsewhere showing and discussing how harmful genital cutting is to children and the adults they become.

[fintyrock]

@Bonobo3D It is just that I can't understand people being shocked of torture to babies by curcumcision but are not shocked about abortion which is torturing a child to death!

[Bonobo3D]

@fintyrock If you don't understand why cutting off part of a persona's genital organ is cruel I will explain it to you. Because the genitals are the part of the body that deliver the most sexual feeling to the brain. Cutting them off someone without consent from someone who is too young to understand or consent is a severe violation of human rights.

Please watch the YouTube video, On Abortion and Circumcision posted by equalsfb before making more comments here please.

[Bonobo3D]

@fintyrock You make the mistake of thinking that one has to focus on one issue before working on another.

These issues are not on a sliding scale of importance, except in your own mind.