Scars
I had never really thought much about scars before until I had an accident and shattered my left arm. After a two hour operation to pin bones back together I was left with a couple of good ones and an arm full of hardware. I then began to notice scars more and wonder about them and try to work out the story’s behind them. When I was a student I was very influenced by the photography of Jo Spence who I admired very much and still do. I have always found her images very powerful and a bit uncomfortable too.
Of course we are all covered in a multitude of small scars that often remind us of things we used to do or small accidents we have had. Each scar or blemish tells a story and throughout our lifetimes our bodies become a record of our physical interaction with the world.
Since acquiring some larger scars that for a while seemed to glow red on my arm though I noticed several interesting things happening to me. The first thing was that people looked at them sometimes instead of looking at my face and children in particular commented loudly about them or asked about them directly. The second thing I noticed was that people touched them often in a very sensual ticklish way. Even in a fairly non-tactile society such as Japan people I hardly knew or had just met ran their finger tips along my scars and asked me if they hurt. I have found that kind of behaviour fascinating as if your changed body has somehow given strangers permission to touch you in much the same way that pregnant women find people they don’t even know touching their bump.
I have learned to live with my more visible scars but there are some scars that are harder to come to terms with. Some time ago I came across a website about men who had been circumcised and were unhappy about the fact. Some men had even tried to reverse what they saw as a terrible disfigurement. Unfortunately I can’t find the site but I’ll keep looking. The issues raised though were very interesting to me.
Of course there are many reasons that circumcision is undertaken and it is rarely done because of medical necessity and usually performed before the individual concerned is in any position to decide for themselves whether they want to be or not. Once done it is pretty much a fait accompli and there is no going back although there are some methods that can achieve an approximation but not complete restoration. Words like mutilation, abuse and assault were used freely on this particular site and some others like them.
My personal view is that circumcision and any other permanent alteration should never be done to anyone unless there is a compelling medical need or they are an adult who wishes to do this to themselves. I have similar views about piercings, implants, and other enhancements/alterations of the human body but that’s another story.
There is of course a whole other category of largely invisible scars. These scars are usually buried deep inside us and have occurred at many different times in our life. We have sometimes forgotten what caused these scars and some are still painful. Coming to terms with our scars is therefore a serious business and quite important if we are to lead happy and fulfilling lives.
It’s great that you “get” that circumcision is mutilation and shouldn’t be done on a person without their consent. I’m a nurse and I just got home from my hopsital where numerous little boys were cut without their consent. Please don’t ever think they don’t feel it - they do - and it hurts like hell! Needless to say, I am very anti-circumcision.
There are several websites out there that deal with men trying to restore their foreskin. I suspect the website you mentioned was http://www.norm-uk.org/ or maybe http://www.cirp.org/pages/restore.html.
Both are fairly interesting sites.
Lib
I fully empathise with you and those poor little babes too. It is outrageous that in a civilised society this thing isn’t stamped out perhaps by prosecuting the perpetrators for child cruelty. I think that the weight of medical evidence now points overwhelmingly against any form of genital mutilation and in fact strongly supports retention of this body part for health reasons; so for a doctor to do it is tantamount to removing a healthy part of your body. Isn’t that good reason to be struck off for medical malpractice? Thank you very much for sharing and the links also.
Kindest regards
David Raho
I was in a gasoline explosion a couple years ago and my scars are an uncomfortable reminder to me of the event. Yet, despite the negative connotations, I also think about it as one of the most real, positive events of my life. The fire is gone, but I’m still here. I endured the pain, the recovery and I still succeed. I am not dead, I am alive.
Sometimes even the most unwelcome reminder teaches us wisdom.
Great to hear from you.
Take care
David
DO ANY THING
What even Hedgehogs? I am sure that one is open to interpretation as a personal philosophy and quite possibly risky for you to pursue absolutely in terms of your well being and continued liberty but thanks for commenting any way - I think.
Regards
David Raho
It is very good to know that you think children should retain their genital integrity and be free from any harmful practices. I trained as a nurse and am a member of NORM-UK which supports men and women who have been affected.
I was fortunate enough to have attended seminars in London when Jo Spence talked about her innovative photography art. Like you, I admire her greatly- a brave intelligent woman who died all too soon. Best wishes Iris
Thank you Iris
I second all your comments about Jo Spence she was and still is a great inspiration. I only hope more people rediscover her powerful legacy.
I support anyone who supports childrens genital integrity as I see no compelling reason for it unless someone has a rare medical condition that requires surgical attention. I realise that in many cases mutilation is carried out in accordance with religious or cultural traditions but so was foot-binding and castration in some societies. Things change and hopefully major religions will take heed of the overwhelming case for genital integrity and act responsibly to prevent further mutilations taking place.
In addition I have always taken the view that I will not support any practice that permanently alters a persons body including piercing, tatoos, cosmetic surgery etc until that person has reached an age when they can make an informed choice about their body (unless there is a strong and compelling medical reason for acting on their behalf and in their best interests before they are old enough or in a position to make their own decision).
Regards
David Raho
I have a considerable scar after emergency bowel surgery - breast bone to pubic bone - it is fading now - at last - nearly five years later. One oddness is that it tingles when there is thunder on the way - do yours react like that?
Yes is often not appreciated how huch scars change over time. Funny you should mention the tingling. I can predict typhoons here. I wonder how it works?
Thanks for your contributions
David Raho
I can understand why someone would recognize a restored foreskin as only an approximation of the real thing, but the methods available today are so easy and comfortable, there is very little reason not to get back a measure of the sensation that was lost.
Wearing a silicone cone to keep your existsing skin over the glans rejuvenates the glans and the skin that becomes inner facing, and it is as easy as putting on your underwear.
Thanks Ron I wonder why more people don’t know about these cones I have never come across them before. You never know they could become the latest must have fashion accessory especially if they came in a range of colours/designs.
Thanks for sharing and if you have a link please let me know.
David Raho
I didn’t know people were so traumatized by circumcision. I also thought it was a normal procedure to prevent infection later on in life. Of course, I don’t speak from experience.
As for other types of scars, it’s interesting that something like that would be considered an open invitation to invade another’s personal space. Maybe it’s an attempt to connect–pain seems to bring people together at times.
Unfortunately there are a lot of people out there traumatised by circumcision. There are of course different degrees of circumcision and victims of this procedure will not know what they have lost. It was originally promoted as a cure for masturbation as it desensitises the penis and was only later falsely justified as a disease prevention measure.
It is routinely performed in many countries and states on both boys and in some cases girls too. The infection argument is pretty much discredited now and comes from an age where small children had their genitals scrubbed raw and doused with Lysol and other nasty things in the name of greater hygiene (of course there are still those who probably do this in the mistaken belief it is beneficial). Circumcision often weakens the skin around the penis and many men actually bleed during intercourse leading to a greater risk of blood borne disease and associated risks.
Scars are immensely interesting psychologically and sociologically. I thought up a good example of possible sexist conditioning to scars. Like many 40 somethings I had an Action Man (UK version of GI Joe) as a kid who had a prominent facial scar on his right cheek. This was obviously seen as something that enhanced his appeal. I am not sure if the same would have worked for Barbie at the time. Perhaps in this supposedly enlightened age dolls might sport a few more scars to reflect reality.
Thanks
Regards
David Raho
Source: http://www.islandoflosttoys.com/gi_joe.htm
[...] I read in A First Word Blog: Of course we are all covered in a multitude of small scars that often remind us of things we used [...]
Thanks for the link Kristine. Please feel free to add The First Word to your blogroll if you would like to.
Regards
David Raho
To me scars are both ugly and beautiful. With them we are reminded of the past sometimes happy ones and other aren’t. However, they are the ones that grew with us and have been with us through out. It is a part of us and it makes us who we are today. Though some might be painful, its still us.
I couldn’t agree more
David Raho