Pam is correct, there is a correlation between sex with uncircumcised males and cervical cancer in females. I suspect that is related to human papillomavirus (HPV), a causative factor in many cases of cervical cancer.

As any statistics professor will pound into the heads of students, correlation does not equal causation.

It may be that the accumulation of smegma (the goopy stuff comprised of secretions, dead epithelial cells, and sebum) provides a breeding ground for HPV. It may be that poor hygiene habits/lack of adequate bathing/water/sanitation (endemic in the Third World) combined with the smega-rich environment under the foreskin exacerbates the infection rate of both men and women.

I don’t know if studies have been done comparing cervical cancer rates between developed countries (with presumably better personal hygiene) and Third World countries for uncircumcised males.

Note that HPV also causes penile, anal, vaginal, and oropharyngeal cancers, depending on how one chooses to practice sex.

In any event, there are vaccines for HPV (Gardisil is one) that are recommended (and sometimes forced upon) young women in developed countries. There are ongoing studies evaluating the benefits of HPV vaccines for use in males. Seems to me you’d want to vaccinate the source of the HPV (males) first, it would protect males and females. Of course, that’s not how this played out.

I agree with you that closeted anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish sentiment may be a force behind the anti-circumcision folks.

(… goes back to contemplating how we ended up in this alternate universe blog, the *other* DTWOF. Maybe we should call it DXTWOF to distinguish between them …)

Second, circumcision has been the object of religious bigotry in the past. “Clipcock” has been a derisive term for Jewish men. It’s a safe bet that some of those high-minded objectors to religiously motivated mutilation are hiding anti-Muslim prejudice — perhaps anti-Jewish as well. Discussion of circumcision requires some care in that respect.

Perhaps in some alternate universe, there’s a blog called DicksToWatchOutFor. Amazingly enough, a WHOIS search reveals that this domain name has not been snatched. Yet.

I don’t know if English history is taught differently on this side of the pond, but we were told that Roundheads was a derisive nickname for the Puritans. Could the Cavaliers have been referring to something other than their shorn locks?

Multiple sources are confirming that Harvey Pekar has died.

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/14171