American Circumcision is a documentary presenting the articles of faith of a group calling themselves “intactivists” who believe males should be given a choice whether to have the procedure done. The medical argument against waiting is that the benefits of circumcision are realized for infant boys through adulthood: if left until men can decide for themselves the risk of infections and disease is (slightly) higher.

The documentary features two evidence based medical scientists talking about the health benefits of circumcision painted as evil and out of touch. They are contrasted with a parade of very passionate people making emotional arguments against the scientific evidence.

Their motivation seems to be a deep body horror that infant boys are being mutilated, that they can feel the pain of the operation, that it is somehow traumatic despite the fact that infant brains cannot remember pain. There is much discussion of the damage to sexual sensitivity done to boys and of the trauma of the operation.

Fascinatingly, there is a real body mod practice most people would find horrifying for the truly dedicated “intactivist” who wishes to reinstate his foreskin. The foreskin restoration enthusiast uses a combination of pinching devices, weights, and elastin cream to stretch the foreskin. Enough of this self-torture (a great deal is required to be effective) and the penis will appear as though it was never circumcised. The descriptions of the intensity, time, and determination necessary to achieve this seem to put it almost into the realm of fetish practice.