Alabama Bill SB184 protects most children from unnecessary genital surgeries.

On April 8, 2022 Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed SB184 known as Alabama Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Act (V-CAP). In the Synopsis it states: “This bill would prohibit the performance of a medical procedure or the prescription or issuance of medication, upon or to a minor child, that is intended to alter the appearance the minor child's gender or delay puberty, with certain exceptions.” One of the exceptions is actually male circumcision. 

Childhood circumcision is being actively opposed in Europe and North America. Non-binding resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PA) criticized it as violating “the physical integrity of children” (Parliamentary Assembly 2013, §2). A group of scholars known as the Brussels Collaboration on Bodily Integrity presented over 90 papers to the (PA). The Brussels Collaboration affirms that “cutting any person’s genitals without their informed consent a serious violation of their right to bodily integrity” (Brussels Collaboration 2019, 17), and that any genital alteration of children to be morally impermissible unless medically necessary, “even if medically beneficial” (Brussels Collaboration 2019, 18). The group argues that male, female, and intersex cutting must be considered together. Also, they contend that beliefs underlying circumcision such as binary gender norms are “controversial in the wider society.”( Brussels Collaboration 2019, 21)

We all are very well aware that today’s gender norm is fluid. This circumcision exemption in SB184 has the spirit of the old-think from the binary gender world of the past. Representative Beasley and Governor Ivey should be questioned by reputable journalists about these contradictions in child trans surgery ethics and child circumcision surgery ethics.

Reference: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epub/10.1080/15265161.2019.1643945?needAccess=true