Males and females have different anatomy: is this relevant to circumcision? A reply to ‘The prosecution of Dawoodi Bohra women’ by Richard Shweder

Procedural safety is one of the determinants whether parents ought to be able authorise ritual circumcision (foreskin removal) for their minor children. The penis and clitoris differ greatly in anatomy. Their homology irrelevant boys girls should treated differently regarding circumcision. infantile male foreskin easily separable from penile head safe removal. It large enough that technically easy but small not highly vascularised. In contrast, prepubertal tightly bound clitoral hood, both are adjacent non-clitoral tissue. This, tiny size clitoris, make dangerous. Circumcision increases with age girls, whom procedure probably safest after sexual maturation. opposite true boys. infancy becomes more dangerous as enlarges its blood supply increases. I argue religion has sufficiently powerful positive effects within a society, important adherents, warrant some deference by state. liberal rituals prohibited only if likely create serious physical psychological harm. Male infant fails meet this bar; however, it uncertain case female