EHJÄ-hankkeen päätösseminaari 2014. David Smith, Chief Officer of Genital Autonomy.

1. RESISTANCE
INTACTIVISM IN
EUROPE
HELSINKI
JANUARY 2014

2. David Smith

3. NORM-UK



FOUNDED 1995
REGISTERED UK CHARITY
FOUNDED TO HELP MEN DAMAGED
PHYSICALLY OR PSYCHOLOGICALLY
THROUGH CIRCUMCISION

4. Genital Autonomy

5. GENITAL AUTONOMY
Founded in 2008
Issues with promoting male circumcision
FGM and Intersex faced similar problems
Uniting MGM, FGM and intersex made topic
more acceptable and easier for the public to
understand
UNCROC provided human rights framework
within which to operate.

6. Male circumcision like a three legged
stool

7. Three legs of circumcision stool
Medical
 Social
 Religious


8. Religious leg

Decision made in 1995 that religious issue had
to be tackled by the members of the religions.

9. Initial marketing mistakes.


Too much emphasis on foreskin restoration for
victims
Not enough emphasis on prevention of
unnecessary circumcision for the future.

10. Victor Schonfeld

11. It’s a Boy!





THE Male Circumcision Film
by Victor Schonfeld
‘P
rogram e of the Year’ - Independent on
m
Sunday
Critically Acclaimed CHANNEL 4
Documentary

12. Reactions to the film.





Jewish organisations tried to stop it appearing
This publicity meant more viewers.
Viewers were shocked by the film.
Contact details were given for NORM-UK at
the end of the film
This meant more enquiries, more support,
more publicity for both the subject and NORMUK

13. Best outcome from the film.

It started the debate in the UK

14. Activism in Europe

Cologne ruling started the debate in Europe

15. Reactions to ruling.






Religious objections
Gave it more publicity
Merkel panics
Pushed through emergency to reverse the
ruling
Angered the public
Start of the formation of activist groups in
Germany.

16. Victor Schonfeld reappears.



Re-released It’s a Boy
Asked for donations to subtitle film into
German.
Copy sent to every member of the Bundestag

17. Council of Europe





Marlene Rupprecht starts to gather information
following Cologne
Invites Victor to Strasbourg
Contacts Paul Mason Ex Tasmanian
Commissioner for Children
CRIN (Children’s Rights Information Network)
start a submission to Strasbourg
NORM-UK and Genital Autonomy involved

18. 2013




Anne Lindboe speaks at Keele Conference
Joint statement from Nordic Ombudsman
Council of Europe conference
Vote taken

19. NACS

Nordic Association for Clinical Sexology
supports two recent resolutions on nontherapeutic circumcision of boys issued by the
Nordic ombudsmen for children and the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe.

20. Increase of intactivism in
Germany


Demonstrations
New organisations

21. Ca m p a ig n truc k o f the G io rd a no Bruno
Fo und a tio n,

s p re a d ing the m e s s a g e " M bo d y be lo ng s to
y
m e " in Se p te m be r 2 0 1 2 (Pho to by Fra nk
N o la i).
ic

22. Bloodstained men

23. New organisations

Germany

24. MOGIS

25. MOGIS Press release

Child protection NGOs and pediatricians
conclude: circumcision law has failed

26. Denmark

Denmark steps up activity

27. Lena Nyhus

28. Danish Society of Family
Physicians



Statement issued
Circumcision without medical indication is
mutilation
Morten Frisch Professor of Sexual Health
becomes an active campaigner.

29. Council of Europe Next round




Invites Victor Schonfeld to Strasbourg for
more discussions.
CRIN involved.
Paul Mason involved.
Ronald Goldman invited to Strasbourg from
the USA

30. Ronald Goldman.

31. Further comments





Opposition submitting a film
Using USA studies of health benefits
Using African HIV studies
HOWEVER
Non-therapeutic surgery should not be carried
out on minors is the criteria used by the C of E

32. Activism in the UK

33. Activism in the UK

34. Secular Medical Forum

35. Activism in the UK

36. Mens Network



Facebook page campaign.
Online petition.
Five Actions You Can Take To End
Male Circumcision

37. Men Do Complain

38. Bloodstained men

39. Genital Autonomy

40. GA



GA (International) based in the UK Registered
as a charity in 2010
Taking steps to create interlinked partner
organisations
The Australasian Institute for Genital
Autonomy (AIGA) now active under the
chairmanship of Paul Mason.

41. GA

42. The GA symbol

43. GA Legal

Idea emerged at a planning meeting following
the Keele conference September 2013

44. Future events



Boulder symposium July
Anniversary protest Cologne
Possible conference in Copenhagen in
October