There’s no doubt about it — parenting can be a minefield. There are so many decisions to make and questions that don’t seem to have a clear right answer. While every good parent does everything they can to make sure that their child is safe, happy, and healthy, sometimes even the experts have conflicting parenting tips on the best ways to accomplish that goal. One of the most hot-button topics when it comes to parenting advice is circumcision. While some experts argue that circumcision has health benefits like decreased risk of urinary tract infections, penile cancer or STI’s, others contend that the reduction of the risk is actually so small that it doesn’t warrant a corrective procedure, especially for infants who have no say in what some consider to be an invasive surgery. Differing cultural and religious views also tend to influence parents when it comes to whether or not they choose to have their children circumcised. Although circumcision is a medical procedure many take for granted, even some celebrity parents argue against it. Cupid is here with a list of the top five most vocal celebrity protestors of circumcision.
Whether or not you believe circumcision is right for your children, there are plenty of famous parents who say their top parenting tip for their celebrity babies is to avoid the cut altogether!
1. Alicia Silverstone: Alicia Silverstone is a celebrity mom to six-year-old son Bear Blu Jarecki, and she and her husband, Christopher Jarecki, made the personal decision not to circumcise Bear despite the fact that Silverstone had a Jewish upbringing. Silverstone confronted the complicated decision she and her husband made in her book, ‘The Kind Mama’ and later said that her fans reactions to it touched her deeply. “One [fan] said that 17 years ago she had her son, and she made this choice,” Silverstone shared in a celebrity interview with The Stir, “and she was crying, because she was remembering her experience. It was moving to me.”
2. Ben Affleck: Ben Affleck, celebrity ex of Jennifer Garner and dad to children Violet, Seraphina, and Samuel, has said in the past that despite some reports from experts that state that being uncircumcised can lead to an increased risk of frequent urinary tract infections, he himself doesn’t approve of the practice. He once confessed to Jon Stewart in an interview, “I hate circumcisions! Get enough in me, and I’ll tell you how much I hate them!”
Related Link: Celebrity Divorce: Ben Affleck Still Living at Family Home with Jennifer Garner
3. Russell Crowe: Famed actor and father to two sons, Charles and Tennyson, Russell Crowe took to Twitter to slam circumcision in a series of controversial tweets. The actor steamed, “Circumcision is barbaric and stupid. Who are you to correct nature? Babies are perfect.” While many responded negatively to his tweets, citing a lack of sensitivity to the nuanced reasons that many choose to circumcise their children, others firmly supported his declarations, sparking a dramatic social media storm.
4. Mario Lopez: On a 2010 episode of this cute star’s hit reality TV show, ‘Saved By the Baby’, Mario Lopez pushed his then-girlfriend (now wife) Courtney Mazza to consider not circumcising their future son, and the discussion quickly got heated for the celebrity couple. “That’s not up for discussion,” Lopez insisted firmly, “News flash, this is the way all men are born.” Lopez and Mazza are now celebrity parents to two children, Gia Francesca Lopez and Dominic Lopez.
Related Link: Mario and Courtney Lopez Welcome a Baby Boy
5. Cameron Diaz: It’s not just celebrity parents who have their opinions on circumcision. Forty-four year old actress Cameron Diaz has made it clear in the past that if she and her husband Benji Madden ever have a son, that circumcision will not be for them. She spoke in an interview with The Stir about her film ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ and some changes that had to be made to the script to achieve a PG-13 rating, claiming, “they made us cut out a bunch about circumcision. To get a PG-13 rating we had to cut out the actual description of circumcision. So apparently it is very uncomfortable for people to hear how it works.” Diaz added, “America is the same way about their beef – they just want it delivered in a styrofoam package with saran wrap over it. They don’t want to know how it got to you. Same thing with circumcision.”
What do you think about the practice of circumcision? Do the alleged health benefits or personal concerns outweigh these celebrity opinions? Or do you think they have a point? Let us know in the comments!Â
