This is a really interesting academic book, but readers should be aware, this is not popsci and maybe not the best book for somebody who wants some quick info on the foreskin or even guidance on if or if not you should opt against circumcision. It‘s scientifically sound and Allan‘s interdisciplinary excursions are interesting to read. Everybody comes into this book with some preconceived notions or ideas about the foreskin and Allan makes us aware of them. That was maybe the most interesting part to me – When I went „Oh my God yes, now I get this!“ over certain societal norms. E.G. how circumcision ties in with American patriotism and fear of the naked body.
I recommend this to everybody with a serious interest in this underappreciated organ, but do not even try reading this tired before going to bed.

I picked up another book recently on the subject of circumcision, which, first of all, I DNF-ed because it was poorly written, and two, it was focused on intactivism as opposed to an overview of the subject and issues. In comparison, Allan’s book gave me exactly what I was looking for in trying to understand this subject better and more thoroughly. Although this is an academic text, I found the text to still be fairly accessible, and Allan’s writing is concise while still retaining thoroughness and nuance.

I could feel Allan’s struggle to keep his focus on the foreskin (the precise subject of his book) while the specter of circumcision lurks behind every sentence. The foreskin is only interesting to us because of its disappearing act, so to speak. Thus trying to talk about something that is interesting for its lack of presence is hard to do without discussing the process that eliminates it from view. But I found myself persuaded by Allan’s argumentation and evidence presentation, even when I was resistant to his points (a resistance I will fully admit was due to my own pre- and misconceptions).

Allan’s stated goal is to write an archive of the foreskin, tracing the foreskin through many different media for different audiences to explore all the different ways people engage with the foreskin and why. What are the stakes and anxieties of the discussions of the foreskin, and how are those played out in AMAB individuals’ bodies? He examined parenting manuals, sex manuals, intactivist literature, and classical and contemporary art, among others, to facilitate this discussion. Even though he covers such a broad range of topics, Allan is always careful to explicitly state that his arguments should under no circumstances be taken as antisemitic, Islamaphobic, or otherwise disparaging of religious practices or even cultural practices. He is not “taking a side” on the issue of circumcision; his goal is to present some of the main ways the foreskin has been discussed in North American contemporary media (he’s Canadian, but American cultural mores heavily influence Canada, so realistically he primarily analyzed works from the US).

I have never been very interested in men’s and masculinity studies (I have a degree in women’s studies, after all), but I do think the field is important to show how patriarchy and compulsory heterosexuality impact men in negative and potentially traumatic ways. The reach of feminism has been expanding to an anti-patriarchy movement, critiquing all of the ways that patriarchal systems and structures hurt everyone, including the white cismen the system privileges. This is not to make the argument men are suffering from their male privilege to a greater degree than women are suffering under patriarchal oppression but to note that the system as a whole is damaging to mental and physical health. The manosphere and men’s rights activist groups have really done a disservice to men in co-opting useful terms and hiding serious issues under misogynistic garbage to the point where actual problems men are facing in our current culture are difficult to discuss without sounding misogynistic at points. I found my hackles rising at some points in Allan’s book because of my previous experiences with people talking about some of the issues in his book; they are usually presented in the context of men trying to argument that the world actually operates on “female privilege” and men are the truly disadvantaged ones in our society.

I hope that men reading this book or men contemplating these issues and their relationship to their circumcision status can develop a level of empathy for women who have medical procedures denied them or forced upon them because of their gender or who have had their stories of trauma dismissed because of their gender. All things which were discussed in testimonies from men within this book. I hope that, ultimately, this book can be used to bring men and women together to understand the problem is the patriarchal hegemony we live under that forces us from birth to conform to certain standards for gender that are also impossible to perfectly attain.

For men around the world, circumcision is a sensitive issue. Is it only a religious marker, an aesthetic choice, or a medical necessity? The questions remain open, and Allan gives a quick, but thorough introduction to the foreskin frenzy. He refers to his book as an "intervention", standing in the middle of a longstanding debate over a couple inches of loose flesh. It strikes me more as a mediating attempt than an intervention, however. Allan covers both sides; why do some people cut their pink turtlenecks off, while others leave it intact? He goes over the history of the procedure, starting from time immemorial, and moving through to modernity. Never falling on either side of the skin scissors, Allan is content to present an overview and critique each side when due. Does the foreskin really protect you from AIDS? (Spoiler: no) Is an uncircumcised penis more sensitive? (Spoiler: Maybe?) The final effort provides a snapshot of modern sentiments, scientific research and suggestions on moving forward. If you needed a sex manual encyclopedia covering the foreskin, this could be your start! Allan, admittedly, doesn't present any conclusions; his book is an analysis, as the subtitle suggests. He does occasionally let this guise slip, but he gives both sides their fair shake.
To the writing -- Allan is clearly an academic, and I think the book could have worked better if he removed the academic jargon. By this, I mean the academic tradition of taking multiple pages to tell your reader about your research practices, sources, and biases. Not a bad habit, but it interferes with the reading of a book meant to be popular science. Allen occasionally let's his academic guard down and realizes the comedic joy that can be had in his subject, such as, "...the foreskin finds itself between a rock and a hard place." His first chapter, as well, displays his writing chops. If you can get over Allan's constant reminders that he is an academic, this book is a terrific introduction to the matter of circumcision. Does it contribute to the future of foreskin, as Allan seems to want? Only time will tell, but I am sceptical. In order to contribute to his future, this work would have had to be more than a review, making actual claims. The one area it did this was in suggesting more work should be done on sensitivity. So perhaps.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the free ARC.

I have to be honest and say that as a cisgendered woman I have not thought much about the foreskin. This book changed that and opened my eyes to a fascinating debate! It covers the history of circumcision as well as discussing current cultural thoughts and trends in an accessible, inclusive, and exciting way. It is incredibly well researched and informative.

As a US mom to two intact boys, this was a great read! I learned some additional information that I didn't previously know. I hope more parents will give thought to this heinous procedure before subjecting their innocent baby to it. Thank you for shedding light on the topic!