The Truth About Circumcision & HIV/HPV

"Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family." - Kofi Annan

The World Health Organization recently published that circumcision may offer some protection against HIV for men. It did not, however, reveal the exact details of the studies. Furthermore, all of the studies took place in Africa, which is very different from America in many ways. America is a more wealthy country where condoms are more easily attained, and citizens are more educated about safe sex practices. The study did not describe the education levels, sexual tendencies, or social status of the individuals that were observed. This information and other factors are crucial.

If the circumcised men had better financial situations, education levels, and/or higher social standings, it could be the reason why they were less likely to contract HIV. We do not know this, because the study is too vague. A person with access to healthcare and a sound financial situation is more likely to be circumcised than an impoverished individual with inadequate healthcare. It is possible that the circumcised men were more educated and thus knew about safer sex practices, from using condoms to refraining from promiscuous sexual activity.

The uncircumcised men may have been more likely to contract HIV for a number of reasons. Perhaps the reason they are uncircumcised is because they are impoverished. It is thus possible that they are less educated about safe sex, less capable of affording condoms, and have less access to healthcare. Rather than blaming their intact penises right off the bat, we need to take a look at their sexual practices, their level of education, and their financial situations. Could it be that, in Africa, uncircumcised men have less resources--and that this is the reason they remain intact, amongst other things?