Circumcision Statistics
Of the 20th Century

Thanks to Hugh O'Donnell for working up these statistics.

The United States' Circumcision Century
(by Hugh O’Donnell, April 2001)

Male genital mutilation has been practiced by many unrelated cultures over many thousands of years, so it was by no means a novel idea for America to adopt it. However, it was certainly an incongruous development given that America was clearly the world's leader in science in the 20^th century. Mutilation of the genitals, male or female, is always rooted in superstitious beliefs. America's embrace of circumcision represents a triumph for superstition over science.

America cherishes the rights of individual citizens perhaps more than any other nation on Earth. Removing any part of a newborn's body (or the body of a child of any age) without compelling medical justification is a clear and breach of that individual's rights. It is extraordinary that America, while bearing the torch of freedom for the world, while ensuring the survival of human rights in the world, should turn a blind eye to this mutilation.

During 20th century, more than 120 million foreskins were severed from American penises, more than in any other country in the world. At the height of the circumcision frenzy, a foreskin was being sundered, and a penis crippled, every 17 seconds.

Whatever other name one might give the 20th century in respect of America, the appellation "The Circumcision Century" is particularly fitting. Although male circumcision was not made compulsory by law, parents who wanted their sons to grow up complete were either not asked or where browbeaten until they gave in. The history of newborn circumcision in America is quite well documented; but the equally unsavory history of premature retraction and circumcision or older children has received much less attention.

Many confuse the newborn circumcision rate with the completely different statistic of what percentage of living males have been circumcised. The two figures are different; for example, the newborn circumcision rate in Australia is about 10%, but close to 50% of all living males in Australia have been circumcised.

The question as to what percentage of living males in the US have been circumcised is answered in the analysis below, using data in Wallerstein's book, Circumcision: An American Health Fallacy. Wallerstein states that the data, "If anything, errs on the side of caution…." Indeed it is easier to make a case that the newborn circumcision rates presented by Wallerstein underestimate the true rates than overestimate them. With that in mind, the results below may also be underestimates.

Table 1: Intact and Circumcised Male Populations
of the USA by Year, 1900 to 2000

Sources:
Population data: U.S. Bureau of the Census
Circumcision data: Wallerstein

1. 70% of the current male population of the US have been circumcised.

2. 110 of the 166 million males (66%) born during the century underwent circumcision in the newborn period.

3. The annual number of circumcisions was highest between 1955 and 1965. During that decade, 1.8 million males were circumcised every year -- almost 5,000 every day.

4. Between 1915 and 1995 the intact male population remained in a very narrow band between 36 and 38 million, while the circumcised male population soared from 12 million to 90 million.

5. A male born during the century who remained intact in the newborn period had on average about a one in five chance of being circumcised after the newborn period, or a four in five probability of dying intact. That probability fell steadily during the course of the century so that, if the current post-newborn circumcision rate remains constant in the future, a male born at the end of the century who escaped circumcision in the newborn period nevertheless has less than a two in three chance of dying intact.

6. The model used to produce these figures takes into account non-newborn circumcision rates, the rate of immigration and the circumcision status of immigrants, and the circumcision status of deaths and emigrants, all important factors in arriving at the percentage of living males who have been circumcised.

Table 2: Number and Percentage of Living Males in USA in 2000 
who have been Circumcised, by Age and Place of Birth