Dwayne Vanlancker of the Bloodstained Men shares information with two young men who approached the group’s protest at the corner of Elida Road and Cable Road on Friday.
Jacob Espinosa | The Lima News
LIMA — Cars honked in support and people even came over to ask questions of the Bloodstained Men, a group of anti-circumcision activists or “intactivists” as they call themselves.
The group of about eight men from across the country and even Ireland protested at the intersection of Elida Road and Cable Road on Friday as part of their tour of Ohio and West Virginia to bring awareness to their views against what they see as unforgivable infant genital mutilation.
“The foreskin is a normal, healthy, valuable part of the human body,” protestor David Atkinson said. “We do not want future generations to suffer the same act of violence that was inflicted on us when we were too young to defend ourselves.”
The group visited Sidney earlier in the day before making their way to Lima, where Dwayne Vanlancker said he was heartened to see positive interactions with motorists and two curious young men who stopped to ask questions.
“I let them know that we’re here to bring foreskin awareness and to stop the cruelty to children,” he said. “They were just listening to me talk about the nature of the foreskin, what it’s for and some of the aspects that I could go on about. I told them I don’t know what a foreskin is because the only thing I have left is a scar.”
Atkinson, who first got involved with the group as a college student, said the goal of the protest was to find a busy intersection to get the attention of parents in as many communities as possible and said the group has protested outside of baseball games in Cincinnati and Cleveland and even has a billboard in the Cleveland area.
“We are focused on spreading awareness to as many people as possible that this is an issue and there are men who are upset their genitals were damaged when they were babies,” he said. “Several years ago, you would hear people say they’ve never heard a man complain about this and use that as an excuse for why circumcision was okay. So as soon as somebody sees us standing here with our messages and bloodstained suits, then they can never again claim they have never seen someone complain about this.”
The Centers for Disease Control (bit.ly/3L1oQfQ) does not recommend circumcision but says the procedure offers more benefits than risks for heterosexually active adult and adolescent males.
“Health care providers should inform all uncircumcised adolescent and adult males that male circumcision reduces, but does not eliminate, the chance of acquiring HIV and other STIs during heterosexual contact,” a document from 2014 advising healthcare providers said. “Additionally, the patients should be informed of the potential risks associated with the procedure.”
The group said they oppose all forms of genital mutilation, including practices done to girls younger than the age of 18 and children born intersex, but that current laws only protect girls.
“It’s unconstitutional based on the 14th amendment,” Atkinson. “Perhaps someday that will be challenged in court and proponents of protecting girls will have to decide if the law needs to get struck down, making everyone vulnerable, or if it should be strengthened to protect everybody.”
You can find more information on the Bloodstained Men at bloodstainedmen.com.
Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399.
