HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?

You have come to the realization that more needs to be done to end genital cutting.

Maybe you’ve recently learned how babies are being essentially tortured for stupid reasons, or no reason. You realize that because you wouldn’t cut off part of your body, why should we be cutting off parts of other people’s bodies. Or maybe you’ve a parent that regrets you weren’t as informed as you should have been, and have decided that it’s time to make sure other parents have that information. Maybe you were subjected to genital cutting and you are tired of being ashamed to make your voice heard.

If you’re shy, uncomfortable with public speaking, or new at activism, you may feel like you are all alone. But it only takes one individual to reach hundreds of people and influence them. When people are forced to re-think this issue, they often will change their stance.

Perhaps there are no intactivist groups in your area, but there is at least one intactivist…  it’s you.

Anyone can be an activist. It doesn’t take special skills or superhuman abilities. You just need to care enough about stopping genital cutting. Even if it’s only one kid.

Here’s a story about how one intactivist that had a creative solution and her story ended up going viral which included coverage by CNN.

You are ready to take action.

Grassroots work is essential to the success of the genital autonomy movement, and Intaction is committed to helping activists around the world organize to protect children.

Genital cutting thrives where lack of information and ignorance prevail. Where lies, fake claims, and scare tactics are used to perpetuate this horrible practice. Where the harms of genital cutting are downplayed or swept under the rug. Some of the most effective ways to combat genital cutting is communication of information and ideas.

Here are some simple but effective ways for you to use web and social media to spread the truth about genital cutting.

  1. Write letters to the editor, or post comments to online news articles covering circumcision. Some news organizations provide for article comments on their Facebook page. If a news story is factually wrong or pro-circumcision, the comments section can be used to overwhelm the original article. When a reader sees hundreds of public comments critical of the story, readers will become skeptical about the veracity of that story.
  2. Post links to Intaction.org, and share Intaction’s posts and comments on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  3. Post comments to our webpages and news items at Intaction.org
  4. If you haven’t already, join Intaction, so you can be the first to hear about new initiatives, events, updates in our current education and messaging campaigns, and more ways you can help show your support. It’s free !
  5. Obtain literature from the Intaction store which you can give to friends or family members that may be expecting a child. You can also use the literature to initiate a discussion on the issues.
  6. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.  Add comments to our videos
    Subscribe to our Facebook Page Comment and share our posts
    Follow us on Twitter  Retweet and like our tweets
  7. Post comments on the American Academy of Pediatrics Facebook Page denouncing circumcision
  8. Post comments on the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Facebook page and denounce circumcision for African HIV prevention.

Public and Outdoor Events:

  1. You can form a parade contingent in your area and march in a parade with banners, signs, and T-shirts promoting foreskin protection. Intaction can assist with planning and materials. LGBT parades are popular as human rights forums, but consider other parades or marches as well.
  2. You can demonstrate outside a hospital in your area to raise awareness. This should be given extra consideration if a particular hospital has been involved in a circumcision controversy. Intaction can help with planning and materials.
  3. You can use any public forum to stand up and speak about the issues. Watch this video of John Sambrook speaking to the Kirkland City Council (Washington State). Local governments give residents an opportunity to speak about anything, you can use the opportunity to speak about genital cutting. It is a victory if you can just get people to listen to your message.

If you are near to the NYC metropolitan area and would like to participate with Intaction in local events, please contact us for further information.

Being an advocate against genital cutting means being bold and unashamed to discuss the issue with anyone, anywhere. Those that promote circumcision are counting on you to not speak up. It’s up to you to prove them wrong. It takes practice, but…..