An Interview with the "Lactivist Intactivist" - Kira Antinuk

Everyone has a cause, something they are passionate about, something that inspires them to greater heights. For Kira Antinuk her passion is for babies, protecting them and caring for them is her calling. As a mother herself Kira understands the fears and concerns that all parents face and she hopes to educate them in order to help them make better choices for their children.

How did you get started as an intactivist?
To be frank, my husband and I hadn't even discussed circumcision until a pre-natal doctor appointment when our doctor asked us if we planned to circumcise the baby. We were shocked; literally had our jaws hanging down. Neither of us realized that was still being done to babies routinely. My husband, being from Hong Kong, is intact and I had thought up until that point that circumcision was something done to Jewish men, but wasn't sure of what it exactly entailed. When we got home, I began researching the issue and was horrified to discover that there was no medical recommendation to do it, and it caused massive amounts of damage. After seeing a video clip of a typical infant circumcision, I realized that it wasn't enough to protect only my own children from this human rights violation, I had to protect all babies from the violation, the pain, and the damage this caused. It's difficult to put into words why I was so moved to take action, it was more instinctual, as a human being I simply felt responsible to help protect the rights of other human beings who could not speak for themselves. I entered the world of internet parenting discussion boards and have learned over the past few years that the way I discuss this issue is nearly as important as the facts as I share, as there is much in the way of defensiveness, grief, guilt and anger surrounding the topic of infant circumcision.

What was the first thing you did as an Intactivist?
In summer of 2006 I attended the Ninth International Symposium on Genital Integrity, Circumcision and Genital Mutilation held in Seattle, Washington. Hearing scholarly lectures and presentations given by leading doctors, lawyers and other professionals inspired me to do more intactivism. When I got home, I began developing a website and advocacy T-shirts for Intactivists, in the hopes that others wearing them would send out ripple effects near and far. A couple months after that, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Monday Magazine, a local newspaper here in Victoria, BC, about my work. The response to the article was overwhelmingly positive and I am encouraged to continue and do even more.

What other causes do you support and how do you feel they tie in to intactivism?
As my website describes, I am a Lactivist in addition to being an Intactivist. A Lactivist is a breastfeeding supporter. That can take many forms, from simply choosing to breastfeed ones' own children, to educating others about the many benefits of breastfeeding, to standing up for the rights of mothers to feed their children in public. I believe that breastmilk is a birthright, just like I believe that bodily integrity is a fundamental human right, so my passion for lactivism and intactivism do tend to run along similar lines.

What are some of the common myths you have encountered?
That circumcision is healthier, which we know is nonsense. There are no proven medical benefits which outweigh the damage and harm caused by circumcision. That circumcision is cleaner, which, if it were true, would mean that we should also amputate female labia at birth, as well as ripping out the finger and toe nails so we could save the trouble of cleaning under them. That circumcision doesn't cause any harm, which we know now to be untrue. The loss of sensation alone is major, considering that 240 feet of nerves are amputated, in addition to approximately 20,000 - 40,000 nerve endings. Then we have to factor in the protective and sexual functions of the foreskin, such as keeping the glans (head of the penis) soft and sensitive, and the gliding action during intercourse or masturbation which prevents drying. That infant circumcision is a parental choice. All human beings have basic human rights, one of which is bodily integrity. Infant circumcision violates this fundamental human right.

Tell me about your family and how they feel about this?
I have one son, Dante, who is now 3 years old and from all accounts, is quite pleased to have an intact body. My husband is completely supportive of my advocacy. Some extended family members have been less supportive, however it has not caused any major problems, since I try to keep in mind that many people simply do not want to deal with the reality of the situation: circumcision of unconsenting healthy babies is a human rights violation and causes permanent damage. Again, the guilt factor is huge, I think and to acknowledge the truth is to acknowledge that one, as a parent, has forced this on their children.

What advice would you give to new parents about circumcision?
Infant circumcision is not recommended and causes permanent damage. Since it violates the fundamental human right to bodily integrity, I would ask all expectant parents to re-think this practice and protect their sons from the harm it causes.

Where would you suggest parents look for answers?
The Circumcision Information and Resource Pages is hands-down the best resource for factual information on this topic. It is recommended by The British Medical Journal as a resource. Fully comprehensive and referenced, it is an invaluable tool for parents and medical professionals alike.