The head of the UK’s leading men’s health organisations – Peter Baker, CEO of the The Men’s Health Forum (MHF) – has called for a full public debate on the issue of unnecessary male circumcision in the UK. The call was made after the case of a baby boy in Oldham bled to death following a circumcision was brought to Mr Baker’s attention by The Men’s Network.
MHF CEO Peter Baker has called for a full public debate. He said: ‘Male circumcision is often viewed as an anodyne procedure – in stark contrast to the barbarity of female circumcision – but it is actually a potentially highly dangerous practice about which we need a full public debate sooner rather than later. We cannot shy away from this any longer.’
Glen Poole, Strategic Director of The Men’s Network will now be facilitating a one day mini conference – How To Prevent Unnecessary Male Circumcision – at Keele University in July. He will be inviting representatives from The Men’s Health Forum to attend along with representatives of the medical profession, religious communities, children’s charities, equality and diversity practitioners, human rights campaigners, legal experts, men’s rights campaigners and male survivors of the procedure who wish they had not been subjected to unnecessary circumcision without their consent.
The conference will be hosted by the UK charity Genital Autonomy which campaigns for an end to non-therapeutic genital surgery on children whether they are intersex, female or male.
To buy your tickets NOW for this event and take part in this important debate CLICK HERE NOW.
To read the full statement from Peter Baker at The Men’s Health Forum CLICK HERE NOW.
To read more of the case of the Oldham baby boy who died after circumcision CLICK NOW.
To read one of our previous blogs on this post – time to stop male genital mutiliation in the UK – CLICK HERE NOW.
The Men’s Network’s Dads’ Group is back after its Easter break.
If you haven’t been before or haven’t been for a while and would like the chance to experience our excellent Dads’ Group in 2012 then now’s the time to get date in your diary……
But why come along to Dads’ Group in the first place? Well, great sportsmen have the world’s best coaches, great businessmen have the world’s best business advisors………..
AND GREAT DADS GO TO DADS’ GROUP! (click here to read more)
Dads Group currently runs on alternate Tuesdays between 7pm and 9pm on the following dates
- Tuesday 17th April
- Tuesday 1st May
- Tuesday 15th May
- Tuesday 29th May
To reserve you seat at Dads’ Group email glen@themensnetwork.org.uk or call Glen on 07981 334222.
A UK midwife has been charged with manslaughter after a baby bled to death following a circumcision.
According to online reports from The Oldham Chronicle Grace Adeleye (66) was charged on Friday with the manslaughter of Goodluck Caubergs by gross negligence.
The court heard the incident happened in Oldham on April 17 2010.
In the UK it is still legal to subject baby boys to the type of genital surgery that we would consider barbaric if it was performed on baby girls in the developing world. To get a better understanding of the relative severity of the different types of unnecessary genital surgery performed on girls and boys see this 5 minute YouTube clip.
Subjecting a girl living in Britain to unnecessary genital surgery – either at home or abroad – is illegal. Yet performing unnecessary genital surgery on boys is classed as a ‘consensual assault’ – just like tattooing but with one subtle difference. While it is illegal to tattoo a boy either with or without his consent, parents do not need their son’s consent to have his foreskin painfully and unnecessarily removed without anaesthetic by non-medical practitioners.
As well as the many physical complications, subjecting infants and boys to unnecessary genital surgery has been found to cause post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anger, low self-esteem and problems with intimacy. Furthermore, circumcised men are believed to be 60% more likely to develop alexithymia, which is the inability to feel or understand emotions.
And yet in the UK we are still subjecting an estimated 100 boys a day to non-consensual, medically unnecessary circumcision – with two-thirds of these procedures being carried out for non-religious reasons.
Click here to read a report that found 40% of circumcisions performed on boys at an Islamic school in Oxford led to medical problems with 1 in 5 being treated in hospital as a result.
This has led to some doctors calling for the NHS to perform medically unnecessary male circumcisions rather than making it illegal for anyone to carry out unnecessary genital surgery on boys – as is the case for girls.
At present we cannot say how boys in the UK die as a result of being subjected to medically unnecessary male circumcision sa the connection to circumcision is not always recorded – as this article by campaigner Laura McDonald explains.
You can see previous posts on this issue here:
Here’s a quick snapshot of some local news from The Men’s Network for you:
FOOTY FUNDRAISER
Can you help us Kick Male Cancer? We’re raising some funds to support our new Beat Male Cancer campaign which has some funding from People Can and aims to prevent male cancer through awareness-raising as well as improving the male cancer patient experience through a survivor support network.
Volunters from the local universities have helped us create The Kick Male Cancer 6-a-side Football Tournament is taking place on Sunday 22nd April, 11:30am – 4:00pm at the University of Sussex Sports Complex, Falmer. Fancy dress is not compulsory but there will be prizes for the best dressed retro teams with bonus points awarded for big perms and hairy top lips.
Entry is £50 per team for a squad of up to eight players and all teams must register before the day by emailing Ben Dew ben@themensnetwork.org.uk or calling Ben on 07824 612899.
THE COMMUNITY LEADERS PROGRAMME
Do you know someone who wants help to start a project, tackle a local issue, lauch a social enterprise or develop their leadership skills? If so then please tell them about the Community Leaders Programme. It was piloted with The Men’s Network last year and is now open to men and women. There’s an information session tomorrow and the programme starts at the end of April – CLICK HERE HOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Graduates from last year’s programmed have set up small community projects that have attracted more than £6,000 in funding in the past 6 months.
COME AND HAVE A HEARTY LAUGH WITH US
Did you know that men are FOUR TIMES as likely as women to die of heart disease before the age of 65? That’s why we’re doing our bit for heart health during Men’s Health Week this by having a hearty laugh with a fundraising comedy night promoted bye Charity Chuckle. It’s on Tuesday 12th June 2012 and you find out about the event, why comedy is good for your heart and how to buy a ticket by CLICKING HERE NOW.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR MEN AND BOYS COMES TO BRIGHTON
We’ll be hosting the Second National Conference For Men & Boys in November 2012. It’s a great opportunity for local professionals who want to improve services for men and boys to rub shoulders with some of the leading experts in the UK. Please get in touch if you want to attend and CLICK HERE NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION TODAY
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SOME SORT OF BIG MAN GATHERING TYPE OF THING?
Over the years we’ve often been asked if we have any plans to run a big man gathering to bring together men from all over the place to do a big man gathering kind of thing. We don’t really know what this would look like and we are sufficiently inspired to put the idea out there and ask if anyone is interested in joining forces with us to make a big man gathering type thing happen. If so get in touch or CLICK HERE NOW for more vague ramblings on this subject with the word BIG repeated lots of times.
MAKING OUR CITY A CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR MEN AND BOYS
Our ambition has always been to create Brighton & Hove as a global centre for excellence for men and boys. And in many ways it already is, which is why we’re delighted to see the excellent work of abandofbrothers highlighted in this Guardian article here and the pioneering work of Men Get Eating Disorders Too winning an award - click here for info.
We’d also like to acknowledge those working with dads in the city who include Ali Mayor’s Superdads, Whitehawk Dads, The Hertford Juniors’ Dads Choir and an emerging Young Dads project that has been sparked into life through partnership work between the council, The Men’s Network and Young Dads TV in London.
That’s all folks! If you have any local news of relevance to men and boys you’d like us to highlight in future do please get in touch.
The Men’s Network is marking Men’s Health Week 2012 (11th-17th June 2012) by having a hearty laugh.
The theme of this year’s Men’s Health Week is “Taking Heart: Promoting Heart Health in Men” and as research shows that laughter can prevent heart disease - we’ve decided to mark the week with a comedy fundraiser on Tuesday 12th June.
The event is kindly organized by Charity Chuckle at the Latest Music Bar in Kemptown.
Tickets are just £8 (£5 concession) and you can BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE NOW BY CLICKING HERE.
The headliner for the evening is the very funny Michael Fabbri (pictured) who has been described as:
“Exceptionally funny…extremely sharp…hugely enjoyable” The Scotsman
“Startlingly insightful” The Guardian
“Hilarious, Clever, sick and completely unrepeatable” BBC Online
The comedy night provides a great opportunity to raise awareness of a serious health issue and raise important funds for out work – and have a hearty laugh in the process.
Heart health is a serious issue with nearly 1,000 men in the UK dying from coronary heart disease each week and men being four times more likely than women to die from heart disease before reaching 65.
If you’d like to come and find out if you’d like to take part in the next Community Leaders Programme then why not join us this Tuesday evening or CLICK HERE NOW for more information…….
Would you like to buy your Early Bird Discount Ticket for The Second National Conference For Men and Boys today?
If you buy your ticket before the end of June 2012 then you’ll get full access to this great event for just £25.
After June 30th tickets will be selling at the following prices:
- £50: Individuals
- £75: Local charity and public sector workers
- £100: National charity and public sector workers
- £150: Corporate delegates
To buy your early bird ticket for the Second National Conference For Men and Boys today for just £25 simply take one of the following actions:
- Click here to buy your ticket online now (includes £2.15 admin surcharge)
- Apply for a FREE Early Bird ticket which are available to any supporter who makes a £25 donation online in 2012 by visiting our localgiving page here (no surcharge). Simply email glen@themensnetwork.org.uk with date of your donation to claim your free ticket
- Email glen@themensnetwork.org.uk for details of how to buy an early bird tickets offline and the admin costs involved.
To read more about the Second National Conference For Men and Boys today CLICK HERE.
The Theme of The Second National Conference For Men And Boys to be held in Brighton & Hove on Friday 2nd November 2012 is “BUILDING THE SECTOR TOGETHER”.
To buy an early bird discounted ticket for this great event simply CLICK HERE NOW!
AGENDA FOR THE DAY
8.00 – 9.30am: Breakfast, networking and registration
9.30 – 10.30am: Opening Debate: How Do We Build A Sector That Works For All Men and Boys?
10.30am –1.00 pm: Best Practice Showcase
A celebration of 15 of the best projects helping to improve the lives of men and boys in the UK presented on the main stage.
10.55am – 13.00pm: Sector Showcase
If you want to find about some of the challenges, trends and emerging good practice in work to support dads, improve men’s health, tackle violence and abuse and help men and boys reach their potential – then this is your chance to spend an hour in the company of the UK’s leading experts to find out what’s happening in your area of interest and get all your questions answered. These sessions take place in three separate breakout areas.
10.55 am – 11.55 noon: Sector Showcase Part One
Breakout Area 1: Fatherhood – helping every dad be the great dad he wants to be.
Breakout Area 2: Men’s Health – helping men and boys live long, happy, healthy lives
Breakout Area 3: Violence & Abuse – making the world safer by keeping men and boys safe
12.00 noon – 1.00pm: Sector Showcase Part Two
Breakout Room 1:Mental Health – helping men and boys get help
Breakout Room 2: Sexual Health – helping men enjoy healthy sex lives
Breakout Room 3: Developing Men & Boys – helping men and boys to reach their potential
1.00– 2.00: Lunch/Activists Soapbox/Sector Marketplace
During lunch we give 10 activists an opportunity to get on their soapbox and speak out on an issue that they are passionate about. There’ll also be a chance to visit the Sector Marketplace
2.00 – 4.30: Ten Top Thinkers
During the afternoon we give you the opportunity to hear from 10 leading experts who have been carefully selected to deliver inspiring talks that everyone working to improve the lives of men and boys in the UK will want to hear.
4.30 – 5.00: Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts from delegates
Do you want help to:
- Tackle a local issue?
- Start a community project?
- Launch a social enterprise?
- Develop your leadership skills?
Or do you know someone who does?
The next COMMUNITY LEADERS PROGRAMME starts at the end of April and you can apply today or book a place at an introductory session:
DATE: Tuesday 17th April
TIME: 5.30pm – 7.00pm
LOCATION: The Werks, 45 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2BE
To find out more about the Community Leaders Programme click here or contact:
Glen Poole on 07981 334222 glen@themensnetwork.org.uk
Toby Buckle on 01273 382636 or email toby@hazelbranch.co.uk.
The Community Leaders Programme was successfully piloted with The Men’s Network in 2011 and is now being run for men AND women in Brighton & Hove by a new social enterprise, Leading The Change, which is backed by the social enterprise funder UnLtd.
There a couple of events for dads and kids that are happening this Easter that we’d like to tell you about.
Firstly Alistair Mayor’s monthly Superdads Connect event for April is this Sunday 1st April (no fooling) at 11am.
Where? Ovingdean Beach
Why? For some rock pool hunting, sandwich eating and general dads and kids get together.
What do you need? A sandwich, and anything beachy you can muster, nets, rods, buckets, crab lines, balls, buckets, spades, frisbies, jet skis, sun loungers, a dingy…
For more details about this Superdads Sunday By The Sea, how to get there and what to expect click here now
Also on Easter Sunday Whitehawk Superdads are hosting an Easter Extravaganza and everyone is welcome.
What’s going on? Food and games, fun and friendship, laughs and lying around in the sun.
When? Easter Sunday 8th April 12:00 till 4
Where? East Brighton Park
For more details about this Whitehawk Superdads Easter Extravaganza, how to get there and what to expect click here now
Whitehawk Superdads emerged out of a Superdads course run by Alistair Mayor at Whitehawk Primary School. Members of the group attended The Men’s Network Community Leaders Programme in 2011 and gone from strength to strength setting up a committee and winning funding to organize activities for dads, family men and children in their community.
If you know someone who’d like to make something happen in their area and take part in this year’s Community Leaders’ Programme click here for more details now.
The head of the UK’s leading men’s health organisations – Peter Baker, CEO of the The Men’s Health Forum (MHF) – has called for a full public debate on the issue of unnecessary male circumcision in the UK. The call was made after the case of a baby boy in Oldham bled to death following a circumcision was brought to Mr Baker’s attention by The Men’s Network.
