Japanese Women's Views on Penile Hygiene and Male Circumcision

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Current campaigns to promote male circumcision to reduce the risk for HIV infection among heterosexual men do not seem to apply to Japan because the majority of men are uncircumcised and HIV/AIDS rates remain comparatively lower among industrialized countries. No official statistics on male circumcision exist; the surgery has never been mandatory for infants and it is rare among adults, who are largely circumcised at beauty salons. The procedure is largely commercialized as a cosmetic surgery to boost maleness and to “satisfy” the sexual desires of Japanese women. In this light, this article discusses the outcomes of semistructured interviews with 13 single Japanese women to explore their views on circumcision, penile hygiene, and sexuality. The analysis indicates a reluctance to talk about male circumcision among the participants due to ignorance, language availability, and gender matters. Intriguingly, the participants suggested that expressions related to the foreskin implied derogatory comments toward male's sexual performance and genital sizes.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• genitals
• sex/gender roles
• Asian sexuality