Exploring the relationship between medically unnecessary childhood penile circumcision and adult mental health

There is increasing recognition of the need to address the diverse experiences of individuals subjected to medically unnecessary, non-voluntary genital cutting in childhood. This includes children with intersex traits undergoing 'normalisation' surgeries and those with anatomically normative genitalia, such as female genital cutting or male circumcision. While most research on non-therapeutic childhood penile circumcision centres on the physical risks and benefits, far less attention has been given to the potential long-term mental health impacts, particularly from a psychotherapeutic perspective. This article adds to the existing literature by amplifying the voices of individuals who feel silenced. It presents a qualitative analysis of five interviews with men who believe their childhood circumcision negatively impacted their mental health. The analysis identifies three super-ordinate themes, highlighting the need for grief and trauma work to process unresolved psychological distress. However, the study acknowledges that these experiences may not reflect those of the broader circumcised population. Finally, the research underscores the importance of counselling professionals being adequately informed to support individuals reporting circumcision-related mental health challenges, and offers recommendations for effective therapeutic interventions aligned with existing theories of grief, trauma, and attachment.