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[[Image:Intact vs circumcised.JPG |thumbnail|right|300px| The intact and circumcised human penis, side by side.]]
The term "circumcision" without a gender qualifier refers specifically to male circumcision. It means "to cut around," and it refers to the [[excision]] of the [[foreskin]] from the penis. The term is inaccurate and a euphemism because the operation actually cuts off or [[amputation| amputates]] the [[foreskin]], which in adults comprises about fifteen square inches of highly functional erogenous tissue.
Circumcision is most often performed in healthy males for [[Religion and Culture|religious or cultural]] reasons. The procedure may be performed on consenting adults, but it is most often performed on non-consenting minors, particularly newborn children, which is why the ritual is so controversial. Opponents of circumcision consider the circumcision of non-consenting minors to be unethical and a [[human rights]] violation, unless there is concrete [[medical indication]].