Nova, it's interesting. I've just heard SO many people say "Well - you know - we wanted him to look like his Dad." I respect that even as I might not fully get it.
As you point out, for so many years here in the USA circumcision was just automatically done. I don't think much thought was put into it outside of Jewish religious ceremony. It was just the fashion. I do not believe that this harms/harmed boys at all (as a rule) - certainly not in the way girls are harmed by clitoridectomy. As I hope I have made clear, I don't find the two procedures comparable.
I do find the changing norms in the US regarding male circumcision very interesting. When my youngest was in daycare, I was friendly with his teacher who saw a fair number of nether regions, that being prime potty training time. She told me that in his class of about 10 boys about half were and half were not and I thought that was pretty cool - more of a balance than there had been in the past.
DH and I never had much of a discussion about it. We didn't know we were having boys until they were loosed from my body. When the staff asked - will you need us to perform a circumcision, we both just said no. I'll have to ask him if there would have been a fight had I wanted to burn off their foreskins.....maybe he DID want sons that "looked" like him!!
ETA - I have a good friend who circumcised her first son and didn't circumcise her second son. Her husband is circumcised. No one in their house is confused and all the penises seem to be doing just fine!
