The Acorn Society
Box 11
571 Finchley Road
London
NW3 7BN
United Kingdom

The Acorn Society is a UK based forum for people who have an interest in and opinion on male circumcision. These arise from a variety of reasons.

For many men it can be a matter of having undergone the operation whilst very young and without their consent, either as a routine procedure or as a medical imperative. The NHS continues to circumcise about 30,000 boys each year where it deems their foreskins are a significant enough problem to warrant this surgical solution.

Although in the UK circumcision has declined in the last forty years, generations are still around from the days when it was a very popular procedure. Today it remains obligatory for some religious and cultural groups such as Jews and Muslims and a few other minorities. In some regions with ethnic communities the local NHS hospital offers circumcision as a low cost or free service to those parents who enquire. There are also families, usually the higher social classes, who continue by paying privately to have their sons circumcised for personal reasons; because it's something they've always done.

These factors have all created a UK climate in which many have grown up puzzled by the obvious penile differences circumcision reveals between them and their friends. Because of a mixture of ignorance and reticence on the part of parents, it tends to remain a mystery for some. Even in today's much more sexually explicit climate it is difficult to discuss without coyness. Clearly lots of people regard circumcision as an embarrassing and very private matter.

The male spectrum of interest ranges from approval and satisfaction to concern and despair with their status, either because their penis was cut or conversely, because it wasn't! There are individuals in both camps who have issues concerning changing their status, either by undergoing further circumcision surgery or 'restoration' by stretching. Others seek surgery to modify an earlier result which may have caused them cosmetic dissatisfaction.

Women too have a view on all this as they, (literally!), have to 'put up with' this particular organ, which, modified or otherwise, may not be to their complete satisfaction...or then again it may be! They are also involved as mothers who may be the decision maker or a least have a strong say in whether junior has his penis cut or not.

All these feelings need a forum - an outlet to share experiences with like or different minded views on circumcision. Some also seek advice on methods, results and resources and The Acorn Society provides all these.

Principally it does so through a 16pp A5 newsletter published six times a year as material submitted dictates. This is mailed to you or for those who prefer not to disclose their postal address or may wish to keep this publication more private, it can be e-mailed in Acrobat.pdf format.

Founded in 1988 as a subsidiary group of The Forum Society, (Forum magazine), The Acorn Society is non-profit making and has been totally independent since 1992. It has no association with, or affiliation to, any other organisation elsewhere, even if they may share our name. Whilst the bulk of the members are UK based it welcomes members from anywhere in the world, both males and females, straight, bi or gay.

Confidentiality is a key factor in The Acorn Society's success. Members can air their views and sign them with only their initials and location or even completely as 'Anon' if they so wish. Such a situation enables individuals to be comfortable and free with their opinions and experiences in a way not normally open to them. However, the editor reserves the right and does tailor contributions which stray or are likely to offend. Respect for another's views in this arena is important as it seems to be a topic second only to abortion in raising the temperature of debate.

If you would like to join The Acorn Society go to the link above right for more information.

Why 'Acorn'?

For those who may not know, the Latin word for 'acorn' is glans - the name given in medical terminology to describe the exposed rounded head of the penis which it so closely resembles when the penile foreskin is retracted.