Brief answers to some
commonly asked questions.
Who comes to NORM
meetings?
A wide cross section of
men: ranging in age from their 20's to their 80's;
students, professionals, blue collar workers, and
retirees; various income levels; single, partnered,
married, and divorced; straight, gay, and bi-sexual; a
variety of social, ethnic and religious backgrounds, and
some have been circumcised - whether as an infant, child
or adult - and some are natural. Per NORM governing
policies, women are welcomed to attend only specially
scheduled mixed-gender meetings, which are announced in
advance.
Why are men getting
involved?
The reasons are as
diverse as the men themselves..Most hear about NORM, or
the larger movement to end unnecessary male and female
circumcision, through the media and want to find out
more. For many, the subject of circumcision is largely
unfamiliar. Others have never been satisfied with the
superficial and often illogical explanations for why this
practice still continues in the United States. Some,
aware of both circumcision's dubious history and its
marked decline in recent years, resent having been
needlessly subjected to it. And there are those who have
suffered, usually in silence, with various degrees of the
complications and side effects that occur.
There are other reasons
as well. What they all have in common, however, is the
need for accurate and truthful information on this
frequently taboo topic. And as men come to understand
that there is rarely a legitimate medical need for the
removal of these normal structures that make up the
natural male reproductive anatomy - and that an
appreciable portion of sexual sensation is lost as a
result - they are forever changed by the
knowledge.
Through NORM meetings,
they can express their thoughts and feelings on this
subject, share personal experiences, explore ways to help
end the practice, or find out about the latest advances
in "reversing" a circumcision. And as with NORM meetings
everywhere, each man only participates to the extent that
he is personally comfortable.
Is it really
possible to reverse a male circumcision?
It is definitely possible
to regain many of the beneficial functions of a natural
penis.
In the United States
alone, the number of men undertaking physical restoration
has grown from just a handful in the late 1970's, to
thousands today. Fueling this dramatic increase - in
addition to the growing awareness of the negative health
consequences of circumcision - was the wider knowledge in
the early 1990's of non-surgical approaches to
restoration. With these all-new methods, men are able to
successfully restore through means that are pain-free,
inexpensive, private, and do not require time away from
work or other lifestyle commitments.
The results amaze people.
Most importantly, "restoring" men report feeling better
about themselves and their bodies. Typically, they
describe having a new sense of wholeness, a strong
feeling of self-empowerment for the experience, and
noticeably increased sexual pleasure for both themselves
and their partners.
When did NORM get
started?
The National Organization
of Restoring Men (NORM) was founded in November 1989 by
two men, R.Wayne Griffiths and Tim Sally, in San
Francisco, California. The first meeting was held in
February 1990.
Since then, thousands of
people from around the world, both men and women, have
contacted NORM for information and assistance. Currently,
there are 21 NORM chapters in the United States and five
other countries; additionally, there is a formal
networking in 31 states in the U.S., and in seven other
countries.
In addition to the NORM
mission of providing a safe, non-sexual forum and support
structure for men to deal with circumcision-related
issues, NORM also provides information and assistance to
anyone who either may be concerned with making an
informed decision on circumcision, or wants to know more
about any aspect of the overall subject.
