By Meluse Kapatamoyo
Health experts say Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision can reduce contraction of HIV by 60 percent. But despite the benefits, most men still shy away from the cut citing various reasons, among them pain during and after the operation. However, the belief that circumcision reduces sensitivity during sex, is responsible for much of the resistance.
So a challenge came through from one of my readers asking me to find a man who would be willing to speak candidly about circumcision. It took me a while to find someone who was ready to speak on the issue without 'hiding' under the name of anonymous. But one person was willing to share his story after reading my notice.
Here is my short interview with Innocent Matyola, aged 41, who got circumcised in 2009.
Pokeyourmind: What or who motivated you to undergo circumcision
So a challenge came through from one of my readers asking me to find a man who would be willing to speak candidly about circumcision. It took me a while to find someone who was ready to speak on the issue without 'hiding' under the name of anonymous. But one person was willing to share his story after reading my notice.
Here is my short interview with Innocent Matyola, aged 41, who got circumcised in 2009.
Pokeyourmind: What or who motivated you to undergo circumcision
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| Innocent Matyola |
for personal hygiene, as well as giving my wife pleasurable love making.
Pokeyourmind : Pleasurable love making...does circumcision guarantee that, how?
Innocent : It does. It gives you endurance and confidence. You do not get to experience premature ejaculation.
Pokeyourmind: Okay, but what about talk that it reduces sensitivity. Any truth in that statement?
Innocent : To some extent yes. But that also has a benefit in that reduced sensitivity guarantees your partner to have the much required orgasm. Too much sensitivity has always led to premature ejaculation.
Pokeyourmind : So, low sensitivity does not worry you?
Innocent : It always makes me feel I should as well work to satisfy my wife. As you may know and I should attest to the fact that men have always had to ejaculate even when their women counterparts were left unsatisfied. So it doesn't bother me at all.
Pokeyourmind : Okay. I guess she appreciates the sacrifice. Now tell me, did you have any fears or concerns prior to the operation?
Innocent : As a matter of fact I almost all the time wished I should have gotten circumcised. I had a habit of pulling my foreskin most of the time so I appreciated the idea before the operation. So for me it was something i looked forward to. Besides its a small operation which healed in two weeks but a few days after i was able to get round and do my normal errands.
Pokeyourmind : You hail from the Southern part of Zambia where circumcision is not commonly practiced. Do you openly talk about it and do you encourage men from your area to get circumcised?
Pokeyourmind : You hail from the Southern part of Zambia where circumcision is not commonly practiced. Do you openly talk about it and do you encourage men from your area to get circumcised?
Innocent : I openly talk about being circumcised and why i did it and the benefits and am proud to say, that a number of people i have shared my story with have gone ahead to get circumcised despite coming from Southern Province where this is not a common practice as is the trend i areas like North-Western Province.
Pokeyourmind : Do you have sons and if so are they circumcised?
Innocent : I do have sons but they are yet to get circumcised but i intend to have them circumcised. PYM
