The uniquely American custom of non-religious circumcision has held a powerful place in the medicalization of childbirth for the past 130 years. Prior to the 1880s, males were not routinely circumcised at birth. The foreskin was seen as a natural and valuable part of the male sexual organ. The moral crusade against masturbation led to the recommendation of foreskin removal (circumcision) as a way to combat this evil. Doctors began to invent supposed medical benefits to this painful surgery and described it as a simple and painless procedure. Circumcision also began to be seen as a social class indicator--males with foreskins were deemed to be of a lower class.

In his book, Billy Ray Boyd traces the history of non-religious circumcision and reveals what doctors do not tell parents about the effects that circumcision have on the physical and psychological well-being of the male throughout life. He points out the benefits of having a foreskin and describes the anatomy of the foreskin--most doctors never learn about the function and anatomy of the foreskin in medical school, they only learn how to remove it.