First Things First Autonomy is an independent educational publication examining children’s bodily rights, male genital autonomy, informed consent, and the history and ethics of routine infant circumcision.
We believe a healthy child’s body should not be permanently altered without urgent medical need or the informed consent of the person who will live with the result.
Our work combines long-form editorial writing, historical analysis, peer-reviewed research, medical resources, and the experiences of men whose perspectives are too often excluded from decisions made in infancy.
We are not a substitute for individualized medical care. Readers should consult qualified clinicians when addressing a specific medical concern. We encourage readers to ask whether proposed treatment is urgent, what conservative alternatives exist, and whether an irreversible decision can safely wait for the patient’s own consent.