“Bad Moms” Body Shames Intact Men

The movie Bad Moms is coming to U.S. theaters next Friday, and today the studio doubled down on promoting a scene that characterizes intact men as “gross.”

“What if I find a guy who’s uncircumcised?” asks Mila Kunis in the Pinned Tweet on Twitter.

“Run out of the room screaming. It’s like finding a gun in the street. Just scream and get out of there,” warns Kristen Bell.

The studio also released an exclusive full version of the scene to Buzzfeed. We see the film’s three stars have a graphic conversation about how to deal with a foreskin. Buzzfeed staff writer Krystie Lee Yandoli describes the scene as “freaking hilarious” as she gives a play-by-play of the scene using animated gifs.

“Uncut guys are great,” says actress Kathryn Hahn in the scene. “They’re always so nice to you because they know their dicks are gross.”

Different variations of the clip have been spread across social media in the last week, all of them focused on the act of running away from an intact man. It seems the studio is banking on Americans’ disgust and fear of foreskins to drive the success of their film, and today they have amped up their efforts.

So it’s a joke. What’s the big deal?

On the surface, this may seem like a harmless joke at the expense of men. After all, men have been suppressing women for decades—centuries, really. So what’s the harm in a few dick jokes, right?

As it stands, female genital mutilation is illegal in the United States. If you give birth to a girl, there will be no box to check on your hospital paperwork that asks if you want her circumcised. There will be no doctor or nursing stopping by your room, asking if you’d like your daughter to have the surgery. Even if you wanted it, no reputable doctor would perform it.

Little boys are not offered this same protection. If you want to have your newborn son strapped down on his first day of life, and have his penis surgically cut apart, all you have to do is sign the papers. Nobody will make you feel guilty about it. There will be no accusations of child abuse, no visits from childrens’ services. You might even get a pat on the back.

Modifying a female’s genitals is seen as a violent act of abuse in the United States, yet treated as “routine” for males. That is why it is not funny. That is why it should not be a punchline in a movie, and certainly shouldn’t be a center part of the film’s marketing campaign.

And that’s exactly what Bad Moms is doing—promoting the act of male genital mutilation by making it clear to American audiences that the intact penis is something gross and shameful that should be avoided at all costs.

Let’s promote a future of genital integrity and end body shaming.

In 2016, people are working very hard to end body shaming. People are working very hard to promote equality for men and women everywhere, to be treated fairly and with respect, regardless of a person’s gender. How can we build a kind, respectful culture if we continue to make fun of men who are intact?

I am urging everyone who cares about genital integrity to share this message on social media. Thank you.

View the full scene here:

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