"I’m sorry for circumsizing you"

Essay here. Excerpt:

'Chances are that when you read this, most of your friends and peers are circumcised, you’ve never had a problem with it, and you’re perfectly happy (G-d willing.) But on the off chance that you feel wronged or violated in any way, there’s something I have to tell you. (And no more jokes for this part.)

I’m sorry.

I’m sorry that I let my religious upbringing override my mommy instinct. I’m sorry that I didn’t give you a choice. I wanted to make sure you feel like you belong instead of feeling different the way I did growing up.
...
... Because if I had fully embraced my true belief system earlier, I would have fought tooth and nail to leave you intact. To let you decide if you want to follow in some of your male ancestors’ footsteps, whatever the reason. Every part of you was perfect when you were born, and every part of you still is. I just wish I hadn’t decided to remove part of you without your consent.

Your bris was a beautiful and moving ceremony, and I’m glad we had it. But if I could talk to the pre-bris me struggling with this decision, I’d remind myself how often I tell mothers to ignore others and listen to their inner voice.

I’d remind myself that we (and many other Jewish families) don’t keep kosher, or strictly observe Sabbath. That we pick and choose from biblical directives based on myriad factors. So why choose to continue this one?

I have no good answer. Only the real one: this is how we’ve always done it. Which is a phrase that always made me shudder when I was in my squadron’s Safety department.'