It’s a common phrase “stealing your shine.”

Usually, it means someone dimmed your light, took your credit, or dulled your presence.

But when it comes to circumcision, that phrase takes on a far more literal and anatomical meaning.

Let’s talk about what really happens when an infant boy is circumcised.

✂️ It’s Not Just Skin It’s Systemic

Circumcision isn’t a cosmetic trim. It’s the surgical amputation of the foreskin, a specialized structure containing:

Tens of thousands of nerve endings A gliding mechanism for natural protection and lubrication. Immunological tissue And something rarely talked about: moisture regulation

When the foreskin is removed, the glans, the head of the penis. Is left permanently exposed to the outside world.

It dries out.

It hardens.

It dulls.

This process is Known as Keratinization.

From Gloss to Grit: The Dehydration of the Glans

An intact glans is meant to be an internal organ, like the clitoris or the tongue soft, protected, naturally lubricated.

It has a sheen to it a moist, supple surface that reflects light and responds to the slightest touch.

But when the foreskin is removed:

The glans keratinizes it builds up layers of toughened skin to defend itself. It becomes desensitized over time. It loses its gloss — the literal shine of living, protected tissue.

So yes — circumcision literally steals your shine.

Not metaphorically. Not symbolically. Biologically.

Here is a literal depiction of what im talking about. NSFW ⚠️

Most circumcised men have never seen what a natural, intact glans actually looks like.

They’ve only known:

The duller color. The dry texture The tougher, friction-worn surface.

And they assume that’s normal. That’s just what a penis is.

But it’s not.

That’s what a surgically modified penis looks like.

Why This Matters (Beyond Aesthetics)

This isn’t about vanity. This is about integrity anatomical, sensory, sexual, and human.

That shine isn’t just about light. It represents:

Sensitivity lost Function diminished Pleasure compromised Choice stolen.

A dependency on external lubrication (which benefits those who sell them).

Final Thought: Let Boys Keep Their Shine

In my awakening journey my mentor (RIP) once said, “Society is all about controlling males”.

I couldn’t fully see what he meant by that then. But now I’m starting to get it.

Every baby boy is born whole. Not just emotionally or spiritually but physically.

Glossy. Sensitive. Intact.

We strip that away before they ever have a say.

So the next time someone jokes about “cheesed*cks” or tells you it’s “just skin” ask them why the head of an organ designed to be internal now looks like the sole of a foot.