San Francisco has an active body politic and often leads the rest of the country in innovation and social change so it shouldn't come as a surprise that a group of San Francisco ‘intactivists’ has gathered enough signatures to put an initiative to ban circumcision on the November 2011 ballot.
The intactivists claim that male circumcision removes healthy male tissue without cause, inflicting pain upon helpless babies who cannot decide for themselves whether they want the procedure. The group wants to ban circumcision and goes so far as to call the procedure "genital mutilation."
Reaction to the initiative to ban circumcision has been mixed, but some Jewish groups see it as an attack on their religious freedom. If the measure passes, anyone who person performs a circumcision would face a misdemeanor charge and have to pay up to a $1,000 fine or serve a maximum of one year in jail.
Intactivist Doinkle Activists
Initiative to Ban Circumcision on San Francisco's November Ballot
Trend Themes
1. Anti-circumcision Movement - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop alternative technologies or practices that promote non-invasive methods of maintaining hygiene and health in male infants.
2. Religious Freedom Advocacy - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create platforms or services that facilitate open dialogue and education between different religious groups to find common ground and respect religious practices.
3. Ethical Parenting - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design and market baby care products that align with the values of conscious and informed parenting by addressing controversies surrounding circumcision and providing alternative solutions.
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new medical techniques or technologies that preserve the benefits of circumcision while addressing concerns raised by anti-circumcision activists.
2. Legal Services - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build legal consulting services specialized in religious freedom and individual rights to provide guidance and support for communities affected by controversial initiatives like the ban on circumcision.
3. Baby Care Products - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a line of non-invasive, medically-approved baby care products that cater to parents who question or oppose circumcision, promoting alternative approaches to hygiene and health for male infants.