Adjudication No. 665 (August 1993) [1993] APC 57

ADJUDICATION No. 665 (August 1993)

The Australian Press Council has dismissed a complaint that an article on circumcision in the Australian Women's Forum magazine was misleading, unbalanced, sensational and offensive.

The complainant, Mr John Shanahan, said the article in the magazine's November 1992 edition was biased in favour of circumcision and relied on what he described as "illogical, outdated nonsense by a Jewish paediatrician".

Mr Shanahan also complained that the article contains several inaccuracies, and that its title "Choice Cuts" was offensive.

The Press Council found the article to be a reasonably balanced survey of the history of circumcision and medical debate on the issue. The magazine also gave Mr Shanahan his say by publishing a letter from him in its January 1993 edition.

While the article's title is clearly a matter of taste, the Press Council does not believe it would have been considered offensive by most readers.