When I was born, my parents did what most parents did in 1980s Australia: They had me circumcised. My mom left the decision up to my dad, and my dad just followed suit with his dad. It was just a merry-go-round, a routine procedure. There was really no thought about it.

Of course, I had no say. I didn’t know anything about it when I was younger. I was very naive; I had no idea what decisions had been made for me. That changed when I was a teenager in sexual education class: I discovered exactly what had happened—my penis had been altered when I was just days old—and it made me very upset. I felt robbed of my bodily integrity.

I wanted to somehow undo it, and I started looking for ways. When I found out there were devices you could use to help restore the foreskin, I was hopeful. I used these devices for 15 years, but they really didn’t work for me. So a few years ago I decided to opt for surgery to create a foreskin using skin grafts from other parts of the body. I’m pleased to say it’s worked out extremely well; I’m very happy with the results.

But it makes me angry that this was taken from me to begin with. To undergo a routine circumcision for no medical need without my consent is a complete violation of my rights. Maybe it’s not a coincidence that I chose a career in law. I’m a solicitor (known as a lawyer in the U.S.), and I’m continuing the fight to protect boys from going through what I and millions of others went through. For years I have tracked and documented court cases related to circumcision around the world, as well as statistics of neonatal circumcision in Australia and internationally. I have just started a master of law degree to build a solid legal case challenging routine circumcision as a human rights violation. My goal is to see circumcision become illegal in Australia.

Intact America’s Executive Director Georganne Chapin, who is also a lawyer, and I have spoken many times over the years, comparing notes on legal matters and sharing resources. Under her leadership, Intact America has become an outspoken advocate for newborn boys and the men they will become someday. I admire that the organization’s message has stayed consistent since the beginning: Children should be left the way they were born. Every part of the body is there for a reason; it’s part of an elegant design.

I am leaving a gift to Intact America in my will to continue my support long after I’m gone. In Australia, there are promising signs that change might be coming. In the meantime, I’ll keep fighting to end this violation of children’s rights.