Female Circumcision
“Cutting” or “Mutilation”?
By: Ccep J. Dew
Numerous documentaries have been made, books have been written, and
conversations have taken place on the topic of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
now more commonly referred to as Female Genital Cutting (FGC). Yet most of us
have either never heard of it or have never thought to find out more about it.
Now is the time to find out.
For
the Cycle 10 kick-off of the popular show America ’s Next Top Model, we were
introduced to a beautiful, model-hopeful by the name of Fatima. For her initial
interview with the judges she informed all of America that at the age of 7 she
had been a victim of FGC. Fatima, a 22 year-old native of Somalia who resides in
Boston, hopes to use her ANTM status as a platform for FGC awareness.
What is FGC and why should we be made aware of it? It is basically “all
procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia
or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or
non-therapeutic reasons.”
When performed “underground” local anesthetic may not be used which sometimes
leads to shock from pain, excessive bleeding, and death.
While some women undergo what’s known as a clitorecdomy or hoodectomy to
heighten sensitivity and stimulation, in certain regions of the world, girls as
young as 4 years-old undergo the procedure of FGC. Its severity ranges from
slightly altering the appearance of the external genitalia with slits and pricks
to completely removing everything where stitches are required. Sometimes, a
girl’s legs will be tied together so that things can heal. The latter procedure
is known as infibulation. Some girls who undergo the procedure experience
urinary tract infections, reproductive complications, scarring, infertility, and
painful intercourse later in life. When performed “underground” local anesthetic
may not be used which sometimes leads to shock from pain, excessive bleeding,
and death. Oftentimes, reverse infibulation or opening/widening of the genital
area is required for intercourse. When used for childbirth, the infibulation is
restored after delivery.
FGC is most common in African countries, such as Senegal, Somalia, Tanzania,
Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Mali, though it exists in other places such as
Turkey, Indonesia, and the Middle East. Though religiously practiced by Muslims,
Animists (those who believe that people, animals, plants, and objects have a
soul), and African Christians, it is primarily a cultural tradition.
Many organizations such as The World Health Organization (WHO) have attempted
to end FGC, but its traditional, cultural, and religious importance keep it
around.
Webster’s defines mutilation as “to cut up or alter radically so as to make
imperfect” while cut simply pulls up synonyms such as “trim”, “slit”, “pare”,
and “alternate”. Because of this vast difference, some people feel that using
the term “female cutting” is more sympathetic and tolerant while the tem
“mutilation” places a negative image on those that practice FGC for cultural or
religious purposes. Similarly, parents do not like being accused of “mutilating”
their daughters when they perceive the procedure to be somewhat of a right of
passage. It is so important to some parents that those who have migrated to
America may take a trip to their homeland to have the procedure done on their
daughters.
Many organizations such as The World Health Organization (WHO) have attempted
to end FGC, but its traditional, cultural, and religious importance keep it
around. Each side of the FGC debate gives passionate reasons why the procedure
should exist or be outlawed. In many of the cultures that follow the procedure,
FGC is a sign of purity and ensures proof of virginity before marriage. On the
other hand, feminist groups and others who oppose it say that it enforces the
belief that women lack self-control in terms of promiscuity. Even religions are
split as the Shafi’i school of the Islamic faith makes clitoridectomy mandatory
while the Shi'ite tradition outlawed it.
So what is to be done? Should FGC be outlawed world-wide as it is in America
and most recently Eritrea? If the WHO succeeds in universally outlawing the
procedure will we see a rise in fatalities caused by desperate parents who seek
“underground doctors”? And by raising awareness about FGC will America become
split on the issue as it is with abortion and gay marriage?
Do you believe that young girls are being “cut” or “mutilated”?
Sources:
http://www.who.int/topics/female_genital_mutilation/en/
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary
http://www.cwtv.com/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Somalia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_mutilation