What is FGM, and Why Should it be Stopped?

The purpose of this blog is to spread awareness of and knowledge about female genital mutilation, in the hopes that it may contribute to bringing the horrific practice to an end.

Female genital mutilation refers to the partial or complete removal of the external female genitalia for cultural, religious, traditional, or other non-therapeutic reasons. This mainly includes the removal of the clitoris (clitoridectomy), the labia minora, parts of the labia majora, the sewing together of the labia majora to cover the urethra and vagina, or any combination of these procedures. It is usually performed, by force, on girls between infancy and age 15. The practice of FGM is most prevalent in Africa, especially in Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Mali, and Ethiopia, but also occurs in the Middle East and other areas of the world, despite the fact that is is illegal in many of these places.

(Image from afrol News)

FGM can lead to short term health problems which include severe pain, shock, hemorrhage, and tetanus or sepsis infection. Long term problems can include recurrent urinary tract and bladder infections, cysts, and an increased risk for problems with childbirth and newborn deaths.

Attempts have been made to justify FGM in a variety of ways. It was believed to help protect women from "self-abuse" during the time period when masturbation was viewed as a serious health problem. The World Health Organization lists a number of causes:

# Where FGM is a social convention, the social pressure to conform to what others do and have been doing is a strong motivation to perpetuate the practice.
# FGM is often considered a necessary part of raising a girl properly, and a way to prepare her for adulthood and marriage.
# FGM is often motivated by beliefs about what is considered proper sexual behaviour, linking procedures to premarital virginity and marital fidelity. FGM is believed by some to reduce a woman's libido and help her resist "illicit" sexual acts. When a vaginal opening is covered or narrowed (type 3 above), for example, a woman is physically hindered from premarital sex. Afterwards, a painful procedure is needed to reopen the closure to enable sexual intercourse.
# FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are “clean” and "beautiful" after removal of body parts that are considered "male" or "unclean".
# Though no religious scripts prescribe the practice, ppractitioners often believe the practice has religious support.

(see the WHO link below for further info).

FGM has no legitimate purpose, and is a serious violation of human rights. Every effort should be made to end the practice of FGM, whether it be seeking harsher penalties for it, making it illegal it more countries, or spreading knowledge about how this is a barbaric practice and why it should be ended.

Check out the following links for more information and perspective on the subject:

*The World Health Organization factsheet

*In-Depth: Razor's Edge - The Controversy of Female Genital Mutilation

*Feminist.com