Female Genital Cutting Essay

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Female Genital Cutting (FGC) is also known as female circumcision or female genital mutilation. We know three types of FGC. First type is Clitoridectomy, which consists in removing clitoris or its part. The second type is excision during which the clitoris and labia minor is being cut off. Infibulation is the last and the most invasive type of FGC. The last type includes cutting and narrowing the vaginal opening and repositioning of the inner and outer labia leaving only a small opening for urinating and menstruating. Procedures of FGC vary from country to country; and it depends from local customs how this procedure is done. Young women are forced by society and their families to undergo this horrible procedure, which leaves not only physical but also emotional footage on them. Leyla Hussein, an anti-FGC activist and psychotherapist, describes her personal experience with female genital mutilation, “Someone said: “Go get Leyla, it’s her turn”. I was pinned onto the table by four women. They said, “It's not going to be painful, silly girl”. Apparently they gave me an injection to numb it, but I felt everything, I felt my flesh being cut off” (2013). Female circumcision is a cultural “rite” in Muslim community. FGC is usually done …show more content…

They claim that female genital mutilation has variety of health benefits for women. Dr. Haamid al-Ghawaabi says, “The secretions of the labia minor accumulate in uncircumcised women and turn rancid, so they develop an unpleasant odor which may lead to infections of the vagina or urethra. I have seen many cases of sickness caused by the lack of circumcision” (2012). So the FGC should avoid health complications and keep women healthy. Other health benefit that proponents of FGC mention is prevention from HIV transmission. This is the main support of their believe that FGC has medical

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