Not a healthy practice to accept as a cultural or religious tradition
Female genital mutilation is not a healthy practice we can accept as cultural diversity or respect as a religious tradition. Voluntary or not, the procedure is an act of violence against the female body and it encourages a female dystopian society.
Undergoing the procedure is not like when a male receives his rite of passage; where he becomes a man and is more respected. The procedure does not grant women high status nor does it give women more power in the decision-making process.
The procedure itself is a robbing of power
Robbing women of the pleasure she was born with the ability to have. Any procedure aimed to prevent her from having it is an act of misogynistic
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It angers her when others label the tradition she endured and now embraces as empowering for women, an act of mutilation on women.
This is an example of cognitive dissonance.
The procedure is described as painful and destructive in the article by a leading medical expert on female “circumcision.” According to the article, many doctors who treat African women, say there is little question about the negative effects of female “circumcision.”
Ahmadu’s defense of the procedure is understandable. This is how she has learned to cope with a procedure defiling countless young women, however, had she never been exposed to the practice it would not be impossible for her to find other sources of empowerment for women, and other traditions to link her to her mother and ancestors.
Call it what it is
With the recent rise in white supremacy groups, there is a hesitance among them to accept themselves as white supremacists because of the negative connotation it suggests. However, their enthusiastic nationalist beliefs are rooted in white supremacy; to place a toned down label on it does not lessen the destructive nature the movement has played in
In Althaus’ article, she provides in-depth information about female circumcision; a highly controversial cultural ritual that is practiced in at least 28 countries
Female genital mutilation is mostly practiced in Islamic and African cultures, claiming young girls as t...
When parents first discover they are having a baby, there are so many aspects to consider. Who is going to be their doctor, which hospital are they going to deliver at, what are they going to name the baby, and what color should they paint the nursery. Parents that are expecting a male newborn have to decide if they want their baby to be circumcised. For many families, this is an easy decision based on their cultural or religious beliefs. However, for others the right option is not as clear. Over the years, the topic of circumcision has been debated and views have swayed for and against the procedure. Ultimately, the parents must evaluate all the pros and cons and make the decision that aligns best with their thoughts and beliefs. The parent’s decision about the procedure will be influenced by various factors. It is vital that they are educated on the accurate information surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of the circumcision. This paper will evaluate both sides of this controversial issue.
Freedom of choice is a desire for most, but as we are young we depend on the decision of our parents. With this dependent nature of a child the freedom of choice is limited, for males this can lead to a life long consequence. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin; the skin covering the head of the penis. Circumcision is practiced for religious purposes in Jewish and Muslim communities. Normally, the boy’s age varies from 4 to 11 years old. In the United States, this procedure is also done but without a religious purpose. The boys in this case are commonly newborn. This practice became popular after medical groups claimed that there were many health benefits that came with circumcision. Though it has been proven otherwise, it is still a common practice in the U.S. fueled by ignorance. Circumcision is an unnecessary surgery that leads to psychological problems, issues with sexual activities and lasting physical damage.
Whiteness theory describes what it means to be of the Caucasian race in the United States (Rodriguez 1999:20). The details of what it means to be “white” in American society raises awareness to social construction of whiteness. Political whiteness attempts to displace the normativity of the white position by seeing it as a strategy of authority rather than an authentic or essential ‘identity’ “(Bhabha 1998:21).
Unlike male circumcisions which were practice for religious purposes, female circumcision is done for social convention and is practiced as a way to prepare girls for marriage, as well as conform to societal norms of femininity. Female circumcisions are often motivated by what would be considered proper female behavior and as a way to promote virginity as well as cause pain during intercourse to uphold these beliefs. Much like male circumcision these societal beliefs about sex and purity, have affected these cultures in their convictions that circumcision must be performed to be pure and free of
Female genital mutilation (also known as female circumcision) is the cutting of female clitoral hood and removing clitoris. Following the cutting of female genital organ, there are many short-term and long-term health risk problems, and even death due to some complicated infections. The reasons for performing female genital mutilation are connected with socio-cultural beliefs, attitudes, values and customs, transition of girls into womanhood, tradition and cultural heritage, the fear of not having access to resources and opportunities as a young woman, perception to reduce sexual desire of females; hence, will sustain premarital virginity, and maintain marital fidelity. Actions have taken at international, national and regional levels since the past many years and have begun to bear fruits, but the practice is still undergoing in many countries in the world and highly prevalent in Africa. To continue and motivate further reduction in changing the society’s attitudes towards female genital mutilation in the countries where the prevalence has remained stable so it’s therefor...
They are more than just household workers, caretakers of children and materials of pleasure. Women are underestimated because they show off a gentle and very caring side making others think that they can be easily fooled and that they cannot progress. The greatest challenge of women empowerment is changing the stereotypes that have existed in many cultures. For example, female genital cutting shows the discrimination of women. This practice is offensive to human rights and should be eradicated. Although it is difficult to break out of tradition, it has to be broken because it shows a wrong use of religion and tradition. The society has tolerated it for so long; it takes a special person to say that it’s wrong, someone who has great power over the people such as the leaders or other people who see the bigger picture. The female who was an expert in doing female circumcision mentioned that cutting itself is a source of income for her and she would abandon the practice if given another kind of source of income. This shows a capitalist structure in their
Many feminists in the Western Culture have this ethnocentric idea that female circumcision is “female mutilation” portraying it as a “barbaric tradition” and “violence against women” (“Yes to Female Circumcision?”). According to Fuambai Ahmadu, a Sierra Leonean-American anthropologist, female circumcision is an initiation that symbolizes matriarchal power. The practice is “synonymous with women’s power, their political, economic, reproductive, and ritual spheres of influence” (Ahmadu, pg. 14). By having no regards to the cultures and traditions of these small-scale societies, we are invalidating their beliefs and presenting ethnocentric
The horror of female genital mutilation is a global issue, and it is also one surprising foreign to Americans although an estimated ten thousand girls in the United States are currently at risk of this operation (Sarkis par. 1). This is a cultural practice that is both unethical and incredibly detrimental to its victims besides obviously being in direct violation of basic human rights. In order to attain a broader view of this issue the following will be examined: basic information about this practice, organizations fighting it, current news pertaining to it, recent academic articles evaluating it, and the question of how it can be stopped.
Many question whether female circumcision (FGM, genital cutting, etc.) is a form of abuse, is it a humane and morally acceptable practice and how can we fix this horrendous practice? These assumptive thoughts are typically made through the eyes of outsiders, female circumcision is many things and must be looked at through such a lens. Despite, all of this female circumcision is still framed very commonly between these three views, female circumcision is abuse, is a result of patriarchal societies, and is a cultural and religious practice.
...is female genital mutilation. Law enforcement and health care providers must be available to assist these women, while protecting privacy and be aware that the strict family values are still of importance and should be taken into consideration.
From that, the moment involved more and more actors and organizations to stop the insanity. Recently UNICEF and ialGO urged African authorities to stop FGM by educating local communities, families and young girls the disadvantage of FGM. The WHO is involved in educating women the consequences of FGM. February 2010, WISE (women Islamic initiative in spirituality and equality) reaffirmed that they will take all actions to abandon th FGM. The UN population fund and UNCEIF says that 8000 communities in Africa have agreed to abandon the traditional practices. The interventions of the TAM's has resulted a drastic reduction in FGM. " I am the happiest girl in the world; My Mother and Father will not circumcise me"- a young girl from Kalioubia and participant in the the e Reduction of Female Genital Mutilation project says. Depending on numbers, I believe that TAM's are pretty effective in eradicating FGM. Women began to fight in 1970, It took almost half a century to stop this insanity with the help of different
Female Circumcision, also known as Female Genital Mutilation is the cutting partial/ total removal of the external female genitalia (Clitoris, sometimes the labia of girls or young women). It’s done for non-medical reasons, being that different parts of the world still practicing it, it’s consider a part of tradition, cultural beliefs and is religious. Female Genital Mutilation, FGM is usually performed on females from the age of infancy to young women, mainly done before the first menstrual period. FGM is generally being done in the Middle- Eastern part of the world and mainly in many parts of Africa. With the World Health Organization, WHO signed with nine United Nations including The United States have eliminated FGM.
Imagine an innocent five year old girl told to wake up in the early morning under the pretext we will go to a market and we will buy you a new dress but instead blind folded and held down by strong adult hands and your genitals mutilated without any anesthesia or pain killer. This is the horrific practice a large number of girls going through. According to the World Health report “More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut 29 countries in Africa and Middle East where FGM is concentrated and if there is no reduction in the practice between now and 2050, the number of girls cut each year will grow from 3.6 million in 2013 to 6.6 million in 2050(UNICEF, 2013 PP 2).” As you read this paper you can imagine how many innocent little girls go through unbearable pain everyday and forced to live with the consequences of female genital mutilation for the rest of their life. In this paper I will discuss Why Female genital Mutilation is a public health issue and show the interdependence of the five public health dimensions to the topic.