What if I were to tell you that a new trend is being practiced in the United States by the parents of newborn baby boys, wherein they are giving the children nose jobs so that they can look more like their father, or that the parents are cutting off the earlobes of the babes so that they can be cleaner? What if you had just given birth to a beautiful, cooing baby girl and the nurse walked in and cheerfully asked if you’d like to mutilate her genitalia before her noon feeding. In either one of those situations, no doubt you’d be disbelieving and outraged at such a suggestion! But everyday thousands of babies across the United States suffer a similar fate when their parents decide that a baby boy should not have a foreskin and so they practice routine circumcision. Circumcision, put simply, is cosmetic surgery, in that it involves changing the appearance of your child’s body for aesthetic reasons.
The United States is the only country in the world that routinely practices the circumcision of their newborns. Across the globe elsewhere, circumcision is rarely practiced unless there is a medical or religious reason to do so. Here in the U.S., the vast majority of parents opt to have the procedure done, although the number of parents refusing the pointless procedure is on a rapid rise. Most parents typically don’t think about circumcision as an issue while they shop for cribs and have baby showers and select names…it’s just something you “do� if you have a son, so when asked in the hospital after the delivery if they want their child circumcised, they blindly accept the procedure without questioning it’s purpose. However, in the future when asked why they decided to go through with it, the most common reasons given to justify the procedure might surprise you. When asking my friends why they decided to circumcise their sons, the most common reasoning is that so the child can “look like daddy.� They don’t want the child to feel or look different than his father, brother or peers and be teased. Is this really a problem? Do men really sit around comparing how they look and then teasing the ones who look different? No, of course not. And what sort of justification is this anyway, to look like their daddy. Nobody will ever walk up and say, “Oh how cute….
Thesis—The award winning novel, Cut, written by Patricia McCormick has been challenged worldwide in many educational systems because it has been proven to be extremely triggering for all ages, especially young adults, and includes harsh themes. Although some readers may agree with this, Cut is actually a very moving and life-changing book. This novel helps others better understand mental illness’, encourages teens to seek help and talk about inner hidden thoughts, and creates a both unique and strong connection with others battling demons screaming within their bodies. This takes them closer to shore and further from the distant island of isolation and loneliness they are too familiar with.
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...
Barbershop the Next cut holds a significant value to American popular culture with diverse social economic references. This movie depicts numerous components of subcultural issues that are faced in the black communities of American more notable Chicago, IL. Within the movie Barbershop: The Next Cut there will be an in-depth analysis of how this movie shows different Popular-Culture concepts for example; Ideology and Institutional power. This movie also shows the cultural “Norms” and the distinct language used in the subculture that is portrayed within the movie. The most relevant aspect of this movie that will be focused on will be the inequality of the black community in both race and gender and also the social stratification.
This is a case study regarding a family in Senegal that follows the Muslim culture. However, unlike most Muslims, they practice the form of female circumcision. The tradition is to have all girls coming of age to be circumcised; otherwise they would be shunned and would never be able to get a husband. The family’s tradition believes that if a girl does not have this procedure done, they will be considered deformed and their clitoris will hang down to their knees. Awa is concerned because she and her husband, Joseph, have two daughters who are coming of age and her mother-in-law is demanding to know why they have not made the arrangements for the girls’ circumcision. Awa’s dilemma is whether or
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.
"I remember the blade. How it shone! There was a woman kneeling over me with the knife. I bit her; it was all I could do. Then three women came to hold me down. One of them sat on my chest. I bit her with all my might." These words reflect Banassiri Sylla’s account of her experience undergoing female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), at the young age of eight in the Ivory Coast. This disturbing description of her struggle makes it hard to understand why any culture could support such a practice. Yet, it is estimated that about 132 million women and girls in about thirty African countries have undergone the same, or at least similar, cultural procedure as Banassiri. According to the World Health Organization, about two million girls undergo female genital mutilation every year and the percentage of women circumcised is as high as ninety-eight percent in countries such as Djibouti .
Little, Cindy M. "FEMALE GENITAL CIRCUMCISION: MEDICAL AND CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS." Journal of Cultural Diversity 10.1 (2003): 30-34. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 18 Apr. 2011.
In Ring Lardner’s short story “Haircut”, the narrator is a straightforward barber, who goes by the name Whitey. The story is about Whitey tells a customer about the well-liked regular at the local barbershop, Jim Kendell. At first the barber makes it seem that Jim is a good old fella, but depending on some people’s views, and on Jim’s actions towards people, they will quickly discover that Jim is a selfish jerk. Keeping this in mind there are two important questions that are brought up throughout the story, which are if Jim’s life actually matter to the town and was Jim an evil person; personally, I believe that Jim was not a completely evil person and that the town did not value his life.
Most Americans view circumcision as a solution to a problem which it is not. Circumcision has not been scientifically proven to prevent, solve, or improve any health condition or state. One of the most common reasons people circumcise infants is because they believe it will make cleaning babies easier. This is a common misconception. Parents for generations have been taught that uncircumcised babies need to have the underside of their foreskin cleaned, but this is physically impossible to do without permanently damaging the organ. When a baby is born the foreskin is fused to the head of the penis, thus no additional care is needed. The organ is very self-cleaning just like it’s female
Certainly, in the United States (and much of the Western world), female circumcision is illegal; however, male circumcision is utterly legal. In fact, in 2007, the Center for Disease Control reported that almost eighty percent of men in the United States were circumcised (Morris): legally, zero percent were females. Yet, several nations, where the culture is absolutely polar from the West, have prohibited male circumcision (Evans). The predominant factor, of course. The ideologies of culture make the laws, including morals; thus, these laws represent each region’s civilization, morals, and culture. Again, doctors must conform—this time to the law, not the parent. So, any decision doctors make, regarding circumcision, is due to cultural restrictions and their own
Through an ethical point of view, circumcision should be a choice; the government should not be against it. This cannot be made illegal because it will leave people to perform FGC in barbershops using non-medical facilities, which creates more risk. Like male circumcision, female circumcision should be allowed and welcomed in hospitals. This culture cannot be abandoned and forgotten in a fortnight, however studies reveal the decline of this procedure throughout West Africa, for example, Tostan in Senegal aim at eradication this practice.
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 is a Global issue which is attached to different social issues but for the purpose of this study, in order to attain a broader view i will limit my study to Countries within African. It has become necessary to see this practice beyond traditional beliefs and start to look into the causes of this behaviour because it has caused more harm than good. Parent and victims of FGM could have made a better decision in expressing their human rights if they had broader knowledge about the emotional, psychological and medical complications of Female Circumcision.
Female circumcision, also known as Female genital mutilation, or female genital cutting is a custom that has sparked controversy among many people belonging to other cultures not accustomed to the practice. Within the argument lay a series of debates surrounding the issue as culture and tradition clash with human rights over whether or not this practice should be allowed. Advocates against the practice draw on the prevalence, perceptions, and reasons for conducting FGM to combat what they believe is a human rights issue.