Male and Female Genital Mutilation

By Samantha Baugh

Female genital mutilation is an atrocity and still practiced heavily in some parts of the world. American society rejects the standard, recognizing the harm and devastation it can cause. The World Health Organization defines FGM in an article from February as involving “…the partial or total removal of external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” This article emphasises their total rejection of the practice and clearly states that it has no health benefits for females. In fact, they specifically urge all health care providers to not practice FGM. Then why does it exist? 

FGM is practiced in Africa and a few communities in the Middle East and Asia. While the reasons vary across the cultures, mostly the continuation of this act is motivated by social conformity, the desire for women to be more ‘marriageable’ as adults because of it, and the idea that FGM contributes to the positive upbringing of women. Recently, a mother was convicted in the UK for inflicting FGM on her three year old daughter. An article from The World Bank describes that FGM might not be as far away as we think. The article draws statistics from the United Nations Children’s Fund, which estimates that 200 million women in the world have been subjected to genital mutilation in their lives. Usually, these procedures are done before the girls are fifteen, without anesthesia, and is carried out by a traditional practitioner.

To Know Female Genital Mutilation

By Joshua Bondurant

Over 130 million women have experienced Female Genital Mutilation. There are four primary forms, and the World Health Organization have determined all forms to be physically and emotionally harmful. Perhaps the most adverse is a Clitoridectomy, the partial or full removal of a woman’s clitoris.  This procedure can lead to incredible pain during first intercourse, bleeding, cysts, and a life of serious health issues. Other procedures include excisions and infibulations, –the narrowing of the vaginal opening.

Many of the cultures that practice procedures to remove a women’s clitoris are located in Kenya, Africa. In these cultures, this ceremony marks the transition to womanhood, and such practices are the norm. Similar ideals exist throughout Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia, where they also practice and often force FGM on young women due to ceremonial and spiritual beliefs.