Female Genital Mutilation Essay

Theories Of Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation, is a topic which has caused many controversies worldwide. Female
Genital Mutilation is a tradition since antiquity, which occurs in twenty eight countries in Africa, and
among certain communities in the Middle East, and Asia. The latitude of this issue is massive. The
United Nations estimates that this practice has been performed on about 140 million females, who
encounter immediate complications of shock, infections, damage to the urethra, scar formation,
tetanus, bladder infections, HIV, along with long–term complications that lead to death (Lauren V,
2011). It is estimated that 3 million girls are at risk annually! During this paper, I will discuss in
depth the two ethical theories (Deontology and Utilitarianism). These ethical theories will be a
guide, to help understand the moral issues of Female Mutilation, and whether one can view female
mutilation to be right or wrong. Aside from the ethical theories, I...show more content...
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), female genital mutilation consist of a
non–medical procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other
injury to the female genital organs (Lauren V, 2011).Typically girls from two weeks old, through
fourteen years old, are affected by this procedure. The mutilations are conducted under non–sterile
conditions; by using razors, knifes, scissors etc.; and without any anesthesia. Now that we know little
about the mutilation process these females undergoes; let's ask ourselves "Why would someone ever
agree to conduct such procedure on their own will?" If mutilation emphasizes the clear violation of
human rights, why is this procedure being implemented in many different countries? Well, this issue
is due to different ethical, and moral perspective; one may believe that female mutilation is morally
right; while others may think it's a violation of human rights. Let's first explore the ethical theories
on this
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Female Genital Mutilation Essay
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is commonly referred to as female circumcision. The process of
FGM involves altering the clitoris, sometimes removing it partially or entirely. FGM is a social
construction practiced by a myriad of countries, although no construction is absolutely universal for
every culture. For my multicultural paper am going to discuss in detail, the historical orientation of
FGM. Additionally I will compare and contrast the practices of FGM versus the western version of
male circumcision through a religious lens. Moreover, within my multicultural paper I will cover
the legal aspect of FGM by utilizing two philosophical theories the first; the Universalist theory and
the Second, on the other side of the debate, The Cultural relativist approach. To begin, historically,
the first mention of male and female circumcision appears in the writings of greek geographer
Strabo, in his 17th– volume ; "One of the customs most zealously observed among the Egyptians is
this, that they rear every child that is born, and circumcise the males, and excise the females". The
next mention was from a Greek papyrus dated 163 B.C. which covered an operation performed on
girls in Memphis, Egypt, at the age when they received their dowries (marriage)".Some theorist
believe that FGM originated as a form of initiation used against young women to control their
sexuality. Alternatively, there is an abundance of evidence of male circumcision in Old Kingdom
Egypt, but there is none

Persuasive Essay On Female Genital Mutilation
12/19/2017
Persuasive Essay
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
Throughout history, there has been a controversial argument on whether female genital mutilation
should be banned from Africa. Some people describe female genital mutilation or FGM as a
violation of women's rights and others view it as served for a religious purpose having to do with
the Islamic holy book, the Qur'an. Female Genital Mutilation is the removal of all or part of the
external parts of the female genitalia. There are three different types of FGM; the first type of FGM
is the Sunna Circumcision which is the removal of the tip of the clitoris. The second type is
Clitoridectomy which is the removal of the entire clitoris and the adjacent labia. The third type is
Infibulation which is the removal of the clitoris and the entire labia including the labia majora and
minora. After the removal of the entire labia, the joining of the scraped sides are brought together
using thorns or catgut, leaving only a small portion open for menstruation and urinating. Africa
has the highest rates of FGM being performed. About 100 million women and girls are affected by
FGM and at least 3 million girls are at risk undergoing this process every year. FGM is usually
carried out by an elderly woman who is paid fees from the family of the girl undergoing this process
(P.a.p.–Blog par. 2, 4). Female Genital Mutilation is usually performed on girl between the ages of
three and adulthood. According to the UNICEF or United

Essay on Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation Thesis Statement: The continued "underground" practice of FGM
(Female Genital Mutilation) must be stopped in order to protect women throughout the world
from a useless, unnecessary procedure that has been supported by male dominating societies as a
means of control, at the expense, and lives, of women. I.Millions of girls and women have been
mutilated by the practice of FGM a.Model, Waris Dirie, shares her story of FGM and the
consequences it has brought to her life. b.At age five, she underwent the procedure that would affect
her for the rest of her life. II.FGM, female genital mutilation has been practiced for thousands of
years in African and Middle Eastern Nations. a.There are three types of...show more content...
b.Those who refuse the practice are banished from their homes and the prospect of marriage
VI.FGM is a means to alienate women from a male dominating society. a.Without FGM, it is
believed that women are uncontrollable. b.Women are seen to be the weaker sex and temptation
must be removed physically. VII.FGM is illegal in most Western, and many African nations,
although it continues due lack of enforcement. a.Underground clinics and homes continue to
practice FGM. b.Health providers are not educated on how to deal with cases of FGM. VIII.The
continued mutilation is a reflection of the mutilating world in which we live. a.The act of FGM
must end. b.The fight to ban FGM must be supported by men as well. As many as 130 million girls
and women around the world have been mutilated, a fact often hidden from those of western culture.
Bringing awareness to the inhumane torture of women is Waris Dirie, a Somalia–born model, whose
face graces the cover of magazines worldwide. Reader's Digest has featured her face and her own
story of female genital mutilation. At the age of five, she was filled with excitement as she
anxiously awaited a special event that would take place the following day. Her favorite meal was
prepared and she was receiving extra attention from her family. The following day, after a night of
sleeplessness, she was

Imagine being, forced down and having a sacred body part cut off, without any anesthetics or hope
for any health benefit just because a cultural belief permits it. This is the nonconsensual fate of
innocent women worldwide that are victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM, often
referred to as female circumcision, is where the woman's outer gential parts are partially or
completely cut off and the vaginal opening is then sewned together. FGM is an international issue as
a violation of the female body and their rights. By promoting awareness of this wrong and immoral
ongoing current issue, actions can be taken to help prevent any further damage.
Reports of FGM trace back to pharaonic Egypt, but the exact origins are unknown, and...show more
content...
FGM doesn't have health benefits, it risks womens lives. Wounds may fail to recover because of
infections, irritation from urine, and underlying malnutrition. Difficulties can occur due to the
opening, and it leads to difficulty of passing urine. For girls that are still pure can take up to 20
minutes to pass the urine. There is an increased risk of HIV transmission due to the use of the same
unsterile instruments in–group circumcisions, repeated cutting and stitching during labour, and the
higher incidence of lacerations and abrasions during intercourse. (Female Genital Mutilation,
2011). In childbirth complications in case of a miscarriage the baby may be retained in the uterus
and may be difficult to perform the surgery. difficulty identifying some obstetric emergencies such
as cord prolapse due to an inability to perform a vaginal examination. (Female Genital Mutilation,
2011). The baby may have a risk of brain damaged or death due to the result of birth asphyxia. birth
asphyxia. Some of the negative psychological effects that have been reported include feelings of
anxiety, fear, bitterness and betrayal, loss of trust, suppression of feelings, feelings of
incompleteness, loss of self esteem, panic disorders and difficulty with body image. (Female Genital
Mutilation,

Summary: Female Genital Mutilation
In thirty countries, concentrated mainly in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, "More than 200
million girls and women alive today have been cut..." in a practice widely known as female
genital mutilation or FGM. (Female Genital Mutilation) FGM can be classified into three major
types. The first includes the partial of full removal of the clitoris and, in very rare cases, they will
just cut off the clitoral hood. The second entails removal of part or the entire clitoris, and the labia
minora. This also sometimes includes removal of the labia majora. The third major type of this
horrid practice is the most cruel. Someone will cut the labia minora or majora on both sides and will
then go on to stitch them together, creating a cover over...show more content...
The peaks of which correspond to the heights of well–being and the valleys correspond to the lowest
depths of misery. There could be many equally high peaks, but achieving one could be completely
incompatible with another. The existence of these multiple answers to the question of human
happiness does not mean that there is not a clear distinction between right and wrong answers.
By analogy, let's consider food. I would never say that there is only one right food to eat. But the
fact that there are many answers to the question, "What is food?" does not even remotely call into
question the science of nutrition. Some people are allergic to peanuts and will die if they eat
them, but this is something we can understand in the context of chemistry and biology. This does
not make the distinction between food and poison any less clear. Exceptions don't completely
change a rule. There are still correct ways to move towards the closest peak in this "moral
landscape". There might even be peaks to be discovered through effort that none of us know how to
make. Some of us might not even be able to genetically experience

Essay on Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female circumcision, is a destructive and
invasive procedure involving the removal or alteration of female genital. The procedure is carried
out at a variety of ages, ranging from shortly after birth to some time during the first pregnancy, but
most commonly occurs between the ages of four and eight. There are three main types of FGC that
are practiced: Type I (Sunna circumcision), Type II (Excision), and Type III (Infibulation). These
three operation range in intensity, from the "mildness" of Type I, to the extreme Type III.
The practice occurs in Africa, the Middle East, parts of Asia, and in immigrant communities in
Europe and North America. An estimated...show more content...
This procedure is often used by countries that are prohibited from using the more extreme
procedures. Clitoridectomy was invented by Sudanese midwives as a compromise when British
legislation forbade the more extreme operations in 1946. (2)
Infibulation (a.k.a. Pharaonic circumcision) is the third and most dramatic procedure of FGM's; it
has been banned in some countries but still exists in others. This most extreme form consists of the
removal of the clitoris, the adjacent labia minora, labia majora, and the urethral and vaginal openings
are cut away. The vagina is then stitched or held together with thorns, leaving a small opening for
menstruation and urination. To engage in intercourse the woman is then cut open by her husband on
their wedding night. The woman's vagina is often restitched if her husband leaves on a long trip to
secure fidelity. Female Genital Mutilations are mostly done without anesthesia and in unsanitary
conditions where instruments such as unsterilized razor blades, tin lids, scissors, kitchen knives, and
broken glass are used. (3)These instruments are frequently used on several girls in succession and
are rarely cleaned.
In various cultures there exist different "justifications" for Female Genital Mutilation including
preserving cultural and gender identity, controlling women sexuality, and other

Essay about Female Genital Mutilation
The practice of female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision, occurs throughout the
world, but it is most common in Africa. Female genital mutilation is a tradition and social custom
to keep a young girl pure and a married woman faithful. In Africa it is practiced in the majority of
the continent including Kenya, Nigeria, Mali, Upper Volta, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Mozambique and
Sudan. It is a cross–cultural and cross–religious ritual, which is performed by Muslims, Coptic
Christians, Protestants, Catholics and members of various indigenous groups.
Female genital mutilation is usually performed on girls before they reach puberty. It is a procedure
where either part or the entire clitoris is...show more content...
The sides are secured with thorns or sewn with catgut or thread, allowing a small opening for the
passage of urine and menstrual blood.
Female genital mutilation is often compared to male circumcision. Both procedures remove all or
part of the functioning genitalia and both seek to control the body and sexuality. However, this is
where the similarities end. All comparisons aside female circumcision is far more drastic and
damaging both physically and psychologically. A more precise analogy would be between a
clitoridectomy and penisdectomy where the entire penis is removed.
The traditional performers of the circumcision and the age at which it is performed vary among
the different African ethnic groups. The majority are village midwives who perform these
operations for a living and enjoy a position of status in the village. Others who perform the
operation include gypsies and fortunetellers. These women's knowledge of anatomy and hygiene
are minimal. The tools they use to operate with are rarely sterilized and include knives, razor
blades, scissors, and in some cases sharp stones and pieces of broken glass. These instruments are
used on several girls in succession without being sterilized and the patient is rarely given anesthesia.
Circumcision among the Yoruba occurs one week after birth while in Ethiopia girls are

Females as a general population have been faced with discrimination across the ages. In recent
history, women have begun to assert their freedom and independence from the male oriented
traditions that have spanned generations. In industrialized countries the discrimination of women
has diminished, but a serious form of violation of human rights occurs sometimes in parts of the
world, such as Africa, the Middle East, and even sometimes the United States and other
industrialized countries in North America and Europe. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an
umbrella term for three subtypes of crimes committed against women as a part of various coming of
age rituals for young girls in certain patriarchal communities in Africa, spreading through...show
more content...
These international agencies work together, along with other missionary workers to eliminate
female circumcision, as it is also called, from its entirety from the world due to its view as an
extreme form of discrimination against women. No woman should be subjected to the cruel practice,
where young girls are held down by their elders, violated in such a way to remove an organ in their
sacred area and later subjected to the pain that sexual intercourse and childbirth become by a
generational practice.
The past has shown that women were the leaders of the society. Childbirth was mysterious
situation, but highly desired by all thus women were goddesses. Sometime in the last five thousand
years, men discovered the rule they could have. Here began the trials a woman faces through the
newly discovered patriarchal way. Female mutilation began as a way to reduce the power women
could hold, a discrimination that lead to the pain and suffering of thousands, millions of women
across the ages. Today, some where between one hundred to one hundred forty women have been
subjected to this awful treatment created by men as a way to hold power over the women who gave
them life. During the Enlightenment period, John Locke, an English philosopher, said, "All
mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty
or possessions." No should be harmed because of

Female Genital Mutilation Introduction Pain, shame, lack of ability to reproduce. Marie, who
suffers from each of these symptoms, is one of the many women from Africa who have suffered
from female genital mutilation. When Marie was only two years old, she had her clitoris and
labia cut off. Since then, she has moved to New York yet is still suffering from the many
consequences you get from female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation, also known as
FGM, is a very common procedure primarily done in Africa for cultural beliefs. There are no
known beneficial medical reasons as to why people would get the procedure done. FGM became a
thing several decades ago by African tribes and is only now being brought up into the light as...show
more content...
With that, FGM is a major violation of the human rights of women and girls (Female Genital
Mutilation). Younger girls do not have a say in the matter and they cannot tell their parents
whether or not they really want the procedure done on them or not. Some older women, who do
decide to go through with this, are doing it because of the outside pressure from their community
that humiliates them if they do not undergo FGM. 98% of Africans do push their children to have
this done on them and if they are part of that 2% then they are excluded from others and are
considered outsiders because they have not undergone a very important cultural procedure
(Where is FGM practiced?). Some physical complications that come along with FGM are urinary
infections, cysts, not being able to produce kids, childbirth problems, and repairing surgery for
the widening or narrowing of the vaginal opening. The women are awake for the entire duration
of the procedure and are in tremendous pain because they bleed everywhere. Sometimes when a
women who is not trained to circumcise, she will use the excess skin to clean up the puddle of
blood flowing out of the vaginal area (CITATION). FGM has a lot of possible negative outcomes
that cannot be avoided no matter how good or bad the operator is. Even with the best care and

Female Genital Mutilation Paper
In the case of 5 year of Beza undergoing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) at a young age, I
believe we should start by revisiting what exactly FGM is before inputting our opinion on this case.
What is Female Genital Mutilation? There are three types of FGM that can be performed. The first
being Clitoridectomy; is when part or the whole of the clitoris is amputated and the bleeding is
stopped by pressure or stitching. The second type is Excision; both the clitoris and the inner lips
are amputated. The bleeding is usually stopped stitching, but the vagina is not covered up. Lastly,
the third type is infibulation; the clitoris is completely removed. Some or all of the labia minora
are cut off, and incisions are made in the labia majora to create a raw surface....show more content...
As we look back at the question, "is this case morally permissible?" I think we must consider that
this procedure most likely received the permission by Beza's parents because she is of a very young
age to understand what exactly she is about to under also if asked for her consent, she would
probably say yes not knowing what she has agreed to. I do believe that it is morally wrong for this
procedure to take place to this 5–year–old girl, but I am in agreement with professor Martha
Nussbaum from University of Chicago when she stated that," it is morally wrong to criticize the
practice of another culture unless one is prepared to be similarly critical of comparable practices
when they occur in one's own culture". This is so true because someone can come back a question
our culture when mother's make the decision to have their sons undergo circumcision. That scenario
can also undergo the same questionnaire and judgment that we are making when discussing FGM,
so we are in the wrong for judging the cultural view of something the people within that culture
believe is okay to

Female Genital Mutilation Research Paper
Absolutely crazy. It is totally alarming and confounds me this is up still proceeding on the planet
today.Even in countries where it has been made illegal: "Female genital mutilation was made
unlawful in Egypt in 2008 however is still by and large breed. A couple of examinations suggest
more than 75% of women, Muslim Christian, still have had the strategy in a couple of domains of
the country." This is from the BBC where I saw a fasten which makes me consider how it is
functioning for people to be so genuinely befuddled in such amazing numbers. Unmistakably,
circumcision controls women's sex sound judgment. Female Genital Mutilation is shocking, odd,
fierce, and purposeless. This practice should be banned for the security and protection of...show more
content...
We nor any more live in such out of date. This practice is relentless, for unequaled scarring,
embarrassing, and outright bizarre. There is no restorative reason behind this practice, and were
any on the expert side were to watch it happen, they would in all likelihood change their conclusions
when they see how brutal, it truly is.I trust that female genital mutilation should be banned in light
of the fact that it is an inhumane, merciless and obsolete practice that has no spot in 2012. Kids
should never be subjected to such a horrifying foundation, to the point that is certain to panic them a
route into their adulthood. The people who play out this practice should be arraigned to the full
level of the law.Female genital mutilation should be scratched off in light of the way that it causes
physical and mental harm to the female later and it is our moral commitment to help one
another.Someone on the negating side said it's not our business so who let our females experience
physical and mental harm.Seriously it should be repealed. I don't perceive how these people can be
called "individuals" considering their non appearance of emotional wellness and their nonattendance
of affections for each

Female Genital Mutilation is believed to have started in Egypt 2,000 years ago and spread from
there. Only a few years ago, FGM was considered a cultural tradition, but now the United Nations
has labeled it as a violation of human rights. Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United
States has declared Female Genital Mutilation grounds for seeking asylum and is a punishable
offense (1).
Many of us never heard of Female Genital Mutilation until the story of Kauziya Kasinga, a woman
from West Africa. Her father did not believe in polygamy, forced marriage, or "female
circumcision". He died when she was 17 and the father's sister inherited the home, banished the
mother, ended Fauziya's schooling, and...show more content...
It is sometimes opened to allow childbirth, but is sewn up again. In some cultures, the husband will
cut her open to have sex with her. In males, you would have to remove the entire penis and testicles
(castration) to compare this with infibualtion (3). This was done in the Catholic Church to get men
to sing soprano. It is no longer permitted and has been outlawed by the Pope. It was also done to
men who worked in harems so that they would not have sex with the girls.
Female genial mutilation is mainly practiced in the African culture. It is also practiced in
Christian, Judaism, Aboriginal, and Islamic cultures. FGM is not religious, but is a social custom
(4). In some countries it is almost universal. There are over 30 million women currently living in
Nigeria that have been circumcised and 24 million in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Some groups say that
114 to 130 million women worldwide have had the operation. FGM has spread worldwide with
immigrants coming from Africa and other nations that accept this practice. It is outlawed in the
United States, but the practice is still done. Specialists in Denver, CO reported in 1998 that at least
6,000 immigrants have settled in the area from African countries, which widely practices FGM. Dr.
Terry Dunn, director of a women's clinic in that city commented: "I know of one patient where it
was clear it was performed in this country." About 4 mutilation cases are seen each year at the clinic
(5).
Female Genital

Consent, in its various forms and states in certain contexts, forms a crucial part of legality and
illegality, in that its existence strongly categorises the nature of an act (Tuckness 2012). If consent
were established, it would be easy for the layman to conclude that an act should not be intervened
with by the state. Per contra, the complexities surrounding an act go beyond these simple
distinctions. The issue of intervention can to some degree be seen as problematic in its fundamental
aim to represent and advocate for a particular 'victim', in spite of the circumstances of the situation,
which tend to run parallel with a different narrative (Alcoff, 1992; Seth, 2001). This essay will
examine the relationship between the state and female...show more content...
Mill defines harm as any action or inaction by one individual that is injurious to the interests of
others. He states that: "[when] a person's conduct affects the interest of no person besides himself...
there should be perfect freedom, legal and social, to do the action and stand the consequences" (Mill,

FGM originated in Africa. It was, and remains, a cultural, not a religious practice. Female genital
mutilation (FGM) is also known as female circumcision is performed on young women before
they reach puberty. There are three types of FGM practiced. One is Sunna circumcision in which
the tip of the clitoris and/or its covering (prepuce) are removed, Clitoridectomy where the entire
clitoris, the prepuce and adjacent labia are removed, and Infibulation (a.k.a. Pharaonic
circumcision) which is a clitoridectomy followed by sewing up of the vulva. Only a small opening
is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to pass. In all types of FGM, the vagina is sown up until the
female is ready to have sexual intercourse...show more content...
FGM is not only practiced in Africa, but in many other countries particularly those that are Muslim
or Islamic faith.
The most recent chapter in the ancient saga of female circumcision may be said to have begun in
1994 when a seventeen–year–old Muslim woman named
Fauziya Kassindja arrived at Newark International Airport from the Republic of Togo. She was
traveling with a false passport, and when she arrived
desperately approached immigration authorities with a plea for asylum. Her reason: if sent back to
West Africa, Kassindja claimed, she would
be forced to submit to ritual surgery on her genitals. Adding insult to injury, this was to be
preparation for an arranged marriage to a much older man
who already had three wives. Immigration officials, unimpressed with her story, threw her into the
Esmoor detention center in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where
at the hands of guards and keepers she endured a series of stark, humiliating cruelties. There, and
later in a similar facility in Pennsylvania; she
languished for two years while her appeal worked its way through the Immigration and
Naturalization Service bureaucracy. In the meantime, however, the
news of her ordeal spread, calling fresh attention to the plight of millions of women and girls around
the world that quietly endured
various genital cutting procedures

Essay about Female Genital Mutilation
Female Genital Mutilation:
Barbaric Custom or Cultural Rite
"I was shaking out of my skin with fear. I sat at Netsent's head so she couldn't cry out. The
circumciser began to cut with a razor blade. She cut everything: the clitoris, the inner and outer
labia. There was so much blood!" This is an excerpt from an article that appeared in Marie Claire in
April 2003. The speaker is a girl by the name of Genet Girma, an Ethiopian, describing the
conditions under which her sister Netsent was forced to have her genitalia removed. Each year, two
million girls undergo the devastating and disfiguring practice of genital cutting (Goodwin 157).
Genital cutting, widely known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), is the practice of cutting away
parts of...show more content...
This practice is often associated with the religion of Islam, and is most often performed in Middle
Eastern and North African countries. In both of the African nations of Somalia and Djibouti, 98%
of women have had this procedure (Ahmad). Because of immigration, however, the practice of
FGM has recently become more prevalent in Europe and North America. Concerns for the health of
women and girls as young as three who are subject to this procedure, have led to legislation making
FGM illegal in the United States.
FGM is not a religious practice required by the Islamic faith. It has, however, become a "law by
custom" (Ahmad). Neither of the two main sources of Muslim Law, the Koran and the Sunnah,
mention the practice, and most Islamic scholars agree that it is not an Islamic religious rite. The
practice has become important to Islam because it is associated with female sexual purity. FGM is
intended by its practitioners to both control women's sexual drives and also to cleanse women's
genitalia by removing the clitoris, which is seen as masculine, a female penis. Because of its
association with purity, young women who have not been excised have little chance of marriage in
the countries where FGM is

Female Genital Mutilation Research Paper
3 million girls fall victim to an illegal procedure each year. 3 million girls fall victim to an illegal
procedure each year that puts their lives at risk. 3 million girls fall victim to an illegal procedure
each year that puts their lives at risk, and their parents celebrate it as a rite of passage. The
procedure described above is known as female genital mutilation, or female circumcision, and is
defined as the removal of a portion of, or all of, the external female genitalia, specifically the clitoris.
But what could make one woman turn a knife on another? And why would a procedure with known
health consequences as severe as hemorrhaging and death continue? The answer is simple: a cultural
tradition. The problem: throughout history, women...show more content...
According to Little, most countries that participate in female genital mutilation value virginity and
purity before marriage. Because the clitoris exists as a purely sexual organ serving no other purpose
than sexual stimulation, the removal of a young girl's clitoris eliminates the temptation to be
sexually active and places her in a highly admirable place in the community. In countries that value
circumcision, a girl's virginity plays an essential role in her desirability for marriage, and her loss of
virginity before her wedding may leave her family out casted from the community (Little 32). Little
reflects the sentiment that without the procedure, women are thought to be promiscuous and unable
to control their sexual desires. Traditions such as these perpetuate a patriarchal society in which
women are forced into submission to men by placing all fault on females and leaving males
completely unaccountable for their role in premarital

For one minute I just want you to think you were born a female in an African country. Did you no
you are 90% more likely to have had gone through some form of female genital mutilation. Every
day, thousands of girls are targeted for mutilation. Like torture, female genital mutilation (FGM)
involves the deliberate infliction of severe pain and suffering. Its effects can be life–threatening.
Most survivors have to cope with the physical and mental scars for the rest of their lives.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the partial or complete removal of the external female genitals
for cultural rather than medical reasons.
Other names for FGM include female circumcision or ritual female surgery. It is performed in some
African, South...show more content...
Well the answer is, on the couples wedding night, the new husband will use a sharp object, like a
kitchen knife, and cut the females genitals open to the right size without any pain killers or
hygienic utensils. So you could imagine the pain these innocent women have to go through
everyday because of the scare that they are not pure or a virgin. Because of there scare tissue being
damaged, the clitoris will constantly grow over, meaning the males have to cut the women's
genitals at least once every 2 years. Now you will understand why a simple trip to the toilet is an
extremely painful experience.
Some of the beliefs surrounding FGM may involve:
Ensuring virginity.
Enhancing marriage prospects
Reducing sexual desire.
Reinforcing gender 'differences' – the clitoris is seen as 'male' and is removed to make sure the girl
doesn't develop 'male' traits, such as aggression or promiscuity.
Enhancing beauty or 'cleanliness' – the female genitals are seen as ugly and dirty.
To put this in perspective, FGM would be like cutting off a man's penis completely, cutting the
testicles to the groin, and making a hole in them to have the semen siphoned out. But still, it can get
worse. The instruments that can be used to perform the operation are usually crude and dirty. They
can include kitchen knives, razor blades,

Imagine this! Being either a young girl or a woman forcefully bound against your will while elders
perform a procedure called Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The young girls and women who are
forced to have this procedure done not only loses their rights to sexual pleasure but their rights are
sliced, chopped, punctured, and finally burnt away. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) otherwise
known as Female Genital Circumcision (FGC) is also a controversial topic in Western societies. This
paper will examine the history of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), hegemonic perspective on
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), health consequences of having this procedure done, how Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM) affects women's sexual function, and women who...show more content...
242–251). Since Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is such a dangerous procedure, why do
individuals continually perform this procedure on young girls? In certain societies and culture,
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a rite of passage and the young girls are aware of the procedure
(Nawal, 2008, pp. 135–139). Furthermore, the societies and cultures who partake in this procedure
as a rite of passage, religious reasons, so the girls will not be promiscuous before they get married,
so the men's penis does not fall off, and men in certain societies would prefer their wife to be
circumcised (Mascia–Lees 2010, pp. 159). Even though certain societies and cultures have their
reasoning for performing Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), FGM can cause medical, psychological,
and pyscho–sexual consequences (Reyners, 2004, pp. 242–251). According to Reyners (2004) most
of the girls and women who had Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) type three conducted, they tend to
experience heavily affected reproductive and urological functioning. Furthermore, according to
Reyners (2004) also recommended if any woman is pregnant and has had any form of Female
Genital Mutilation (FGM) done, they should be monitored for their safety as well as the infants.
Throughout various societies, cultures, and different situations, people have their own opinions and
ideas on what is normal and abnormal sexual behavior. It

Female Genitalia Mutilation Essays
Female Genitalia Mutilation
Picture this, a young innocent girl, between the age of eight and twelve, running around, playing,
and having a good time. Then she is snatched away to a foul hut, whose floor is nothing but dirt.
Once in the hut, the helpless girl is stripped of all her clothing and pinned to the dirt floor. Her
tiny legs are spread and held wide apart with a tight grasp. Soon afterward, a midwife, with no
education in human anatomy or medicine, enters the hut and says a prayer. While the young girl is
held down in this most vulnerable position the midwife takes a handful of sand and rubs it all over
the girl's genitals (Walker 106). With no anesthetics and a jagged rock, that merely has a sharpened
edge, the midwife...show more content...
This form of FGM is called female circumcision or Sunna circumcision. Another form of female
genitalia mutilation is called excision or clitoridectomy. Removing the entire clitoris and either part
or all of the labia minora is performed in this type of mutilation. Intermediate circumcision,
another form of FGM, is very similar to a clitoridectomy. The difference is that in addition to the
removal of the clitoris and part or all of the labia minora, that part or all of the labia majora is also
removed. The last and most severe form of FGM is called infibulation or pharaonic circumcision.
This includes the removal of both the clitoris and the labia minora, as well as much of the labia
majora. Then the remaining sides are sewn together (Walker 367).
This ritual begins with the facilitator praying and singing praises. Then, as a woman identified as
P.K. retells her dreadful experience, she was instructed to lie down on a mat. P.K. says that no
sooner had her frail, young, legs hit the mat they were tightly grasped by heavy hands and spread
wide apart. Her legs and arms were both immobilized. Next, she tells that a foreign substance was
rubbed all over her genital organs and that it caused a very unpleasant sensation. She later
discovered that the foreign substance was sand and that it was used in order to assist in the
operation. P.K. goes on to tell that

Female Genital Mutilation Essay

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Female Genital Mutilation Essay