Female Circumcision, also referred as female genital mutilation (FGM) is on the Rise in Britain.
The practice of female circumcision (also known as female genital mutilation) is on the rise in Britain, due in large part to an influx of immigrants from the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. Britain outlawed the practice, which is commonly called "female genital mutilation," in 2003. But the law has yet to be enforced. However, British police have begun a campaign to root out the practice. (Source)
I know female circumcision is a touchy subject for many feminists on all sides of the debate. But I wanted to express my opinion on the issue, because hey . . . this is my blog and I'm not afraid of sharing my opinion. People are free to disagree with me. That's that G-Spot is all about. Discussion. Anyhoo . . .
I am intentionally using the term "female circumcision" because I think the phrase "female genital mutilation" sensationalizes the issue. In the majority of countries in the Greater Horn of Africa, as well as in Western Africa and in Egypt, most wimmin are not "mutilated." The term female circumcision can refer to many practices, including clipping the hood of the clitoris, to removal of the outer labia, to the most extreme form where both the outer and inner labia are removed and the vaginal opening is stitched closed so that only urine may pass through. When European missionaries and anthropologists began colonizing Africa, the term mutilation was introduced and it reflected the negative attitudes Westerners had towards different African cultures. That same bias continues today as Western feminists paint their criticism of African cultures with broad strokes, lumping very different groups and practices together in the same category.
Western condemnation of female circumcision has not eliminated the practice. Instead, it has pushed the practice underground. The majority of the extreme cases (98%) occur in the countries of Djibouti and Eritrea. A variety of factors, like civil war and low economic development, have also contributed to the practice being pushed underground. In these cases, young girls are often cut by midwives, but the ceremonies usually occur outdoors and without anesthesia. These are the cases that the Western media usually focuses on, because the stories are more sensational. Female circumcision plays a vital cultural role for many local communities in the Greater Horn. For young wimmin, marriage is often the means to economic survival. Wimmin who are not circumcised are seen as "loose" and "unmarriable." So until the driving forces of religion, culture, and economics are addressed, female circumcision will not go away.
Kenya is a good example of countries that have taken a pro-active stance on the issue. Rather than condemn female circumcision, the Kenyan government has worked with local communities to retain the symbolic value of the circumcision ceremony, while at the same time addressing the health concerns related to female circumcision. In Kenya, local communities have replaced the actual physical circumcision with a "circumcision through words". Rites of passage are still conducted and elder wimmin talk to young girls about what is means to be a womyn.
The British government should follow suit. Instead of passing judgment on immigrant cultures, the government should work with African immigrants to promote a well-rounded approach. By outlawing the practice, they have shut off one of the potentially effective ways of protecting young girls' health.
The last thing I want to say is this: how is female circumcision any different from male circumcision, which is so commonly accepted that it's considered a routine medical procedure in Western countries? And what is the difference between female circumcision and plastic surgery, like hymenoplasty (aka "vaginal rejuvenation") or breast implants. In my opinion, there's no difference at all. - Source: From G-Spot Magazine
Comment and add to the story without registration, but keep the comments meaningful please. Links are not accepted.
