Cultural Relativism as Applied to Female Genital Mutilation "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
Looking at the issue of Fauziya Klassindja in a pluralist perspective, who came from her native country of Togo, West Africa, I do understand the danger in judging to harshly until given every piece of information I can. In addition, I hold the utmost tolerance for the rich West African culture, yet I do believe that I have gained enough information about this issue. Due to that matter, I would categorize the practice of FGM under an egregious evil. While this is said, condemning this one practice is not stating that the culture in whole is evil. The West Africa culture, of course, has many admirable features. Exactly like most other human societies, they contain mixtures of good and bad. FGM is
The scope of this research is focused only on FGM for among all the kinds/types of mutilation, FGM are the most studied and controversial kind/type of 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
Female genital mutilation is a huge apart of the culture in Africa, and the idea of Westerners coming in to change and enforce their own way of life by stopping it hasn’t gone over well amongst the local villagers. But the reasons behind the Western ideals are good ones, no one knows how many people have died from infection from FGC because it’ often reported as malaria, making it impossible to understand and know just how many young people have been effected by it
This week's encounter with FGC or Female Genital Cutting disturbed me and my eyes were opened to some of the harsh realities in the world. Everyone in the class was either assigned to be "pro" FGC or against. Based on which side of the argument you were assigned, each side read an article defending that side, and everyone watched the same documentary on a journey of a young woman in Africa leading up to her coming of age ceremony involving genital cutting. Throughout the video, you can tell that FGC is a common and important practice in West African Societies. A teenager named Mary was preparing for the coming of age ceremony, and the nervousness was noticeable. Someone who actually does the cutting was interviewed, and she discussed her livelihood and how there is a certain technique to the practice. Finally the time come for Mary to "become a woman" and the cutting came and went. The ceremony was at the very least hard to watch. The pain was clear in the aftermath, but the celebration continued and Mary seemed fine at the end. Also, a woman named Alice
Topic: FGC-Reasoning behind the Female genital circumcision. General Purpose: To inform my audience Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about female genital circumcision and why it is practiced. Thesis: Female Genital Circumcision is a cultural procedure that is performed on young girls for a variety of reasons. Members of this culture chose
In an extensive article, by Richard Griffith he reinstates information from the WHO Organization that “It is estimated that 100–140 million girls and women worldwide are currently living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM).” (World Health organization, 2008). It is a horrible practice in which young females between the ages of infant and fifteen years of age, undergo a surgery for the alteration, removal or partial removal of their genitalia for religious or cultural reasoning’s. If that isn’t terrifying enough, understand that this takes place against the will of the receiving party. This is reason by itself, along with many reasons to stands up against FGM, as it should be outlawed entirely. But, before we can establish the barrier between necessary and criminal in discussion with this topic, we must look at the research and history of this practice, and let the statistics speak for its self.
and can cause bleeding, chronic pain, and childbirth complications and newborn death. Estimating 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM.
In life, we all make decisions rather they are good, or bad the choices we make will have an impact on our life in the future. Beza is an eleven-year-old girl who lives in an Ethiopian village. In this village, the practice of FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) is being carried out by force on girls who are far too young to make decisions for themselves. So what exactly is Female Genital Mutilation? There are three types of genital cutting that are practiced: the clitoridectomy which requires the removal of part or the whole clitoris to be amputated and the bleeding is stopped by apply pressure or stitches, the excision which requires both the clitoris and the inner lips to be amputated and the bleeding is stopped by stitching, but the vagina
Even though FGM is a controversial topic and many oppose it I feel Ahanonu and Victor were able to effectively analyze their audience. The authors were able to appeal to the readers especially mothers by eliciting feelings through connotative meanings and emotional tone (Purdue OWL: The Rhetorical Situation). When reading this article I thought about what I would do if I were in this situation. Whether I agree with FGM or not the authors made me feel empathy for the mothers and feel that they are doing what they think is best for their daughters. Data analyzed from the study showed that 44.2% of the mothers felt by getting their daughters circumcised they were preventing them from becoming promiscuous, preserving their virginity, preventing premarital sex and increasing their chances of marriageability. 30.5% of the mothers believed getting circumcised would promote their daughters to be faithful to their spouses (Ahanonu and Victor,
Apart from the news on celebrities which is a fascination in our society these days, it is not difficult for a layman to gain a glimpse at the problems that most afflict humanity by simply seeing the headlines and thinking about what unites them. It is not difficult to gain an idea of what is closest to human hearts when we are so passionately moved by movies and music, by turning our heads to the heavens, or by seeing a woman help an elderly person across the street. It is simple to have faith in humanity’s ability to move forward when we see that, despite setbacks in the forms of wars and armed conflicts, humans were able to eliminate smallpox and continue working to cure cancer. It is easy to believe in the real and present danger of war when one sees images of the World Trade Center, the shadows of edifices and people long since departed seared into the ground upon which thousands of people walk daily, after they suffered a horrendous terrorist attack. The willingness I feel to help those in need is confirmation enough that there is yet hope for mankind.
Therefore, the key issue is that these children are being abused regarding FGM and nothing s being done about it in their countries. There is lack of support in Canada and from their community. This impacts these children’s childhood development by traumatizing them. Yes, it is legal in Canada but they tend to go back to there countries and get it done or even find an underground doctor here in Canada that will perform this
Eric K. Silverman writes that the practice of FGM challenges ideas of inter alia cultural relativism and universalism. Those who protect the practice of FGM argue that if the West imposes their views on people of other cultures, this is a form of new colonialism, and those who try to eliminate the practice see their actions as the protection of human rights, he argues. Indeed, there are a plethora of cultures in the world, and many of these cultures have been suppressed in times of colonialism. No one can justify that their culture is 'higher' or better than someone else’s so that it gives them the power to change another's culture; all people within a culture follow their perceptions of a 'good' life, and since there is no consensus
FGM is not only practiced in Africa, but in many other countries particularly those that are Muslim or Islamic faith.