Circumcision In America

In the story written by Frances A. Althaus’s “Female Circumcision: Rite of Passage or Violation of Rights? She explores female circumcision within African Culture and the health complications after the ritual is completed. Female circumcision is the practice of partial or total removal of the female external vaginal area and is still practiced in several countries today , dut was ruled as illegal in America in 1997. Females did not have the option to chose if they wanted to have the procedure performed, mothers often made that decision for them. The practice is to transition a girl into womanhood and to ensure that virginity is not lost before marriage, prevention of infidelity and

The international community did not define female genital mutilation as a health risk because it was passed down voluntarily from generation to generation. Earlier failed attempts to eliminate the practice caused the international community to be extremely reluctant to get involved. Western Feminists and women’s international organizations were responsible for the raise in international awareness. The severity and immediate attention required for the eradication of FGM/FGC put the questions coming from the advocates of sovereign autonomy to rest. Seen as a tool of patriarchy, feminist argued that FGM/FGC was sadistic and a part of a global conspiracy. It was assumed that no one would voluntarily make the decision to undergo genital mutilation. African women were portrayed as not having the attributes of modern individuals. It was assumed they were not self-directed, autonomous, and

For class today, we read two brief articles on genital mutilation. In class, we also watched V-Day: Until the Violence Stops. Female genital mutilation is the removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. It is performed with a blade with or without anesthesia. I have been aware of the idea of male circumcision before, but I had honestly never thought about female circumcision before the reading. It shocked me to learn that certain cultures did not want women to have sexual desires. As a teenager growing up I did not know enough about my own body, I could only imagine what it was like to not understand your own body and not understand why your community would want you to have a FGM procedure done. Leyla Hussein explained that she

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

In the USA, newborn male circumcision is a very common procedure, three-quarters of American men are circumcised. Though the rate of infant circumcision has always been high in the USA, the number varies depending on the State, “Circumcision rates vary wildly across the country - from more than 80% of newborns in states including Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin and Kentucky, to around 20% on the West coast, according to some calculations” (Hebblethwaite, C.,2012, August 21). However, in other countries, such as The UK, rates dropped after the National Health Service (NHS) rules that circumcisions was not medically necessary, so it would not be covered. In 1948 one-third of UK men were circumcised and now about 9% of men are. On the other hand, countries

Female circumcision in the Global South is a controversial regarding this topic. People are continuingly debating about it how harmful the practice. People who are against the practice claimed that the practice is very harmful for these young girls and women. This practice is not only physically harmful, but also psychologically affect them. So anti-female circumcision is doing everything in their power to stop the practice in the Global South. Program such as the TOSTAN is encouraging young girl to say no the practice. On the other hand, there are people who defending the female circumcision. They claim that the practice has not harm. And they are denying the fact that this practice decreases sexual pleasure in these young women and female.

The term “mutilation” meaning “to cut up or alter radically so as to make imperfect” (Meriam Webster) suggests that the act is purposefully ruining the female intimate body parts in an attempt to make it unfunctional. Many human rights arguments are made against the process, which ignore the cultural background by viewing it from the outside. Western feminists outline the practice in a way which suggests uncivilized actions (Korieh, 2005).Medically, female circumcision poses many long term problems. In regards to infibulation, such as that performed in Somalia and Sudan, the clitoris and labia minora is removed and the labia majora being stitched closed. A reed is often needed to create an opening for mistral blood and urine to flow. Upon healing, the scar tissue complicates intercourse and childbirth. During childbirth, the scar is often recut to allow passage of the fetus. To make matters worse, these excisions are often performed without anesthetics and are

The WHO concluded that “female genital mutilation can adversely affect birth outcomes” and that “an additional one to two babies die per 100 deliveries as a result of the practice” in Africa (Australian National University). However, future problems aren’t necessarily the biggest issue. Female Genital Mutilation procedures are unnecessary medical procedures that put women in a state of discomfort and they are very dangerous. There are many consequences to FGM including, but not limited to, “scarring, infertility, painful sexual intercourse, rupture of the vaginal walls, chronic uterine and vaginal infections, bladder incontinence, dysmenorrheal and obstruction of the flow of menstrual blood” (Skaine 23). In places where FGM is illegal, such as Segal, the procedures have not ceased to exist. Therefore, women and girls are often undergoing Female Circumcisions from unlicensed doctors and sometimes with unsterile equipment. Even if nothing goes wrong physically, there is a risk of psychological and social trauma. According to a WHO study in Sudan, FGM may leave lasting psychological effects. This study concluded that many women feel incomplete and they are more likely to have anxiety and depression (27). Ultimately, there is no positive effect on the female anatomy or psyche from FGM.

In Cultural Diversity around the world “Female Circumcision” is a global violence against women. According to Essential of Sociology text book “female circumcision surgery occurs seven to ten days after birth, but in others it is not performed by girls reach adolescence. Among most groups, it takes place between the ages of 4 and 8” (285). The textbook also stated about 140 million females have been circumcised in worldwide. This practice obtains on diverse shapes in different cultures. These methods would carry clinched alongside the majority condition without any structure of modern medical technology. There are women who demand that the culture continue. Others claim it is a structure from claiming custom torment to reduce female

“Female Circumcision” is a global violence against women. According to a Sociology textbook: Essentials of Sociology, “Female circumcision surgery occurs seven to ten days after birth, but in others it is not performed until girls reach adolescence. Among most groups, it takes place between the ages of 4 and 8” (285). The textbook also states that about 140 million females have been circumcised worldwide. This practice takes different shapes in different cultures. There are women who are strong proponents of this practice and wish for the culture of women circumcision to continue. Some consider it beneficial because it tends to reduce the sexual desire exhibited by females. They also think that an uncircumcised woman has a lesser chance of finding a fitting marriage partner. The Sociology textbook confirms this

The cultural practice of female circumcision could endanger their daughter’s future quality of life. The parents knew that it was against the law in Britain, they choose to leave the country and have the procedure done.

When having a child many questions arise such as where will we take baby while we work, how are we going to accommodate another person in the household, and the ultimate will we circumcise? For some families in the world it is not even a familiar question discussed, but unfortunately in the US it is a very prevalent practice. It saddens and almost scares me that we have become so desensitized to the thought of male circumcision of newborns. In reality it is a very horrendous unnecessary procedure that is far too over looked. Majority of the world do not participate in the circumcision of male newborns and deem it unnecessary. I believe this barbaric practice should be stopped. Hopefully in the next few decades’ circumcision will ultimately no longer be the decision of parents in the US, unless deemed medically necessary. Cutting off a vital piece of skin on a vulnerable, sensitive, healthy organ should be the decision of the person in question not the parent, not your body not your choice.

Female circumcision is a harmful practice that remains a public health problem to women both psychologically and physically. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), of the 125 million females who have undergone the process of genital mutilation, about 20 million of them are Nigerian females between 15-49 years (Oguntoyinbo, 2015). Nigeria has the highest incidence of FGM in the world with a prevalence of 30% and makes up a quarter of all circumcised females in the world. It ranges from about 2% in the Nation’s capital to 56.9 percent in the Southwest region. Thirty-three percent of these women are circumcised before the age of 11 years. In the year 2012, statistics showed that of the estimated 272,571 Nigerian-born female immigrants in the United States, about 39, 253 were affected or at risk for FGM ( Farage, Miller, Tzeghai, Azuka, & Sobel, 2015).

A diverse array of traditional, religious, and cultural customs is practiced cross-culturally throughout the world. 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. They have presented the question of whether female circumcision is a practice that should be advocated or even allowed at all. My view is that the notion of basic human rights and gender equality strongly oppose this procedure and even though it may be accepted in many cultures, it should be prevented, especially due to the high health risks it poses for females who undergo this circumcision. Its imposition on children

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