Female Circumcision - 06/17/11 03:01 PM
This is a sensitive topic, so I'd like to ask up front that we all remember to be respectful towards each other's opinions.
For millions of girls, growing up involves a "rite of passage." The adults in the family - or more rarely a doctor - will hold her down and generally without any medication cut off substantial parts of her genitals. They then sew up the remaining area. Only a tiny hole is left for urination and, later, menstruation.
The thought is that the girl is much more likely to find a husband when altered like this. She won't think about having an affair - she's no longer able to get pleasure from sex. She's also a proven virgin - no other man will be able to have sex with her without it being very obvious.
On one hand people say "well, simply make it illegal." Some countries have tried that, but it means the mothers keep doing it but in hidden locations, with less doctor involvement, so the girls die more often.
On the other hand, just allowing young girls to be permanently mutilated like this seems troubling. It's one thing to say different cultures have different practices, but the UN in general has accepted that children should be free from torture.
My thought is that the main reason mothers do this to their daughters is they think that otherwise the daughter won't be able to marry ("no man will want her") and she'll starve to death. There's no other "path" open for a girl besides getting married and being supported by that man.
So my hope is to bring education into these areas so women can be nurses, teachers, and other things. (I.e. start with 'culturally acceptable female jobs' to try to make it work). As women realize they don't have to get married in order to get food, they might then be willing to "risk" death by starvation. And the more women who stand up for themselves and refuse to be sewn shut, the more that the men of that region will have to accept a wife who isn't wearing a permanently scarred into their body chastity belt.
What are your thoughts?
For millions of girls, growing up involves a "rite of passage." The adults in the family - or more rarely a doctor - will hold her down and generally without any medication cut off substantial parts of her genitals. They then sew up the remaining area. Only a tiny hole is left for urination and, later, menstruation.
The thought is that the girl is much more likely to find a husband when altered like this. She won't think about having an affair - she's no longer able to get pleasure from sex. She's also a proven virgin - no other man will be able to have sex with her without it being very obvious.
On one hand people say "well, simply make it illegal." Some countries have tried that, but it means the mothers keep doing it but in hidden locations, with less doctor involvement, so the girls die more often.
On the other hand, just allowing young girls to be permanently mutilated like this seems troubling. It's one thing to say different cultures have different practices, but the UN in general has accepted that children should be free from torture.
My thought is that the main reason mothers do this to their daughters is they think that otherwise the daughter won't be able to marry ("no man will want her") and she'll starve to death. There's no other "path" open for a girl besides getting married and being supported by that man.
So my hope is to bring education into these areas so women can be nurses, teachers, and other things. (I.e. start with 'culturally acceptable female jobs' to try to make it work). As women realize they don't have to get married in order to get food, they might then be willing to "risk" death by starvation. And the more women who stand up for themselves and refuse to be sewn shut, the more that the men of that region will have to accept a wife who isn't wearing a permanently scarred into their body chastity belt.
What are your thoughts?