This is my humble attempt to stop a misperception; unknowingly or not, the specious argument I quote below has no merit whatsoever. I'll leave the male circumcision debate to others, but this? No. I won't concede.
Some forms of female genital mutilation are actually less harmful than male circumcision (google "harborview female circumcision" for an example). Do you really disagree?
Yes, and it looks like I'm not alone. The World Health Organization's definition is:
Female genital mutilation (FGM), often referred to as 'female circumcision', comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons. There are different types of female genital mutilation known to be practised today.
More in extended. Graphic descriptions follow and you should probably stop reading now if you're squeamish.
WHO also calls female genitale mutilation what it really is: Torture.
In regard to male circumcision, there are valid reasons for, valid reasons against, and some studies in support of:
A growing body of scientific evidence supports the conclusion that circumcised men in sub-Saharan Africa are at reduced risk of HIV infection-possibly by as much as 50 percent.
But the male circumcision debate has points and counterpoints; FGM has no support at all aside from those who practice it, often outside the law and in secrecy, and is in fact, considered a violent crime in the United States and 25 other nations.
What is Female Genital Mutilation?
Female genital mutilation is the term used to refer to removal of all or part of the female genitalia. The most severe form is infibulation, also known as pharaonic circumcision. Infibulation is excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening.
An estimated 15% of all mutilations in Africa are infibulations. The procedure consists of clitoridectomy (where all, or part of, the clitoris is removed), excision (removal of all, or part of, the labia minora), and cutting of the labia majora to create raw surfaces, which are then stitched or held together in order to form a cover over the vagina when they heal. A small hole is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to escape. In some less conventional forms of infibulation, less tissue is removed and a larger opening is left.
The vast majority (85%) of genital mutilations performed in Africa consist of clitoridectomy or excision. The least radical procedure consists of the removal of the clitoral hood.
Who The Hell Would Do This And Why?
The countries that practice FGC the most are: Somalia, followed by Egypt (in Egypt, an estimated 90% of women are FGM victims, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Mali. Among ethnic Somali women, infibulation is traditionally almost universal. In the Arab peninsula, Sunna circumcision is usually performed, especially among Arabs (ethnic groups of African descent are more likely to prefer infibulation).
FGM is practiced in secrecy in Saudi Arabia, southern Jordan, and Iraq, and there is also circumstantial evidence to suggest it is present in Syria, western Iran and southern Turkey. There have been reports of FGM among certain indigenous groups in central and south America, but little information is available.
The major reason cited is tradition. This tradition is called Sunna, or "pleasing to God."
Boddy (1982): The "promiscuity argument" and the "pleasure argument;" Pharaonic circumcision is thought to guarantee virginity in a bride and reduce female promiscuity by reducing women's sexual pleasure and making penetrative sex more difficult. The pleasure argument is that the smaller opening left after infibulation increases male sexual pleasure during intercourse.
What FGM is:
- Type I - excision of the prepuce, with or without excision of part or all of the clitoris;
- Type II - excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora;
- Type III - excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching/narrowing of the vaginal opening (infibulation).
What Else FGM is:
Such a [medieval] framework can successfully contain many disparate and disturbing elements: the grotesque techniques of clitoridectomy, after which the raw wound is fastened with thorns, so that only a tiny aperture is left when the flesh heals; the use of a hunting knife on the wedding night, when the bride is again cut open, this time to fit her husband; the self-mutilation that often follows in the wake of such trauma.
Source: Possessing The Secret of Joy by Alice Walker; excerpt, What They Did To Tashi.
What FGM Is Not:
It's not comparable to infant male circumcision as argued in comments attached to this diary. And why not? I've worked as a nurse in South America and the United States, yet I have never seen an infant circumcised without the informed consent of well-meaning parents. Let's be clear about this: FGM is never done for health reasons; in fact, the mortality rate is as high as 50% in some countries and that, given the scarcity of verifiable information, seems low.
The notion that FGM is equivalent or "less harmful" than infant male circumcision, as argued, is untrue. Check the World Health Organization, UNICEF or any human rights NGO and see for yourself. If you've read to now, you're capable of making your own informed decisions.
FGM is torture. It should not be trivialized, especially by progressives. Criminalized, yes.
Please avail yourself of the facts before buying into an invalid and erroneous perception.