It is too easy for outsiders to look at a situation, like female mutilation, and say "why don't you just refuse to take part?" Regrettably, the video below touches briefly on why it is not that simple to escape such a customary tradition. For many girls they may be disillusioned about how harmful the operation is, others may know but do not want to face social exile.
Possibly, these individuals who take part in priming young girls into participating in the ritual are seeking confirmation that the tradition is a good thing. Whenever, a woman falls victim to this act she may be feeling a longing for another to join her. Group cohesion seems a vital necessity for the continuance of any harmful practice. As long as women who have gone before manage to coax younger generations into doing it, it will continue. Older siblings and other women want these young girls to believe they are not a real woman and/or desirable until they undergo circumcision. Since those who have had the operation probably were told what beautiful women they were afterwords, and because they likely found a husband they believe it is because they were circumcised.
As discussed in this video, education alone may not eradicate this practice. The example of the young girl, who was able to get an education but still chose to take part, is a clear indication of this. The simple knowledge she gained about how truly harmful it is could not over-come her fear of being shunned by her community. Fortunately, there is hope that as efforts to increase education increase more will become aware of the dangerous effects, and unfounded myths. This will hopefully, create a group onto it's own, that will take a stand AGAINST female circumcision.
Post #11
3 years ago
3 comments:
Female genital mutilation is a very harsh form of body modification. From what I have heard of it in the past, it is another way to control women. If the woman can not have sexual pleasure, then she will not stray. I have also heard that male circumcision is considered harsh as well, even though it is just foreskin that is removed. Medically, male circumcision is unnecessary. Of course, here in America, male circumcision is done by a health professional and female circumcision is done in an unsanitary way risking the life of the young girl.
~Rebecca V. West
Female genital mutilation is basically taking away any woman's ability to have or reach any sexual pleasure. I think it is a horrible practice, but in these foreign countries where they take place they are perceived as being pure and wholesome. I personally find this uncivilized and crude. Even though these are traditions, there must be an end to this madness. Education is only a step in the process of total elimination of female genital mutilation.
Sadly this is the way and traditions of this country, I'm sure if they were to look at some of the things we do in American culture they would feel the same way. Yes female Genital Mutilation can be a deadly act but if it was done in a safe and harmless way would it still be a probalem? The answer to that question is yes as Americans I feel we are very quick to judge what is different and if it's not something that we do here we consider it odd and call it a bad thing. I feel it's time for us to try and stop cleaning up everyone else's problems and handle our own issues in America.
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