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Female Genital Mutilation Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a process of removing part, or all female genitalia. There are different types of FGM, such as the removal of clitoris, which is called clitoridectomy and is the most common type of FGM, removal of labia minora and labia majora in order to create a pink surfaces that later will be stitched together in order to create a cover over the vagina. All that remains from regular female genitalia after this surgery is the tiny hole, through which menstrual blood and urine can come through. However, there is not so radical type of surgery, where only the clitoral hood is removed. FGM can be performed on the girl just about a week after birth, but generally, it is done to a girl of 2 to 15 years old. Female Genital Mutilation is has been practiced for many thousand years, generally in Africa, in Middle East countries, and in some Asian nations, mostly populated by Muslims.
It can be compared with male circumcision. Due to the poor medical facilities of the majority of these countries, FGM is very often performed with inadequate instruments, such as knife, razor, or any other kind of sharp tool and in not sterile places. Therefore, the quality of the surgery is in most cases is very bad. FGM is generally practiced by Muslims, Jews and Christians, but mostly it all depends on the culture and on the country. For instance, in Western type of culture FGM have not been performed for the reasons it is performed in African and Eastern countries. There were some rare cases of female mutilation in Europe, but they are just exceptions confirming the rule.
History has proved that FGM was common in the early Egyptian culture, where women were mummified after death. The reasons for performing it were controlling womans sexual drive, preventing number of diseases, accentuation on female hygiene, and marital commitment. During those times, people did not know that this surgery brings a lot of harm to a woman. In addition, in many cultures it is considered that sexual pleasure is for men only, and therefore, women without clitoris will not have sexual satisfaction and sexual drive. Today, according to scientific researches, approximately 135 million women and girls in the world have undertaken genital mutilation. Generally, FGM is practiced in more than 28 African countries.
In the Middle East, it is quite common in Yemen, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. In the developed countries of Europe and Northern America, cases of FGM are quite rare, and mostly this surgery is done to the immigrants from the countries, where FGM is common. There is no certain data about on numbers of FGM performed to girls in these countries, for the reason that this operation is usually performed illegally. Basically, there is no evidence on the effectiveness of the FGM, except the cultural issue. Instead, FGM causes many side effects.
It creates number of difficulties in womans daily life. The scar tissue that is left after the surgery is not flexible enough and it creates serious problems during the childbirth, resulting into possible serious injuries to mother and to child. Very often, FGM causes pain during the menstrual period and blocks urination. It also can be a reason for various infections. In many cases, genital mutilation makes sexual intercourse very painful and sometimes even impossible. Therefore, FGM potentially negatively influences reproduction.
A woman that lives in the western society may feel very uncomfortable, when seeing a doctor in order to have a routine gynecological examination. A woman can adjust living normal life having genital mutilation, but what for FGM is performed, as it just causes additional problems that a healthy individual would never had? Thousands of young girls around the world are subject to a traditional surgery, what for are they being forced to have FGM? Personally, having all the respect to the cultures that perform FGM I absolutely against this practice. What are actually the reasons for genital mutilation? Well, for many parents living in the cultures mentioned before it is very important ritual, because it greatly influences the opportunity of their daughter to marry and are a subject of family's honor.
Besides, when all the relatives and community have undergone genital mutilation, people similarly follow the majority and do not want to be odd, considering the majority's decision as a right one. Parents consider genital mutilation as a procedure aimed for the best interests. For many women of these cultures it is considered an important ritual, which have endured their mothers and grandmothers with all the pride. It is some kind of self-actualization, because it is giving a girl a status of woman. Therefore, FGM is a very important procedure from the social point of view.
Custom and tradition are the main reasons of female genital mutilation. Many societies that practice FGM cannot imagine a woman, who was not mutilated. Sometimes, people living in these cultures simply cannot understand how foreigners are not practicing FGM. A girl should definitely undergo genital mutilation in order to be considered an adult. The practice of FGM is also a point of the difference of life roles of husband and wife in the future marriage.
John Kenyatta, the late President of Kenya, have said that FGM was inherent in the initiation which is in itself a vital part of being Kikuyu, to such an extent that "abolition... will destroy the tribal system." A study in Sierra Leone reported a similar feeling about the social and political structure promoted by the Band and Sande societies that carry out initiation of genital mutilation and teaching. In African cultures, clitoris and labia are considered to be the male parts for the reason they are bringing intense sexual pleasure. Therefore, in order to enhance the girls femininity they should be removed. However, if just to imagine that male equivalent of FGM would be the removal of the entire head of the penis, then how extreme is this operation, especially if to know how and in what conditions it is performed. Quite a few girls accomplish genital mutilation on their own, but generally, it is performed in a group, consisting of sisters, neighbors, and relatives.
In Africa, for instance, the FGM is usually performed out on the girls of the same community and of the same age. This procedure can be done almost anywhere, but people prefer to undergo surgery at home or at a health center. Sometimes, the place can be specially selected for this ritual and to be associated with some family preferences or historical events. The surgeon (well I guess it is not right but possible to call this person in such a way) could be an older, respected, and experienced woman or rarely doctor. In many cases, small girls do not have any idea what is going to happen. They often view this future procedure as some kind of celebration, but are encouraged by their mothers to be brave.
Generally, only women are allowed to be present at the event. It is a very painful procedure, because there are no steps taken in order to reduce the pain. Sometimes, it is the girls is advised to sit is a chilly water for a while for making a genital area numb, which consequently will reduce bleeding. Today, a trained doctor, who will perform the operation, can give some local pain-relieving shot. An older woman holds the girl with her legs open wide.
Mutilation is very often performed with scissors, razor blade, knife or broken glass. After the clitoris labia minora are removed, stitches can be used in order to hold two sides of the labia majora together. A girl will not be able to walk for about forty days, because her legs will be tied up together. After the mutilation some antiseptic powder, or some pastes made of herbs, ashes, milk may be used.
All this procedure really shocks a person that lives in a western society. It is not hard to imagine what of dangerous consequences can bring such a surgery. Female genital mutilation cases a number of psychological and physiological problems. The places and the methods of performing such a surgery are definitely inadequate. Sometimes, the complications after genital mutilation can lead to serious injury or even death.
In many cases chronic infections, bleeding, damage of the organs surrounding clitoris, and tumors result into extreme ache and discomfort. All this makes a girl to be afraid to touch her sexual organs, causing serious psychological disorders. In many cases, the same instruments are used on many girls, which makes possible to obtain HIV. First sexual experience is not leaving good impressions. Due to the very small entrance, sexual intercourse is possible only after a gradual and painful dilation of the opening. In many cases cutting is needed before sexual contact, and unskilled husbands perform this cutting, which again results into pain and infection.
Statistics says that in Sudan 15 percent of women that have undergone FGM had to perform cutting before their first sexual act. In addition, it increases husbands chances to obtain HIV. Another complications are caused by childbirth. The scar tissue may tear during this process. A woman, whose genitals were tightly closed, needs to be cut in order to allow baby to come out.
Again, in the countries of the third world, medical help is very poor, which leads to another injuries. After the childbirth, women are being reifibulated to make their vagina tight for husbands. Constant cuttings of the genital area result in a tough scars around the genitalia. Female genital mutilation is a secret process; therefore, it is quite hard to gather all the data on complications. Most of the information has been gathered a long time after the events took place. For this reason the knowledge about the complications is not accurate and it is difficult to figure out and to confirm whether FGM results into various health problems.
The supporters of FGM say that this process does not bring a lot of harm to a woman, while the opponents claim opposite. Genital mutilation has a great influence on the womans sexuality. First sexual intercourse in not a pleasure, but rather a torture. The absence of clitoris would result into the lack of sexual pleasure received during having sex. Nevertheless, clinical studies have found out that genital mutilation does not weaken sexual enjoyment, besides it was discovered that 90 percent of women that have undergone genital mutilation have experienced orgasm.
FGM also causes some psychological effects, but they are very difficult to prove scientifically. Despite the lack of scientific verification, it is considered that mutilation reveals feelings of terror, anxiety, embarrassment, and betrayal, all of which would be likely to have long-term negative psychological effects. Some experts suggest that the shock and disturbance of the operation may donate to the behavior portrayed as "calmer" and "passive", considered positive in societies that practice female genital mutilation. Indeed, all the presents that a girl is receiving during the mutilation in some way diminish the bad experience of the event. In addition, the feeling of social acceptance after the mutilation will give extra confidence to a girl. Moreover, opposite, in the cultures, where practicing FGM is common, a person, who did not undergo the procedure will be rejected by peers and by society and therefore suffer from psychological disorders.
FGM is not common in the western culture. Today genital mutilation is illegal in the majority of Northern American and European nations. FGM has become against the law in many African countries. Nevertheless, people are still performing mutilation, but illegitimately in underground clinics.
Women that have undergone FGM often face many problems, while living in a western culture. One of them that has concerned women and girls is the new public awareness of FGM. Such an awareness can put them into uncomfortable situation and cause difficulties with their peers, who will usually harass, rather than support. This is a private and personal matter, which is not likely to be discussed by the majority of women.
I do not support FGM, because I do not see the reason for doing it, besides a cultural issue and tradition. Long-term health and mental problems connected with FGM have not been proved by scientists yet, but is the fact that a young girl, left with no choice, has to experience pain and possibly be injured in order to undergo this ritual not enough? Is not it enough that many sexually based complications are connected with FGM? I would not have anything against this old tradition, if FGM wound not spoil the sexual lives of women. Unfortunately, these women did not have any chance to know how does it feel to have their own body parts, which were given by the nature in order to use them for own pleasure, with them. My point is that if nature has created some part of a human body, so this part is definitely needed, then why should it be so brutally taken away by some cultural issue against the laws of nature?
I think that it is right that FGM was restricted in many countries, for the simple reason that young individuals were forced to perform this surgery. On the other hand, if a mature girl wants to perform FGM, she should be allowed to do so, because if she would not, it would be considered a violation of human rights. The freedom of choice is the main right, therefore people should be allowed to do what they want, but not forced to. Sources: web Naval El-Saadawi, "The hidden face of Eve, Women in the Arab World, " translated and edited by Sherif Heat, Zed Press, London, 1980, P. 33. Scilla McLean, et al, "Female circumcision, excision, and infibulation: the facts and proposal for change", Minority Rights Group, London UK, (1980). 20 p. Volker Rudolf Schmidt has a Web site devoted to FGM.
Most of the text is in German, but he lists many organizations in English. See: web Hand Lightfoot-Klein, "Prisoners of ritual: An odyssey into female genital circumcision in Africa, " Harrington Park Press, (1989). Sami A. ALDEEB ABU-SAHLIEH, "To Mutilate in the Name of Jehovah or Allah: Legitimization of Male and Female Circumcision" Available on line at: web Emmanuel Babatunde, "Women's rites versus women's rights: A study of circumcision among the Key Yoruba of South Western Nigeria, " Africa World Press, (1998).
Eur Dorkenoo, "Cutting the rose: Female Genital Mutilation: The practice and its prevention, " Minority Rights Publications, (1995). "Female genital mutilation, " Amnesty International, at: web "Position paper on Female Genital Mutilation/Female Circumcision, " Muslim Women's League, at: web
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