The FGM comparison...

[pdx.mothernurture]

I put this together because whenever circumcision is discussed as a human rights violation and the gender equality issue is brought up (FGM in any form is illegal, while male circumcision is virtually unrestricted.) parental-choice advocates inevitably argue, "FGM is different! It removes the entire clitoris! It's done to control her and diminish her sexual pleasure. MGM is not done for even remotely similar reasons, and men who are circumcised don't complain of desensitization. It's a rediculous comparison!"

I think sometimes it's difficult to look at our own culture of 'genital mutilation' objectively.

Jen

PS. I know I'm 'preaching to the choir' here, but I thought it might still be interesting/helpful. ;-)

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FGM BASICS:

Types of FGM:

I: Removal of the prepuce (clitoral hood), sometimes with removal of part of (or all) of the clitoris. (Often called “Sunna Circumcision”, and comparable to RIC)
II Removal of the clitoris, and some (or all) of the labia minora
III: Removal of some/all of the external genitalia, and infibulation
IV: Other: Pricking/piercing/excising the clitoris/labia, stretching or burning of genital tissue, etc.

Reasons:

A.) Psychosexual: Decrease sexual pleasure, maintain virginity/fidelity, increase sexual pleasure for her partner.
B.) Social: Coming of age/initiation ritual, family/social pressure, conformity.
C.) Hygiene/Cosmetics: Believed to be cleaner and look nicer/tidier.
D.) Myth/Folklore: Belief that it will make a woman more fertile and decrease infant mortality.
E.) Religion: Practiced by some Muslim sects in accordance with Islam.

How:

FGM may be done by a traditional practitioner without formal medical training, or by medical personal in a hospital or other healthcare facility.

When:

FGM is performed on infants, children, teens, and, sometimes even adults.

Where:

Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Also by immigrants in other countries, including the US, Canada, and Australia.

How many:

100-140 million girls and women have been circumcised, with potentially 2 million acts of FGM still occurring annually.

Potential risks:

Pain
Shock
Excessive Bleeding
Ulceration
Retention of Urine
Injury to surrounding tissues
Infection
Transmission of blood-borne diseases
Cysts
Abscesses
Scar tissue
Incontinence
Painful intercourse
Sexual problems
Childbirth Complications

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/

[NOTE: I compiled the information, altering terminology, reorganizing, and rephrasing the basics, etc so as to avoid any copyright infringement.]

LINKS that illustrate the comparability:

BoysToo: “Comparing FGM & MGM: Mutilation for the Same Reasons”:

http://www.boystoo.com/fgm&mgm.htm

Circumstitions: “FGM vs. MGM”:

http://www.circumstitions.com/FGMvsMGM.html

Circumstitions: “AAP: FGM vs. MGM”:

http://www.circumstitions.com/AAP.html

“Similarities in Attitudes and Misconceptions toward Infant Male Circumcision in North America and Ritual Female Genital Mutilation in Africa”, by Hanny-Lightenfoot Klein:

http://www.fgmnetwork.org/intro/mgmfgm.html

International Coalition for Genital Integrity (ICGI):
“Human Genital Mutilation (HGM) Classifications”:
http://www.icgi.org/hgm_classification.htm

Compleat Mother: “Female circumcision. Male circumcision. Is there a difference?”,
by Karen Squires:
http://www.compleatmother.com/articl...umcision.shtml

Yuki’s Intactivism Resource: FGM vs. MGM: http://www.angelfire.com/ca5/intact/fgm.html

NOHARMM: “Common Denominators between Male and Female Circumcision”
www.noharmm.org/comparison.htm

“Genital Mutilation & The United Nations: Male and Female Circumcision, Human Rights, the Restoration of Spiritual Integrity & Freedom”, by Anastasios Zavales,
Presented at the Fourth International Symposium on Sexual Mutilations, Universiity of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland, August 9-11, 1996:

http://www.nocirc.org/symposia/fourth/zavales4.html

“Erroneous Belief Systems Underlying Female Genital Mutilation in Sub-Saharan Africa and Male Neonatal Circumcision in the United States: a Brief Report Updated”,
by Hanny-Lightenfoot Klei

Presented at The Third International Symposium on Circumcision, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland May 22-25, 1994.

http://www.nocirc.org/symposia/third/hanny3.html




ACTIVISM:

Ashley Montagu Resolution to End the Mutilation of Children Worldwide:

http://MontaguNOCIRCpetition.org/

US MGM Bill: A Bill to End Male Genital Mutilation in the U.S. :

http://www.mgmbill.org/usmgmbill.htm

[Mommiska]

Thanks for compiling all of that. I honestly don't understand how people fail to see the comparison. It is exactly the same thing - altering a non-consenting child's genitals for social reasons.

Don't see why the fact that the child is male makes it any more acceptable.

[kxsiven]

Originally Posted by Mommiska

Thanks for compiling all of that. I honestly don't understand how people fail to see the comparison. It is exactly the same thing - altering a non-consenting child's genitals for social reasons.

Don't see why the fact that the child is male makes it any more acceptable.

If any culture/goverment condemned MGM as a human rights violation it would at the same time make an implication that 2 world's major religions are practising human rights violation on their children.