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Female Genital Mutilation

Pliablemoose

Pliablemoose

Lifer
I've caught a couple pieces on NPR about this, figured I'd see what you-all thought...

Somalia-born supermodel and best-selling author Waris Dirie, who has campaigned to end the disfiguring practice she suffered at age five in her homeland, said yesterday that she estimates one in every three African families living in Europe is secretly carrying out the ritual on their daughters. No official figures exist.

The procedure ? illegal in most European countries ? is especially prevalent in Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in Austria, where an estimated 8,000 girls born into immigrant families have been affected, Dirie said.

?We don?t know who?s doing it and where,? because there are few initiatives to prevent it or to encourage doctors, nurses, social workers, teachers and others to report suspected cases, Dirie said. An exception is France, where there is strong awareness and education, she said.

?What good is a law if no one is paying attention?? Dirie told reporters in Austria, where she was being honoured yesterday by a Roman Catholic men?s movement for her efforts to stop the practice.

Islamic religious leaders are telling Europe?s Muslim Africans that the prophets recommend the ancient ritual, which involves the removal of the clitoris, often with a dull blade and no anaesthesia, Dirie said.

?That is a catastrophe,? she said. ?Every imam who is not actively against genital mutilation is guilty. Mutilation is not a tradition ? it?s a crime that must be abolished.?

Although women generally perform the procedure, sometimes called female circumcision, men are ultimately responsible because ?untrimmed? young women ?face great difficulties in African societies in finding a husband,? Dirie said.

Between 100 million and 140 million women have undergone genital mutilation worldwide, and two million girls are at risk each year, according to the World Health Organisation, which says the practice can lead to infection, the spread of Aids and crippling physical, psychological and sexual problems.

The practice has been on the rise not only among immigrants in Europe but also in Australia, Canada and the US, Who says.

Petra Bayr, an official with Austria?s Socialist Party, said the bloc?s women would press the government to consider genital mutilation an ?act of violence? and legitimate grounds for women fleeing it to be granted asylum in Austria.

?Women who are threatened with genital mutilation or have already suffered it should not have to wait for months for an open door,? added Raimund Loeffelmann, a spokesman for the Catholic men?s organisation honouring Dirie yesterday.
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scotsman

WHAT IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION?

The different types of mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the term used to refer to the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia. The most severe form is infibulation, also known as pharaonic circumcision. 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.
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Amnesty International
 
Oddly enough the men in the countries where this occur are the ones against it. It is the women who are the most likely to force it on their daughters. Go figure.
 
Islamic religious leaders are telling Europe?s Muslim Africans that the prophets recommend the ancient ritual, which involves the removal of the clitoris, often with a dull blade and no anaesthesia, Dirie said.
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That's a load of crap. I'm not going to bother pulling out my English translation Koran for this one so just trust me, this is BS.
The practice has been on the rise not only among immigrants in Europe but also in Australia, Canada and the US, Who says.
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WTF?
 
Originally posted by: yllus
Islamic religious leaders are telling Europe?s Muslim Africans that the prophets recommend the ancient ritual, which involves the removal of the clitoris, often with a dull blade and no anaesthesia, Dirie said.
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That's a load of crap. I'm not going to bother pulling out my English translation Koran for this one so just trust me, this is BS.
The practice has been on the rise not only among immigrants in Europe but also in Australia, Canada and the US, Who says.
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WTF?
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Religion
FGM predates Islam and is not practised by the majority of Muslims, but has acquired a religious dimension. Where it is practised by Muslims, religion is frequently cited as a reason. Many of those who oppose mutilation deny that there is any link between the practise and religion, but Islamic leaders are not unanimous on the subject. The Qur'an does not contain any call for FGM, but a few hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) refer to it. In one case, in answer to a question put to him by 'Um 'Attiyah (a practitioner of FGM), the Prophet is quoted as saying "reduce but do not destroy". Mutilation has persisted among some converts to Christianity. Christian missionaries have tried to discourage the practice, but found it to be too deep rooted. In some cases, in order to keep converts, they have ignored and even condoned the practice.

FGM was practised by the minority Ethiopian Jewish community (Beta Israel), formerly known as Falasha, a derogatory term, most of whom now live in Israel, but it is not known if the practise has persisted following their emigration to Israel. The remainder of the FGM-practising community follow traditional Animist religions.
 
I'll keep mine, thanks. I've grown attached to it...

Seriously, that is just so unspeakably wrong.
 
I can't understand why anyone would want that done. Its one of my favorite parts of the female anatomy.

This is one "religious" practice that definately needs a ban.
 
Originally posted by: miketheidiot
I can't understand why anyone would want that done. Its one of my favorite parts of the female anatomy.

This is one "religious" practice that definately needs a ban.
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Probably so the little-dicks in those groups have an excuse for not getting a woman off.
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose


WHAT IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION?

The different types of mutilation
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the term used to refer to the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia. The most severe form is infibulation, also known as pharaonic circumcision. 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.
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Amnesty International
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That is just so fvcking wrong.
 
Originally posted by: Mookow
Originally posted by: miketheidiot
I can't understand why anyone would want that done. Its one of my favorite parts of the female anatomy.

This is one "religious" practice that definately needs a ban.
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Probably so the little-dicks in those groups have an excuse for not getting a woman off.
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There are other means of doing that...of course that means nothing if the pleasure of the female is not at all a means for concern.
 
This reminds me of that circumcision thread in OT a while back. The things poeple came up to justify it.. "I want my to look like his dad" and "I want my son to look good for his first night" were amongs the memorable ones.
 
What makes this different than our barbaric practice of circumcison?

my oh my the truths we cling to ....
 
I did a huge term paper on this in my human sexuality class in college. Pretty frightening and interesting at the same time as to how people are just numbed to it and it's just seen as normal.
 
Originally posted by: Zebo
What makes this different than our barbaric practice of circumcison?

my oh my the truths we cling to ....
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You really need to review human sexual anatomy & physiology before you compare this to male circumcision,

This is analagous to cutting the glans (head) off of a penis, rather than the foreskin.
 
Originally posted by: miketheidiot
I can't understand why anyone would want that done. Its one of my favorite parts of the female anatomy.

This is one "religious" practice that definately needs a ban.
Click to expand...

I would have loved to seen Asscroft's take on this before he em..."left". I'm sure he'd agree its a worthwhile practice....

 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Originally posted by: Zebo
What makes this different than our barbaric practice of circumcison?

my oh my the truths we cling to ....
Click to expand...

You really need to review human sexual anatomy & physiology before you compare this to male circumcision,

This is analagous to cutting the glans (head) off of a penis, rather than the foreskin.
Click to expand...

Only 15% of the cases in africa (clitoridectomy). The rest is exactly analagous to cutting off the foreskin. (labia)
 
Originally posted by: Zebo
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
Originally posted by: Zebo
What makes this different than our barbaric practice of circumcison?

my oh my the truths we cling to ....
Click to expand...

You really need to review human sexual anatomy & physiology before you compare this to male circumcision,

This is analagous to cutting the glans (head) off of a penis, rather than the foreskin.
Click to expand...

Only 15% of the cases in africa (clitoridectomy). The rest is exactly analagous to cutting off the foreskin. (labia)
Click to expand...

I believe you are incorrect Zebo...

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.
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Sunna circumcision in which the tip of the clitoris and/or its covering (prepuce) are removed.

Clitoridectomy where the entire clitoris, the prepuce and adjacent labia are removed.

Infibulation (a.k.a. Pharaonic circumcision) which is a clitoridectomy followed by sewing up of the vulva. A small opening is left to allow urine and menstrual blood to pass. 1 A second operation is done later in life to reverse some of the damage. In some cultures, the woman is cut open by her husband on their wedding night with a double edged dagger. She may be sewn up again if her husband leaves on a long trip.
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Also, all of the procedures keep the woman from having an orgasm, circumcision does not have this effect.

I'm not an advocate of male circumcision, but it's unrealistic to compare the 2.
 
This occurs so that men have greater control over women.
The reasoning is that by denying women sexual pleasure, the women are less likely to have sex with other partners.Its a method of controlling someones life, which differs considerably from circumsion.
 
Originally posted by: eigen
This occurs so that men have greater control over women.
The reasoning is that by denying women sexual pleasure, the women are less likely to have sex with other partners.Its a method of controlling someones life, which differs considerably from circumsion.
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I agree. As far has I know this has nothing to do with religion (but "religious reasons" are often used to defend it). Today the procedure is used as a sort of a "coming of age" ritual in Egypt, Somalia, Ethiopia and a few other areas in that region (including parts of Tanzania and Kenya), .
It is used by muslims, christians and animists (for example the massai).
 
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