Two Other Forms Of Female Circumcision example essay topic

Billy Sims Female Circumcision Kadi is a four-year-old girl who will never be the same because of her disturbing cultural rituals. Kali wakes up and pleads to play with the other children but her mother does not allow her. Kadi grandmother holds her down to the bare earth as her mother begins to cut her clitoris with a razor. After the very unsafe procedure Kadi cries almost five hours with a dirty rag between her legs as an attempt to stop the bleeding and possible hemorrhaging. Most frequently the operations are performed by an old woman of the village sometimes know as the G edda. Usually a woman performs the surgery but rarely does the mother do it.

Before the surgery in certain communities there is a huge tribal dance and celebration. The music proceeds through the surgery in an attempt to bury the cries and screams of the victim. The operation is performed in diverse communities by different people and with a variety of tools. In more sophisticated communities, a qualified doctor performs the operation with sterilized tools. In the more uninformed societies, a traditional birth mother performs the operation using an assortment of tools ranging from knives and razors to jagged stones taken straight from the ground. Female circumcision is the fractional or complete removal of the external genitalia, varying from removal of the prepuce (hood) of the clitoris only, to full excision of the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora.

There are three forms of female circumcision; the first is Clitoridectomy which is the removal of the prepuce of the clitoris; the second is Excision which is the removal of the prepuce, the clitoris and the labia minora; the third Infibulations is the removal of the prepuce, the whole labiae minora and majora and stitching together the two sides of the vulva leaving a small orifice to permit the flow of urine and menstrual discharge. (p 17 Koso) Because of poverty and lack of medical facilities, the procedure is frequently done under less than hygienic conditions, and often without anesthetic by other than medically trained personnel. Anesthesia is rarely used. Razor blades, knives or scissors are the most common instruments used. There are several problems that arise from circumcision immediately after the surgery there is immense pain then hemorrhaging, shock, urinary retention, infection, fever and even death. After a couple of weeks the wound will begin to heal and form keloid's, or Cyst. Other long-term effects are women not being able to have their menstrual cycle so the blood accumulates over many months in the vagina and uterus causing tremendous pain, which is often called.

After the surgery sexual pleasure cannot be obtained and sexual intercourse becomes very painful. Women who have been circumcised have a hard time giving birth and are often forced to have a caesar ian, which is when a child is delivered through a small cut in the mothers stomach. Women who undergo circumcision suffer to various degrees emotional and mental distress depending on the nature of the mutilation and resultant medical condition. Symptoms, which go unnoticed, are mental depression, frigidity and mental disorders. Psychological consequences a young girl might feel is betrayal from her mother, and a scene of humiliation. Female circumcision has evolved from early times to try and establish control over women's sexual behavior.

It was seen as a cure for nymphomania, masturbation, hysteria, depression, epilepsy and insanity. Circumcision is believed to protect a woman against her oversexed nature, saving her from temptation, suspicion and disgrace. These beliefs must be understood in context of societies where female virginity is an absolute prerequisite for marriage. The justification for the operation appears to be largely grounded in a desire to terminate or reduce feelings of sexual arousal in women so that they will be much less likely to engage in pre-marital intercourse or adultery. The clitoris holds a massive number of nerve endings, and generates feelings of sexual arousal when stimulated.

Uncircumcised women in countries where female circumcision is normally performed have difficulty finding a marriage partner. Men typically prefer a circumcised wife because they are considered more likely to be faithful. There would have to be many changes in societal attitudes if the complete abolishment of female circumcision were to occur, manly in the attitudes of the cultures where this practice is prominent. There would have to be education to the women of the harms that female circumcision can cause and a change in the men of that culture to begin viewing women as equals to them sexually. Many continue this practice because they are not fully educated as to the consequences of disease and infections caused from the unsterile conditions that female circumcision is performed under and that a woman's life does not have to include the terrible pain that comes from having female circumcision performed. To change a cultures values and morals on a subject that is so deeply rooted in their history, would take many generations to make a complete change.

The problem with those claims as cures is that men can have the same symptoms and in reality those are scapegoats for the underlining truth. Which are men want to dominate, and oppress women by tasking away their sexuality. Historians feel that female circumcisions started simultaneously in different parts of the world. It is believed that Egypt and ancient Arabs started the surgical methods but since there is no written documentations they are not sure exactly were or when the first surgery took place. The majority of circumcision takes place on the west coast of Africa and is practiced in Mali, Sudan, Egypt, and Kenya. It is also practiced in Muslim United Arab Emirates, South Yemen, Bahrain and Omen.

A new trend is for African women to take their young girls to Europe to be circumcised under general anesthesia, in hygienic conditions superior to those available in their home countries. This does not make female circumcision better just because it is done in a proper environment. The bottom line is that it is still oppressing women from their sexuality, which is wrong. Just because the women are taking to Europe does not make it better or right. There are currently over 100 million women who have had some form of female circumcision performed on them and approximately 6,000 girls go through this procedure everyday. (p) What is being done to stop female circumcision? In Sudan in 1946 formal legislation forbidding genital mutilation and if caught would be imprisoned up to five years or a fine.

The only problem with this law is under Article 284 of the Sudan Penal Code for 1974 it is alright to merely remove the free and projecting part of the clitoris (p 11) That means that two other forms of female circumcision could still be practiced so that law was some what ineffective. In late 1978 Somalia Women's Democratic Organization (SW DO) set up a commission to abolish female circumcision. After 14 children died from the circumcision surgery the head of the state Burkina Faso Senegal banned it from Somalia. Koso-Thomas came up with a 20-year program to end female circumcision and two main areas she really focused in on where health education, and health care. Health education would increase knowledge of the dangers of circumcision and to corre at misguided religious doctrines. Health care that would provide early diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the victims of female circumcision.

Those are just some examples of different approaches people are taking to stop this terrible and immoral act. In a number of regions, female circumcision can be seen practiced by certain socio-economic groups, among those of a particular society or lifestyle such as nomadic versus settled, or farming herding. Other regions, one finds the custom practiced by those of varied cultural socio-economic types. Female circumcision is mainly found in predominantly matriarchal groups in Africa.

Education also play a part in the decision of if a young girl is to be circumcised in Africa today, if the girls parents are highly educated than their daughter has a better chance of not being circumcised. If the young girl is circumcised the circumcision would take place at a hospital, and the procedure would not be as harsh as those girls who have the operation done in the village. The origin of female circumcision is not known, it did not begin in the Islamic tradition, contrary to the accepted belief. Muslims and Christians have circumcised their daughters since premature times, and there is significant evidence that the practice existed before Christianity and Islam. There is no question that female circumcision preceded Islam in Africa.

A Islamic Prophet named Muhammad feels Female circumcision is alright 'If you circumcise do not go deep because it would be useful to the wife and desirable to the husband '. The majority of Islamic scholars doubt the realism of these practices. This view was supported by the recent declaration of the present Sheikh (head) of Al-Azhar. Al -Azhar favored circumcision, but on the condition that 'it should not cut the clitoris or any part of it, only a part of the skin of the hood should be removed. ' He also said 'The operator should pay compensation if he removes or injures the clitoris'. (p 15 Dorkenoo) The Health page of Islam-online does not address this issue to promote a certain opinion on the subject, whether against it or for it. The Islamic group does not feel that the public should be familiar with the different aspects on this problem.

Christians, Muslims, Animists and some Jews practice female circumcision in Africa. Christian countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya also have a long historical evidence of female circumcision. The four main countries were female circumcision is performed are Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sierra Leone, and Sudan, these four countries all practice more than one religion. The Muslim countries that do not perform a mass amount of female circumcisions are Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Syrian, Turkey, and Maghreb. There are areas in Asia and Australia that are predominately Muslim populated were female circumcision is performed.

Most western scholars and media focus on female circumcision as a Muslim custom or among African Muslims. This is remarkable because this tradition, not only originated in Africa during a pre-Judaic, Christian or Islamic time, but it is still practiced in Africa by groups practicing traditional Judaism in Ethiopia, and in traditional Christianity countries such as Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt. (p 27 Koso) Many African Muslims feel that female circumcision is required by Islam, but no form of genital modification and mutilation is mentioned in the Que " an, there. (p 37 Scilla) Most scholars believe it is practiced more as a result of ignorant, than for reasons of true religious doctrine. The major religions that practices female circumcision are the main religions that promote self value, self respect, and all of them hold nature close to their hearts. I do not understand were female circumcision comes into play.

Many argue that men are also circumcised in the majority of the religions that circumcise females. The difference is that men being circumcised is easy, safe, and does not take away from their sexuality. Motives for female circumcision vary I personally find them all ridicules and ludicrous. Hygiene is said to be an issue, it is felt that a circumcised woman is cleaner, and will not have an odor because her labia and minora glands will have been removed during her circumcision. Males are lead to believe circumcised females are more desirable because if a woman is circumcised she will be very passive during sex, opposed to a woman who can feel pleasure during sex. There is also the fact that female circumcision is seen as rites of passage that allows a girl to become a woman.

Like many other rites of passage in Africa there are ceremonies, and festive activities that come before and after the circumcision. Many feel ending female circumcision would end indigenousness tradition, and in most African tribes ruining traditions in any form is forbidden. Legal action has come into play in some countries, but since most of the laws are very new they are not enforced. In many countries since the laws are so strict which they should be, female circumcision has become an under ground procedure and part of the black market. The punishment if caught for performing female circumcision is fines and possible jail time. Countries such as Egypt, Uganda, Somalia, and Nigeria have no laws stating female circumcision is illegal.

In Ivory Coast, Ghana, Senegal, and Togo female circumcision is illegal. (p 48 To uba) Some countries have not made female circumcision illegal, but have tried to but provisions on the act, such as the cleanness of the utensils, being aware of the child's pain level making sure it is not unbearable, and that the child should not endure any unforced harm during the procedure. Those provision are horrible the provisions are saying go ahead and circumcise the young girl just do not be rough. In spite of laws forbidding the practice, female circumcision has proven to be an continuing tradition difficult to conquer on the local level with deeply held cultural roots. The difficulty lies drastically in the fact that not only is the practice taken as an identifying indigenous culture, but it is closely associated with the marriage of young women. Elders feel they would be depriving their daughters of the operation would significantly disadvantage them in finding husbands. If a woman is not desirable or marriage worthy then social and economic consequences will negatively affect the woman and her entire family.

Since the practice holds such cultural and marital significance, it is increasingly recognized that to end the practice it is necessary to work strongly with local communities to educate and bring about awareness to the situation. In conclusion, the abolishment of female circumcision would be hard for the cultures that practice this procedure to comprehend as to why it should be abolished. I agree with the measure that some cultures that once practiced female circumcision are now taking in order stop the mutilation without taking away the belief that a woman should be a virgin when wedded.

Bibliography

Dorkenoo, Ellsworth. Tradition Tradition. 1992 Forward Ltd.
Report of the First Study Conference of Genital Mutilation of Girls in Europe / Western World. 1993.
Koso-Thomas. O. The Circumcision of Women: A Strategy for Eradication. 1992.
Scilla, E. Female Genital Mutilation: Proposal for Change. 1992.
Tou bia. N. Female Genital Mutilation. A Call for Global Action. 1993.