Alethia Lera St. John
Human Biology
12:00 p.m.
November 4, 2014
Help Save Clitorises the From Going Extinct Warning: explicit content. Within the next two and a half pages I will be giving you facts about female circumcision having to deal with religion, culture, and the procedures. I will also be giving my opinion on female circumcision. Although this isn’t the first thing you are anxious to read about, it is informative. Although female circumcision is not an issue we often hear about in the U.S it does happen and it is something that is interesting to be educated about. There are three major procedures used for female circumcision and known as female genital mutation, or FGM.
Infibulation being the most severe form of FGM includes removing all or part of the clitoris, all or part of the labia minora, and cutting the labia majora creating raw surfaces. Then the raw surfaces are either stitched or held together by thorns or metal forming a cover over the vagina as they heal. (Robinson) They don’t stitch up the area completely; there is a small opening for urine and menstrual blood to pass. In other methods that are less conventional they may not remove as much tissue and leave a larger opening. This procedure makes up 15% of all female circumcisions done in Africa.
Clitoridectomy is similar to infibulation, except the labia majora is not cut and the area is not stitched. This procedure makes up 85% of all female circumcisions in Africa.
The least drastic procedure is done by removing the clitoral hood, having a knife close to the genitals, puncturing the clitoris, cutting the pubic hair, or making light scarring in the genital area, or the upper thighs. (Women and Global Human Rights)
Female circumcision may be done anytime between infancy and a female’s first pregnancy. Although, this is more common to be happen between 4 and 8 years old. At the time of this procedure normally it is done as a group. It may include a group of sisters, close female relatives, or close neighbors. It is not common for this procedure to happen with one female alone. In most of Africa this is performed as an initiation ceremony for females that have reached a certain age. In this ceremony there are only women involved, commonly with festivities and gifts. (Women and Global Human Rights)
Female circumcision is a social norm in Northern Africa and has been for a millennium. Female circumcision is commonly practiced by Animists, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle East. (Controversial Religious Topics About Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting)
The controversies affiliated with female circumcision include general physical, psychological, and sexual side effects that may occur during and following the procedure. During the procedure, effects include pain, shock, hemorrhage, and damage to surrounding organs. After the procedure, effects that can occur include, urine infections, HIV, intermittent bleeding, and abscesses, and small benign tumors of the nerve. Long-term effects of Female Genital Mutilation include various amounts of internal health complications. Female circumcision is related to cultural, religious, and social norms. These cultures have been raised to view female circumcision as feminine, modest, clean, and pure. This procedure is normal to their culture. The women of this religion and culture don’t think of it as a violation. Female circumcision is commonly used to ensure the virginity of a female until marriage and to make sure that the young women is abiding their cultures religious views of pre marital sex. In this culture female circumcision is necessary for a females right of passage in order to be viewed as a mature women. Cultures that believe in this procedure also use it to enhance the male’s sexual pleasure, disregarding the female’s sexual pleasure.
Another controversy has to do with the health issues related to female circumcision. Female circumcision causes injuries to female genitals not involving medical
