Observing the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation on February 6th, the following piece sheds light on FGM, the reasons and powerful motivators for its continued practice and prevalence. The article is limited to a basic understanding of the process rather than a detailed scientific and anatomical approach. We then shift our focus to the underlying misogyny and misconceptions associated with this practice. Lastly, there are a few pointers and suggestions to alleviate the problem.
Trigger warning: The blog includes details of experiences of female genital mutilation survivors which might be disturbing to some readers. The accounts of the FGM survivors is added only out of hope to provide a better understanding of the gravity of the situation. Some names in the article have been changed to protect anonymity.
“There was loud drumming and older women were singing songs, which I was too young to understand. I could hear other kids crying out in pain, but I didn't know why. I was dragged to a fence covered in leaves, and they took the blindfold off. I could see the other girls bleeding and sobbing in pain. I saw an old woman holding a knife so sharp I could see the drops of blood sliding down the edge. It was the blood of the other girls.” -Aisha, 33 (FGM survivor)
One of the most underreported yet extremely horrifying and unethical practices in the world is FGM. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a non-medical procedure that is mostly carried out on young girls in their infancy to 15 years of age which involves partial or complete removal of their external genitalia. Fortunately enough, I haven’t encountered any such cases around where I live, which prompted me to my next question. Is this practice still prevalent? The answer is a disappointing yes. According to a report by the UNFPA, it is practiced in around 31 countries around the world (including India) with over 200 million women living today having undergone FGM. In Guinea and Somalia, over 90% of women and girls are subjected to some type of genital mutilation.
We do know that many religious groups practice a harmless male circumcision, so why exactly should we be worried about the female circumcision? The term female circumcision is very misleading and can cause people to believe that FGM is a female equivalent of the male circumcision. To put it quite plainly, the entire tip to the root of a male's penis along with the scrotal skin would have to be taken off for male circumcision to be similar to FGM. Male circumcision is a minor intervention that only removes the foreskin, is completely harmless and is also proven to have several health benefits. FGM however has no proven benefits and is very harmful to one's health. Severe pain, vaginal problems, tissue swelling, bleeding, infertility, childbirth complications and even death are all medical problems. It may also raise the risk of HIV transmission.
Omnia Ibrahim, a blogger and filmmaker from Egypt talks about how FGM distresses and harms women’s relationships and self-esteem. "You are an ice cube. You don't feel; you don't love; you don't have desire," she says.
The social pressure to comply to what others do and the fear of rejection by the community, are powerful motivators to continue the procedure. When Aisha asked her mother as to why she was subjected to this torment her mother responded and she recalls that if she was to take Aisha out of that equation, she would be regarded as an unclean, outcast, person. She would not be a part of them. “I don't want anyone to be an outcast of our society. This is who we are.”
Most mothers subjecting their daughters to genital mutilation do it out of a rooted idea to pass on a custom. But now this is where things get interesting. Though many communities around the world claim FGM to be a religious practice it is to be noted that no religious scriptures require women to be cut. Then why in 2022 are we still holding on to this? One probable reason would be that people are unaware that FGM isn’t a religious mandate.
The other is misogyny. There have been several male leaders in the past who have made sexist remarks like Ismail Berdiyev, a leader in Russia who stated “All women must be cut, so that there is no debauchery on earth, so that sexuality decreases.” The goal apparently is to ensure marital fidelity and premarital virginity of the women. Dr.Leila hussain, sharing her experiences of FGM says, “I was cut for my future husband. So I don’t have sex outside marriage, so I don’t enjoy sex. My body is just there to carry babies. FGM is not a cultural traditional practice. This is child abuse.” It is safe to say that FGM is clearly an act that is inherently misogynistic, discriminatory and is an expression of male power and domination shrouded under the label of tradition.
What can we do about it? One of the most crucial indications of men's support for the abolition of FGM was their degree of education. Men identified social obligation and a lack of conversation between men and women as two major impediments to abandoning. Men's advocacy and partnership with women's health and community organisations could be crucial elements in the abandonment process. Education of young girls to exercise their bodily autonomy is equally important. Secondly, perseverance and grit. “Even if nobody listens to you and it just carries on, you have to stand firm and maintain the dialogue. Such an ingrained custom can only be changed through perseverance.” says Alima an activist and a FGM survivor. Lastly, do try to fund and support the frontline activists. These unsung heroes work every day to put a ban on these unethical practices.
Here are some frontline activists that you can follow or support:
Josephine Kulea - Samburu Girls Foundation
Jeddy Lemarom - The Malkia Initiative
Natalie Robi - Msichana Empowerment Kuria
Sources:
https://www.un.org/en/observances/female-genital-mutilation-day
https://www.unfpa.org/resources/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-frequently-asked-questions
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jun/01/female-genital-mutilation-is-about-misogyny-and-violence-against-women
www.endfgm.eu
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/female-genital-mutilation
https://www.globalgoals.org/news/five-ways-to-help-end-fgm
Female-genital-mutilation-survivor-stories
About the Author:
Hailing from Tamilnadu, Shivani Gnanasekaran is currently studying English literature from Delhi University. She is passionate about art, pet animals, and music. Her dream is to travel around the world, meet new people and experience different cultures.
Beautifully explained, unbiased, authentic and lucid. A great read!