...Female circumcision is a harsh procedure practiced mostly in Africa and the Middle East. It is when a female’s genital organs, such as the labia and clitoris are removed. This ritual continues to be practiced because of the religious and traditional reasons, however there are more reasons behind it. The practice is unfair and wrong and it needs to be stopped. In Waris Dirie’s “The tragedy of female circumcision”, she discusses why female circumcision is practiced. She also shares her personal experience with circumcision, how it affected her, and how she survived and overcame the mental and physical devastation this terrible procedure left behind. Dirie is now doing everything in her power to prevent this from happening to anymore girls. The practice of female circumcisions is not performed in a sanitary environment nor are they done by professionals. Dirie states “The woman who did it called herself a “professional cutter but she was just an old gypsy who traveled around with her bag” [Dirie, 177]. The woman who did her circumcision wasn’t a qualified professional of any kind to perform such a procedure. Also this woman didn’t use sterile tools to perform this operation. Dirie stated “The old woman held a dirty razor with someone else’s blood residue on it [Dirie, 177]. This is unsanitary and raises health issues. Dirie could have been exposed to someone else’s germs and blood when she was circumcised. This is a very unsafe practice. It can result in infection and severe...
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...Female circumcision is also known, more accurately, as female genital mutilation and female genital cutting (FGC.) There are three forms of FGC. The first is a clitoridectomy, the cutting and/or removal of the hood of the clitoris and all or part of the clitoris. The second is an excision which removes the clitoris, the hood, and the labia minor (the inner folds of the vulva that is responsible for producing lubrication.) The infibulation is the third and most radical which also removes everything in the excision along with the labia majora, the outer folds of the vulva. Once removed the sides of the vulva are sewn together leaving a small hole (about pencil size) for the flow of menstruation and urine. The tradition of FGC dates back more...
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...is the inhuman act of slashing women’s genital going to stop? Female circumcision also known as female genital mutilation, is an ongoing inhuman act and violation of women’s right happening in the universe but mostly in Africa. Some people are not aware or familiar with this practice but I believe it’s very important to know what it is because it is the removal of female’s genital that is being practiced in most parts of the world. Female genital mutilation consists of three types one of which is type one which is commonly known as the Sunna circumcision where they just remove part of the clitoris. Type two is when they remove the entire clitoris and even going ahead to remove some of the labia minora. Lastly, type three is when they infibulate...
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...Circumcision is a touchy and controversial topic that has been sweeping our world and the religious and ethical views that come with it. Female circumcision is the practice of removing a female’s external genitalia—most notably, the clitoris and labia. This practice is common in Africa and the Middle East; in contrast, it is frowned upon in the Western hemisphere and even illegal in the UK. Female circumcision is performed on young, helpless girls who have no say in whether they want the procedure performed or not—their parents and community decide for them. In addition, the procedure is performed by a non-certified practitioner who “uses a small knife or razor blade but no anesthesia” (Ashford). Female mutilation is morally wrong and unethical due to the fact that it is an unnecessary procedure that carries many medical risks and serious infections without any medical benefits, and because the girls who are circumcised are not given a choice whether they want to be circumcised or not. There are many stakeholders involved in the practice of female circumcision—not just the girl. In addition to the girl who is being mutilated, other individuals include her family and the “practitioner” who performs the circumcision on her. The Somalian government is also a stakeholder because they choose to condone the practice. Systemic stakeholders include the Westerners (Americans and Europeans), activist groups, other Somalians, and lenders. Lenders also in the wrong, if they choose...
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...CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Female circumcision is a traditional practice performed on girl children as part of initiation rituals into adulthood. This inquiry seeks to demystify the secretiveness surrounding this practice, seeking to establish the reasons why female circumcision remains a taboo subject. In doing so, the researcher will attempt to establish the local community’s perception of female circumcision and elucidate some of the reasons practitioners cite as benefits of female circumcision. The research focuses on Mabvuku and Tafara suburbs because there are people of different ethnic groups with varying customs and values that shape their behaviour and way of life. Mabvuku and Tafara have an unusually high concentration of people of Malawian, Mozambican and Zambian origin who migrated to seek work mostly before the Zimbabwean independence. Due to this diversity, women and girls who have undergone female circumcision were interviewed. Mabvuku is a high-density suburb some seventeen kilometres east of Harare. It is classified as a suburb or township of Harare, with the Harare City Council constituting local government. This inquiry is exploratory, descriptive and qualitative in nature, based on interviews with women who had undergone the practice in Mabvuku-Tafara. The inquiry can be termed therefore, a qualitative research done through a case study design. This research method is preferred because the researcher is exploring a subjective understanding of social reality...
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...* Cross culturally, where, when and how is circumcision performed on males and females. Include information on its legality and actual practice, and the medical implications of this for women and men. * How should the United States respond when female circumcision is practiced in our country? * How should the United States respond to female circumcision that is practiced in other countries?( review information on values such as "cultural relativisim page 7 of your text, do you think it does or does not apply) * What are your views on other practices regarding changing the appearance of the genitalia, such as the Brazilian wax or labiaplasty? Should we leave the genitalia alone or is there something to be said for "enhancing" the appearance? Any research on this? * What are the medical, physical, or mental consequences for any of the procedures Male circumcision and female circumcision have some similarities. For the males, they are born with a fold of skin located over the head of the penis. This is called the glans or foreskin. In the circumcision this is surgically removed and is usually performed 48 hours after birth but can be done 2-3 weeks after birth as well. This procedure does not necessarily have any medical benefits. It can possibly prevent penile cancer and infections and possibly reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Circumcision for males is usually done as an American tradition and is thought to be easier to keep clean. The survey...
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...There is much debate on whether newborn males should be circumcised or not. For many, it is a decision made by parents and is sometimes linked to religious or cultural practices. While religious or cultural reasons for circumcision remains debatable, there is much evidence supporting significant long-term health issues for the individual associated with not being circumcised, and there are public health concerns as well. In fact, the cost of circumcisions and treating their complications are only a fraction of the cost of treating future health disparities for individuals as well as the public health issues associated with uncircumcised individuals (Baker). It has even been estimated by Dr. Brian Morris, M.D., in a Mayo Clinic article that,...
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...Ontario boy dies after complications from circumcision A one-week-old Ontario infant died from complications after undergoing a circumcision in a provincial hospital. The baby, whose name has been withheld by the parents, passed away after his kidneys became enlarged to seven times their normal size. The child was born at an unidentified Ontario hospital and the doctors said that he was born sometime in the last three years and the family wants to keep it anonymous. According to the Pediatric Child Health article, the boy was “bottle-fed” and was reported to be doing well when he was circumcised. Five hours later, the parents returned to their family doctor with the infant, who had become “irritable and had blue discoloration” below the belly button. Doctors noticed the discoloration and slight swelling of the penis, but sent the child home. Fourteen hours after the circumcision, according to the parents, the child was brought to another hospital where doctors noted he was extremely irritable with marked swelling of the penis and bruising to the scrotum. The child was then transferred to a pediatric centre, where his bladder was diagnosed, doctors said that it was even or eight times its normal size. “If the Plastic Bell had been taken off five hours after he got there, he would be alive,” said Doctors. The child’s death was attributed to septic shock — “an overwhelming infection, leading to multi-organ failure.” The case was brought to Cairns’ attention because the circumstances...
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...In Deserae Peck’s argumentative essay about female circumcision, she uses various rhetorical strategies in order to inform and to persuade her readers to stand against the act. Though she lacks a clear thesis in her introduction, she does take the time to define what exactly female circumcision entails as well as stating “there are three forms of FGC.” Her introduction can serve as a rough start to a road map, but it definitely does not suffice for not having a concrete thesis. In terms of how I would improve her first paragraph, I would definitely incorporate a thesis and define the boundaries for what the paper covers. Peck follows up with an interview conducted by an expert in anthropology concerning a victim of female circumcision. This serves to provide a first-person account of the event being discussed and uses pathos to persuade the reader to feel strongly against the event. Her last sentence serves as a topic sentence and as well as a wrap-up, “...female circumcision is an inhumane...
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...Abrahams Covenant with God Abraham takes a great leap of faith with God. Abraham leaves behind everything to fulfill his covenant with God. Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12, 1-3). Abraham and God are entering into a covenant together, God is promising these things to Abraham and in return Abraham is promising his faith to God. God proves to Abraham that he will protect him, in Genesis 12, 17-20; 17 But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife. 18 So Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, ‘She is my sister,’ so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and go.” 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him, and they sent him away with his wife and all that he had. God is proving to Abraham that they are in this covenant together, God inflicted hardship onto the Pharaoh who had taken Abrahams wife as his own. Abraham’s wife was returned to him after the hardship God had placed on the Pharaoh. God reinforces his covenant with Abraham; Genesis 15, 18-21; 18...
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...There has been lots of controversy and questions surrounding the circumcision of a male penis and the effect that it has on his health and well-being. But the most concerned thought of this procedure is the effect that the medical procedure has on the reduction of the HIV virus. The HIV virus is very easy to spread throughout the body and could cause people to get AIDS. This is why the medical procedure is highly important to males. On some occasions, parents have done this procedure to their sons for religious and social reasons. Several studies have shown that the removal of the foreskin has lowered rates on the reduction of HIV viruses on men and caused them to have a healthier lifestyle, but does not have the same effect on the reduction of HIV virus in general. Penile circumcision is when they remove the foreskin from a man’s penis with surgical procedures. The foreskin is the surrounding skin that covers the top of a man’s penis, where it tends to gather most bacteria into the body. The removal is usually done on a newborn boy before they leave the hospital. In the Jewish religion for example, people plan a ceremony for the ritual circumcision’s of their boys which is known a bris. As they follow their religion beliefs, they circumcise their sons after their...
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...A rite of passage is a series of rituals or events that push an individual to the next stage in his or her development, when it is either a young African man hunting down a lion or a child get circumcised for religious reasons. They are a part of life and been here since species have been put on this planet. Rites of passage are a part of life and will always be in our life. My rites of passages began started when I was 12; my dad had to work full time and didn’t get off till 8pm at night. So my dad left me in charge of my brothers and sister, I was told to make dinner and told to make sure they were in bed. Another rite of passage was when I turn 12, I was so excited to finally be able to swim in a swimming pool without parental supervision, So around 12 pm I ran to the pool full sprint and when I reached the gate… to my heartbreak they increased the age to 14 cause kids were getting hurt. Another rite of passage for me was when I joined football for high school. My dad warned me about the first hit was going to hurt the most. So my first padded practice I remember running a post route and I leaped in the air to catch the ball as I turned to make a run down the sideline I didn’t notice the linebacker and he laid me out. I remember the air leaving my body and me struggling to catch my breath. After practice my dad said how it felt, my response was it sucked, and I struggled to catch my breath. His response was I guess you will be more aware of your surroundings. The biggest...
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...David R. Tomlinson Resource limited area in Africa Circumcision Removal of the distal part of the foreskin WWII We first invaded north Africa Men that were not circumcised would get balanitis and posthitis Men with these conditions wouldn’t fight Eisenhower said from here on out, only circumcised men could go fight WWII is the reason why so many men in America are circumcised Egypt 2000 BC One of their advances was circumcision Egyptians were some of the first epidemiologists They removed the foreskin for health benefits One of the hypothesis is the schistosomiasis organism that meant uncircumcised men were more easily infected 1981 first case report of HIV, which was reported to the WHO 33 million people are currently infected with HIV HIV Virus Doesn’t infect red cells, but infects white cells Infects the system that’s supposed to defend the system AIDS Auto immune deficiency system Victims die of many different causes because they are susceptible to many different types of invasions Affects adults and leaves the very young and the very old which doesn’t help stimulate the economy HIV Fourth leading cause of mortality world wide Number 1 killer in SSA 2007, 12 million kids were orphaned by AIDS the numbers keep growing people need antiretroviral drugs for life and need to change the types of drugs Uncircumcised men had a much higher rate of vascularized STDs, such as syphilis One of the first physicians to make the connection...
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...Topic: Is Infant Circumcision Really Necessary? Circumcision, (in Latin circumcidere, means "to cut around"), “is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis” ("Circumcision," 2013). This is a practice that may be performed to an infant baby boy after birth or to a boy who is just approaching adolescence depending on the cultures or beliefs of the parents. There are many arguments concerning the best time for boys to undergo this procedure, and whether or not they should undergo this procedure. And like many surgical procedures, there are risks and benefits that may result from going through with this surgery. I believe in doing what is important and what is best for the child, meaning; catering to the boy’s interest is what I advocate. “There is compelling evidence that male circumcision reduces the risk of heterosexually acquired HIV infection in men by approximately 60%” ("Male circumcision for," 2012). World Health Organization also describes the efficacy of circumcision as proven beyond reasonable doubt, but states that provision of circumcision should be consistent with medical ethics and human rights principles. ("Male circumcision for," 2012). WHO and UNAIDS stated that “Informed consent, confidentiality and absence of coercion should be assured. . . . Where male circumcision is provided for minors (young boys and adolescents), there should be involvement of the child in the decision-making, and the child should be given the opportunity to provide assent or consent...
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...Circumcision Brianna Restrepo COMM/215 ESSENTIALS OF COLLEGE WRITING July 1, 2013 Professor Karen Lawler Circumcision To cut or not to cut? Will this procedure harm my child? What does my child gain from this procedure? These are questions all parents of little boys may be faced with when it comes to the topic of circumcision. There have been many arguments on whether circumcision is a beneficial procedure or just a cosmetic one. Most of the world does not view circumcision beneficial as the child grows, yet rather views it as a harmful procedure that the child cannot consent to depending on his age. It has been said that “there have been efforts in a number of countries to forbid the circumcision of infants and children.” (Isaacs, 2011) Despite the current decrease in circumcisions the most common reasons for this procedure to be done on a child are due to religious traditions, that the child’s father is circumcised, and the health benefits. As a firm believer that there are health benefits to this procedure, this paper will go over some of the benefits of circumcising your male child as well as the risks involved in the procedure. One of the health benefits that a child obtains from being circumcised is the “protection against a horde of sexually transmitted infections.” (New Internationalist) Some of the sexual transmitted infections or diseases that are reduced in circumcised males are human papillomavirus or also known as HPV, genital herpes, and even human immunodeficiency...
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