Sean Joseph, RN
Female Genital Mutilation Controversy

The removal of external female genitalia has been part of a celebrated ritual in the lives of girls and women in some cultures and countries for centuries. Despite growing international campaign to abolish female genital mutilation (FGM), many still see this tradition as an effective and acceptable method of controlling women's attitudes toward sex and sexuality and of ensuring their virginity and suitability for marriage. An estimated 120 million girls and women have undergone FGM, and approximately 2 million procedures are performed annually on girls under the age of 11, most commonly performed in Africa, it is also practiced in parts of Southeast Asia, the Middle East and in Central and South America. In countries such as Sierra Leone, an estimated 90% of women have undergone FGM. A least invasive form of FGM known as the clitoridectomy, also known by the Arabic term Sunna, involves excision of the prepuce and part or the entire clitoris. The second form, "excision," involves removal of the clitoris and part or all of the labia minor. "Infibulation," which means "to fasten with a clip or buckle," is the most invasive form and is most common in Somalia, Ethiopia, parts of Kenya and the Sudan. It involves removal of the clitoris, all of the labia minor and part or all of the labia majora, and the pinning or stitching of the two sides of the vulva closed. A narrow opening is left for urinary and menstrual outflow (Razor’s Edge, 2005).
After watching the movie, I was horrified by the act of FGM. I believe that the practice of FGM is inhumane, barbaric and cruel. It takes away the rights of women and their ability to choose. For many, it is in fact a distinctive and important part of many cultures. For others, they find themselves pressured into getting into that horrible lifestyle thinking that it will be easier to find a husband. There is controversy as to whether or not other cultures can step in and ban the act, and at the same time, it is important to look at the pains and horrors these women go through.
As seen in the videos, many women in the cultures that practice Female Genital Mutilation have different perspectives. While one woman believes that it must be outlawed, another believes that her culture will die. So at what point are other countries supposed to step in and if it was to be outlawed, how would the cultures react. This whole picture is very barbaric and should not be permitted no matter what (Razor’s Edge, 2005). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers FGM to be a major public health problem, which causes irreparable damage to the physical and mental health of girls and women subjected to it, and in some cases, even results in death. Normally conducted with rudimentary instruments and in the absence of any antiseptic precautions, FGM can also lead to the transmission of various infections, including HIV. In many cases, the FGM ceremony involves the circumcision of several girls at once, with the practitioner often using the same instrument for all the procedures. Ultimately to abolish the harmful traditional practices is by education. If certain educational and informational opportunities are not provided for within communities where FGM is practiced, girls may not acquire the knowledge enabling them to appropriately respond to societal demands placed on them. Many girls are already circumcised before they reach school.

References
Razor's Edge (2005). The Controversy of Female Genital Mutilation. Retrieved from: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~mcbri20s/classweb/worldpolitics/page3.html www.irinnews.org/indepthmain.aspx?InDepthId=15&ReportId=62463‎