Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - Alexis Torre

• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Research

Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. FGM has a strong cultural meaning because it is  linked to women's sexuality and their reproductive role in society. Today, more than 200 million girls and women  have been cut in 30 countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This procedure is carried out between the ages of infancy and 15 years old. Most of these procedures are carried out with blades, knives and sharp rocks. There are four types for FGM operations:

Type 1 Excision (removal) of the clitoral hood with or without removal of part or all of the clitoris.

Type 2 Removal of the clitoris together with part or all of the labia minora.

Type 3 (infibulation) Removal of part or all of the external genitalia (clitoris, labia minora, and labia majora) and stitching and/or narrowing of the vaginal opening leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual flow.

Type 4 (unclassified) All other operations on the female genitalia, including:

• Pricking, piercing, stretching, or incision of the clitoris and/or labia;
• burning the clitoris and surrounding tissues;
• Incisions to the vaginal wall
• Scraping or cutting of the vagina and surrounding tissues.

This procedure has no health benefits whatsoever. There are physical, sexual and psychological consequences that follow these procedures. It can lead to death and/ or cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths, just to name a few risks. In 2008, the World Health Assembly passed resolution WHA61.16 on the elimination of FGM, unfortunately this procedure is continued and still practiced today.

Personal

This social issue should affect anyone who has empathy and compassion towards others.  I find this issue relevant to me because I am a woman and I can not imagine having to go through a procedure so traumatic for no absolute reason AND having to suffer through the permanent physical and psychological consequences after. It really upsets me that these poor women and children are having to undergo this procedure! There are millions of babies, toddlers, teens that go through this procedure each year and who is standing up for these girls and women? I chose this issue because not a lot of people are aware of such procedures and I believe it is only right to educate others, so they can educate others. Maybe donating to a few organizations can help these children and women as well.

• I have chose to interview 3 individuals who said that they were affected by this social issue using the following questions:
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• 1. Have you heard of FGM? If you have, what does it mean to you?
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• 2. How do you feel about the strong cultural meaning behind FGM?
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• 3. Do you think FGM is similar to male circumcision ?
  
  4. What would you say to those who support FGM and try to convince them that FGM is a social issue that needs to end?

Samantha Torre

18
Bishop Amat

1. No, I have not heard of FGM before this article. I am surprised it is still practiced today!
2. I think the cultural meaning behind it is sad and pointless, there are no health benefits.
3. No I do not see FGM and male circumcision the same, Men do not die from their procedure and women are dying from it.
4. To convince someone who is pro FGM, I would show them the health risks and stats behind the consequences of this procedure.

Alexis Martinez
Age 22
GCU

1. No I have never heard of this operation before! I am very upset that this still taking place.
2. I think cultural meaning behind it is wrong. There are no health benefits behind it.
3. No I don’t , because there is nothing beneficial about getting this procedure done and causes great harm to these women and children.
4. I would tell them to think about the reasoning behind it and the risks that these women take for no reasons.

Jayna Grenfel
Age 21
PCC

1. Yes, I actually have heard of FGM, I learned about it in my human sexuality course last year. FGM is a cruel unfair and unnecessary procedure that needs to be put to an end
   
   
2. I can see how there is a strong cultural meaning behind this procedure, but I think it is pretty pathetic how women need to undergo this painful procedure just to be seen as “pure”. A woman’s sexuality and reproductive role in society should not be controlled or determined by men.
3. I do not see FGM and male circumcision a similar procedure. There are many physical, psychological and physical consequences with FGM not male circumcision.
   
   
4. To those who support FGM, I would say that this procedure is cruel and unnecessary. I would also show them the many consequences that follow this procedure. I would also stress the fact that society including men should not be able to determine women’s sexuality and reproductive role in society.

Reflection

After doing further research on this social issue, my understanding of civic engagement has deepened. People from different communities/ backgrounds/ beliefs can all agree under one social issue. If we reach out to our communities more, we can make a difference little by little. I was not surprised at the number of people I found in my community that were affected by this issue. They were all women that felt the same way. I even interviewed a few men off record and they were just as bothered with this issue. The only challenge I had during this assignment was trying to present the facts while not being bias. Other than that issue, I had no other challenges while presenting or interviewing this social issue.I did not receive any surprising feedback. They all responded the way I assumed they would. This topic was very upsetting and this procedure is just pointless and inhumane.
If I had a chance to change or redo my assignment I would actually record just men responses to this topic. I do feel successful in my presentation, I was able to give a full overview of the issue while being short and to the point. Members of my community will definitely be affected by this blog post. It is a serious issue. FGM has no health benefits and is a violation of the human rights of girls and women and must be put to an end.

Resources

Female genital mutilation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/

Reymond, L., Ali, N., & Mohumad, A. (n.d.). Retrieved April 11, 2018, from https://www.path.org/files/FGM-The-Facts.htm

Toubia, N. (1994). Female circumcision as a public health issue. The New England Journal Of Medicine, 331(11), 712-716. doi:10.1056/NEJM199409153311106