The article on Female Genital Mutilation, by Victoria Belle-Miller, reminded me of the book Engaging Cultural Differences – The Multicultural Challenge in Liberal Democracies. Richard A. Shweder‘s chapter, “What about Female Genital Mutilation? And why Understanding culture matters in the first place” prompted readers to contemplate how certain cultural practices, as female genital mutilation, are deemed inhumane.
As Belle-Miller’s article indicates, there is strong opposition to the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This includes people from the countries where there is cultural pressure to practice FGM. It seems to require little explanation why this practice ought to be stopped. However, Shweder’s chapter causes the reader to question where the authority comes from to ban certain cultural practices like FGM.
Shweder discusses Fuambai Ahmadu, a Sierra Leonean who grew up in the United States, and a paper that she delivered at the American Anthropological Association meeting in 1999. She stated that when she was twenty two years old (and sexually experienced) she returned to Sierra Leone to be circumcised. She belongs to the Kono ethnic group of Eastern Sierra Leone, and suggested that Kono girls and women feel empowered by the circumcision as an initiation ceremony into womanhood. Female, and male circumcision, are positively valued for bringing psychological, social and spiritual well-being.
Shweder cites a published comprehensive review by Carla Obermeyer, a medical anthropologist and epidemiologist at Harvard University, of existing medical literature on female genital surgeries in Africa. She concluded that the claims of the anti-FGM movement may not match reality. She found little evidence in the publications that FGM had devastating effects. Additionally, studies that concluded in an anti-FGM prescription contained methodological flaws and quality control problems (eg. vague descriptions of medical complications). Only a small number of studies that passed minimum scientific requirements. Dr. Obermeyer reported that the widely publicized medical complications associated with female circumcision are exceptions, not the rule. Some genital alterations are not incompatible with sexual enjoyment, and that the claim of untold numbers of girls and women who die because of the procedure is not well supported by evidence.
Shweder goes on to discuss how Western media and intellectuals are quick to presuppose that any deliberate alteration of the female anatomy is instantly associated with patriarchal oppression of women. Choosing to label the activity of female circumcision as female genital mutilation is an example of this bias. The strongest argument against that perceived reality is that women themselves endorse the practice of female circumcision. For example, the wife of Sierra Leone’s President sponsored 1500 female circumcisions to win votes. In fact, Zainab Bangura blames the loss of her 2002 presidential bid on rumors that she opposed FGM. One reporter also remembers women circumcisers protesting and submitting a petition to the president in 1996 to oppose any FGM law.
Thus, it is evident that some women like Fuambi Ahmadu, endorse and support the practice of female circumcision. At the same time, as Victoria Miller points out, some women like Soraya Mire, and Fatima Mohamed, raise awareness to fight against the practice of female circumcision. What are we to conclude from these two opposing viewpoints?
For me, the defining factor that I see is personal choice. Where women feel they have no choice but to undergo this circumcision because of cultural and family pressures, it is warranted to raise awareness that such a private invasion of self should not be forced upon women and girls. They should have outlets to exercise their own choice. Where one or both parents want to circumcise a young child, the answer isn’t so clear because what avenues does a very young child have if her parents want her to be circumcised? For women, like Dr. Ahmadu, who voluntarily undergo this alteration by their own volition and feel empowered as a result, perhaps they shouldn’t be judged for their own choices.
It isn’t an easy decision to make because issues like female circumcision elicit charged emotions about human rights, specifically women’s rights. However, I believe that discussions like these ought to continue.
More Conducive Chronicle Articles About Female Circumcision
Important Strides Taken to End Inhumane Practice of Female Genital Mutilation
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Cultures that endorse genital cutting often cite the same reasons for making the cut. Women in Somalia, men in the US. They both say that they are glad to be cut and are better off for it. It is only when we move beyond the cultural practices and prejudices that we realize that autonomy dictates that genital cutting of children should stop. If a consenting adult decides to alter their genitals, even if for cultural reaons, that is different than adults making the choice for children.
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Advocates of genital cutting frequently make “choice” an important part of their argument, but are quiet about WHOSE choice. The long statement by African Women Are Free to Choose (AWA-FC) is eloquent about “our right to self-determination” but they say “While we respect and do not support the coercion of the minority to uphold a tradition they find offensive, we certainly will not allow the minority to impose their will and worldview on the majority of women who are circumcised and their prerogatives as parents to make this decision for their children, both male and female.”
How can African or other Women (or Men) be Free To Choose NOT to be circumcised, if they have had that freedom taken away as children?
(The full statement is not currently available at its source, http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/article.php3?id_article=3752 , but a copy is at http://www.circumstitions.com/news/news32.html#fgm-free)
The reasons given for female genital cutting ( http://www.circumstitions.com/FGC-stitions.html ) are almost as varied and largely irrational as those for male genital cutting ( http://www.circumstitions.com/Stitions.html )
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