Origins

Female genital mutilation (also referred to as FGM) is a practice that involves the circumcision of the female genitalia. Circumcision refers to removal of the genitalia (externally). It is said that this practice can be traced back to almost 2000 years ago (FGM National Clinical Group). This practice possibly originates from ancient Egypt among aristocratic families (FGM National Clinical Group). There are many different beliefs in regards to the purpose of this practice. There are people who associate FGM with the religion of Islam, as a part of a puberty rite of passage, or they associate it with the slave trade in Arab societies (FGM National Clinical Group). Also there is a common belief that this practice only occurs in the continent of Africa however there is evidence that this practice has been done elsewhere. One example is that the Scoptsi sect in Russia currently uses the practice of female genital mutilation in order to preserve a girl’s virginity. Also in the past this practice was also done sometimes in the UK and the US by gynecologists (FGM National Clinical Group). These gynecologists believed that it helped women become less weak. This practice still occurs in both the US and UK, but rarely. Below, you can see the prevalence of FGM all over the world (Ontiveros, Eva).

Cultural Ties

Many believe that FGM makes a woman a proper virgin before marriage and it is known to reduce female desire. In some cultures in Africa the practice of circumcising young women can be seen as a rite of passage or as a way to preserve a girl’s virginity because there is a belief that women who are not circumcised will struggle to find a husband (FGM National Clinical Group). In regards to the association of this practice with Islam, there is no religious base to this practice, it is solely a cultural practice however there are still people who claim this practice is religious without any evidence.

How Procedure Occurs and Side Effects

Today, most girls are circumcised before adulthood (UNICEF). There are three main different types of female circumcision. One is a partial/total removal of the clitoris, another type is partial/total removal of the clitoris and the labia, the third type is sewing the labia together which makes the vaginal opening smaller (OASH). This is a harmful practice as it can lead to complications, has no medical benefits, and can cause health issues later in life, both physically and mentally. Some of these harmful issues include complications with childbirth later in life and pain, risk of infection, infertility, and prolonged bleeding after the procedure has been done (UNICEF). In some cases the procedure has led to death (OASH). Some mental side effects of this procedure include feelings of anxiety and depression (UNICEF). Some after this procedure lost trust in their family members or caregivers who influence them to get circumcised (UNICEF).

In many countries this practice is conducted in medical offices, however that does not mean that this procedure is medically sound. Even though they are professionals, they are removing and damaging healthy tissue which is involved in an important bodily function (UNICEF). Due to calls for ending this practice, some have begun to have girls be circumcised secretly which is problematic because the people doing the circumcision have no medical training and there is a risk of non-sterile tools being used leading to increased risk of infection, disease, complications, etc. Also due to the increase of secrecy, girls are being circumcised at a much younger age than typical as people would be less likely to find out (UNICEF).

Image depicting different forms of FGM (Grün, Gianna)

Why is this practice closely tied to virginity?

Virginity is a societal construct that has been used to control women for centuries. There is no medical validity to the concept of virginity. However, many people today believe that women need to remain “virgins” until marriage, due to cultural and religious beliefs in regards to only having intercourse when married. In many countries, women who are virgins are seen as “pure”. This is the ideology many use in regards to why female genital mutilation is seen as “acceptable” in some communities. The idea of women being pure only if they are a virgin is harmful as it leads to scrutinization of women’s bodies and makes it appear as though women are only valued for their sexual organs. It can lead to anxiety for many girls and some societies have girls checked to see if they are virgin right before they get married (WHO). If a woman is said to not be a virgin, in some cases the woman would be killed to protect her “honor” by allegedly saving her reputation. This concept is used to defend the practice of female genital mutilation by many communities.

 

Works Cited

“Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting.” Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting | Office on Women’s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, OASH, https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/female-genital-cutting.

 

Global Poverty Project. The Truth About Female Genital Mutilation. YouTube, Global Citizen, 26 Feb. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJwP6C5q6Qg. Accessed 10 May 2022.

 

Grün, Gianna. “#Endfgm: The Scope of the Problem in Graphics and Numbers: DW: 25.08.2015.” Deutsche Welle, Deutsche Welle, 25 Aug. 2015, https://www.dw.com/en/endfgm-the-scope-of-the-problem-in-graphics-and-numbers/a-18670295.

 

“Historical & Cultural.” FGM National Clinical Group – Historical & Cultural, FGM National Clinical Group, http://www.fgmnationalgroup.org/historical_and_cultural.htm.

 

Ontiveros, Eva. “What Is FGM, Where Does It Happen and Why?” BBC News, BBC, 6 Feb. 2019, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-47131052.

 

“United Nations Agencies Call for Ban on Virginity Testing.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 17 Oct. 2018, https://www.who.int/news/item/17-10-2018-united-nations-agencies-call-for-ban-on-virginity-testing.

 

“What Is Female Genital Mutilation? 7 Questions Answered.” UNICEF, UNICEF, 4 Mar. 2019, https://www.unicef.org/stories/what-you-need-know-about-female-genital-mutilation.