FGM, FGC…

No matter how you spell it, it still makes me cringe.

Wikipedia defines Female genital cutting (FGC), also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), female circumcision, or female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), as any procedure involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs “whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons.” The term is almost exclusively used to describe traditional or religious procedures on a minor, which requires the parents’ consent because of the age of the girl.

Alright ladies, you can uncross those legs & unclench those muscles, because that’s as graphic as I’ll get, no photos or gory descriptions (though a simple google search will provide you with more than you ever wished to see…)

I just think this issue needs to be talked about on a conceptual level.  Why is it that this choice is being made for young women all over the world?

Well, the list of reasons is endless, but not one of them makes this practice justifiable.  One of my favorites, again provided by wikipedia: FGM is associated with cultural ideals of femininity and modesty, which include the notion that girls are “clean” and “beautiful” after removal of body parts that are considered “male” or “unclean”.

Yes, because my libido strips me of my ability to be feminine and modest.  My morality is clearly not defined by my actions, but rather by the state of my clitoris.

Really?  Somewhere Jessica Valenti is doing a serious *facepalm*.

It’s true that our American society places an absurd emphasis on virginity and purity in terms of a woman’s sexual history rather than judging her character by the decisions she makes, but that’s post for another time.

This issue takes that theory to the extreme.  A truly dangerous extreme.

So what can you do?  Well, check out this article on “Freedom From FGM”–nevermind that it’s provided by “mothering.com”, you don’t have to be a mother to heed it’s advice.