In Asian, Middle East and African countries, female genital mutilation is a commonly known procedure. It is not as ‘obligatory’ as male circumcision, which is often the comparable procedure, but is still commonly practiced in those regions. While male circumcision is related to health benefits, is female genital mutilation done for the same reason?
Both were generated from ancient religious rites and are usually performed to babies, as it gets riskier to practise them to older people. Many still perform these out of religious beliefs or other reasons, such as health. Let’s start the discussion by seeing the differences between each procedure.
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the penis foreskin, a retractable fold of skin that covers the end of a penis and is a continuation of the skin that covers the whole penis. Circumcision does not have significant health benefits. But, since it generally makes men easier to keep the end of the penis clean, they reduce health risks such as urinary tract infections, sexual diseases, swelling, and so on. It does have side effects, like any other surgical procedure, but the negative risks are low and usually not fatal nor permanent.
Female genital mutilation (FGM), as defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), “comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.” However, unlike male circumcision, FGM does not have any health benefits, only negative effects like sever bleeding, problems with urinating. In the long term, FGM could cause cysts, infections, complications in childbirth and problems with sexual activity.
There are four types of FGM:
1.. Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris, a small, sensitive and erectile part of female genitals.
2. Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia minora (inner folds of the vulva)
3. Infibulation: narrowing the vaginal opening by creating a covering seal.
4. Other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as piercing, incising, scraping, and so on.
More than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk of FGM, while 200 million living girls and women today have been cut. FGM is strongly attached to social norms and religious beliefs. It is often considered necessary to ensure premarital virginity and marital fidelity through FGM. Also, a common reason for this procedure is to reduce a woman’s libido (the removal of clitoris) which will help discourage her for extramarital intercourse.
The Eastern society are still split in arguments about female genital mutilation. The modern and ‘Westernized’ urban society are unwilling to practise it anymore for there are no proven health benefits, while the older and conventional generations are keen to keep traditions and believe in the ‘benefits’ from FGM. WHO has declared that FGM is a violation to human’s right, but the Eastern society is more attached to inherited beliefs and it’s always easier for girls themselves to conform than to rebel from the norms.
Despite the fact that cultural norms and traditions should be kept, rites that are proven more harmful than good should be demolished. FGM can never be compared to male circumcision for both are done for different reasons; one is for health purposes and the other is for freedom limitation. If FGM continues to be performed, it will only preserve the violation to women’s rights and surpress the society further from gender equality generation.