Protect Girls From Mutilation

Thirty-three states within the United States have passed legisla­tion that makes female genital mutilation illegal.

⚠️ Use Discretion: Graphic human anatomy.

[NSFW] Female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C) is done partly for aesthetics and mostly as a ritual. Mutilation is such a strong descrip­tion that some prefer to call it female circum­ci­sion. This seems to align it with, more accept­able, male circum­cision.

The latter has biblical origins and is common within major hospitals around the world, often within 10 days of male birth. The former, with ancient Egyptian origins, applies to girls aged 0–15 as a rite of passage.

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FGM/C, also known as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez, and khitan, is the partial or total removal of the external female geni­talia. What some consider female castration is often performed with knives, scissors, scalpels, pieces of glass, or razor blades by tradi­tional circum­cisers or cutters who lack medical training. In some countries a medical profes­sional does it.

There are varia­tions of four different types or levels. This cannot be passed off as a legitimate way to circumcise a girl.

Types I and II can suppress sexual pleasure. Types II and above may also cause long-term problems with sexual intercourse, childbirth, and mental health (anxiety, depres­sion, flash­backs, night­mares). In some cases, a surgical proce­dure called deinfibula­tion opens up the (Type III) vagina to improve some symptoms. It is incorrect to call this a reversal procedure. Original physical and emotional scars cannot be undone.

A woman Kenyan doctor named Tatu Kamau wants female genital mutilation to be decrimi­nal­ized. She told judges on October 24, 2019, that the term mutilation is “offensive” and denigrates the cultural significance of the practice.

Communities at particular risk of FGM/C originate from:

Historical Legal Landmarks

Internationally

The UN’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child both include statements against the practice of FGM/C. It is an interna­tionally recognized human rights violation.

See: Dichotomy of Protecting Children With Torture

Some confusion results from a largely unregulated procedure known as labiaplasty, which involves shortening or trimming the labia. In contrast, the main types of FGM/C involve removing part or all of the clitoris, removing the inner labia, or narrowing the vagina opening by repositioning the labia. Patients seeking labiaplasty to conform to a norm often lack knowledge of how diverse women’s labia are.

Female Genitalia Variation Table

Both female genital mutilation and labioplasty strive to surgically normalize the appearance of genitalia. What you consider normal is open to interpretation.

United Kingdom

In the 1950s, clitori­dec­tomy was practiced in Western Europe and the United States to treat perceived ail­ments, including mental and sexual disorders. Since 1985, it has been illegal to perform FGM/C in the UK, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. A person found guilty of failing to protect a girl from FGM/C can face up to 7 years in prison.

United States of America

Though reports suggest as many as half a million girls are at risk, the current prevalence of FGM/C in the United States is uncertain. From the 1880s, excision was performed to prevent and treat lesbianism, masturbation, depression, hysteria, and nympho­mania. FGM/C was an allow­able medical practice in the United States until the end of the 20th century, with some proce­dures covered by Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance until 1977.

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On November 20, 2018, Federal Judge Barnard A. Friedman ruled the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996 uncon­stitu­tional because it exceeds the enumerated powers of Congress and cannot be justified by the commerce clause. In his 28-page ruling, he wrote, “As laudable as the prohibition of a particular type of abuse of girls may be,” prosecutors failed to show that the federal government had the authority to bring the charges.

The judge noted, “FGM is a ‘local criminal activity’ which, in keeping with longstanding tradition and our federal system of government, is for the states to regulate, not Congress.” As of June 2019, 33 states within the U.S. have passed legisla­tion making FGM/C illegal.

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