FGM: DOWN WITH IT!

Thursday, November 16, 2006

The Female Genital Cut and Its Many Faces

There are a number of types of FGM 'surgical operations' practiced in Sub-Saharan Africa in countries that include Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya and Chad. Degrees of mutilation range from excision of the hood of the clitoris or clitoris itself to complete infibulation. Infibulation involves removal of the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora, leaving a small opening for the passage of urine and menstrual blood.

These Mutilating, Surgical Types Include:

Type I - (Sunna Circumcision) - excision of the prepuce, with or without excision of part or the entire clitoris.

Type II- (Clitoridectomy) - excision of the clitoris with partial or total excision of the labia minora;

Type III - (Infibulation a.k.a. Pharaonic Circumcision) -excision of part or all of the external genitalia and stitching or narrowing of the vaginal opening. This is the most severe and it involves the removal of all or part of the external genitalia, leaving only a small opening for urine and menstruation. The cutting usually takes place between the ages of 4 and 12. A second operation is done later in life to reverse some of the damage. In some cultures, the woman is cut open by her husband on their wedding night with a double edged dagger (just imagine the gory details!!). She may be sewn up again if her husband leaves on a long trip.

Type IV
• pricking, piercing or incising of the clitoris and/or labia;
• stretching of the clitoris and/or labia;
• cauterization by burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissue;
• scraping of tissue surrounding the vaginal orifice (angurya cuts) or cutting of the vagina (gishiri cuts);
• introduction of corrosive substances or herbs into the vagina to cause bleeding or for the purpose of tightening or narrowing it.

The most common type of female genital mutilation is excision of the clitoris and the labia minora, accounting for up to 80% of all cases; the most extreme form is infibulation, which constitutes about 15% of all procedures.

5 Comments:

  • Infibulation has become one of the biggest causes for concern recently as far as FGC goes and the UN and other human rights organizations are actively campaigning to end this practice. There are many health problems associated with infibulation and many of the problems can be reversed with surgery. One of my friends in college informed me that she had undergone this as a young girl in her home country. She went back this past summer to get married and she was dreading her wedding night. When she came back, she said she didn't wanna talk about it, and I respect her choice to keep quiet. It's very unfortunate.

    By Blogger SisBigBones, at November 16, 2006  

  • Sisbigbones, thanx for your comment on this very touchy issue. It is very true that FGM is very much with us and it is up to us to do something about it. It's people like you and I who can shake the rest of the world from its deep sleep to start seeing what we are seeing here: SHEER ANIMOSITY IN THE NAME OF A CULTURAL PRACTICE! Keep it here.

    By Blogger ritch, at November 17, 2006  

  • Your blog site is nice and clean. The articles are very interesting. It’s a good source of information about Cosmetics Plastic Surgery. Thus, I’m looking for a blog site where my Vaginal Tightening Restoration Manila Philippines Tighten, tone and strengthen your vaginal muscles thru vaginal restoration. Take control of your sex life by trying out our vaginal rejuvenation services in the Philippines. This way we can share our great ideas in Surgery world. It’s a great blog. I really appreciate it. Keep it up!qfire

    By Blogger chuchu, at December 18, 2006  

  • Interesting piece...I've issue/concern and actually wrote a paper in grad school about the seeming interest in the Western world of the practice and consequent condemnation of it without much understanding as to why, where it stemmed from. I'm not condoning FGM in any form or fashion but I think I'd much rather the Western world embrace the practice and find out the origin of the practice and further offer safe ways rather than refer to it in barbaric concepts...

    By Blogger Quintessence, at January 04, 2007  

  • Thanks for your excellent review of this truly foreign practice. Some would argue that the West's routine circumcising of infant males and recent trends to labiaplasty and other "vaginal rejuvenation" procedures amongh adult women in the Americas and Europe is of lesser consequence, but equally unecessary and potentially (infections, scarring) damaging. That said, the frequency of this practice correlates to region (the farther North and East on the African continent, the more common), education (tribes that don't educate the girls are more likely to invoke these rituals in their marriageability practices) and religion (Christian African communities are more likely to educate and less likely to mutilate their girls and young women, whereas Muslim African tribes trend in opposite direction). Keep up the good work! (URL: http://www.theperfectphit.com/litmus_test.htm)

    By Anonymous Vaginal Rejuvenation, at April 13, 2010  

Post a Comment

<< Home