Today i will be talking about a very interesting topic that has been practised all around the world.
Female genital mutilation (FGM). Thi is a procedure that involves the removal of the external female genitalia, for non-medical reasons. I know what's going through your heads right now. this is wron, it's disgusting, and why would you even bring this topic up? Well if you look carefully, it's not disgusting; in fact it's very sad and hurtful. Thousands of women around the world get a female circumcision due to cultural, religion and social factors. Most women believe that during sex only men should have the right to enjoy it, the women has no right what so ever. This is why FGM is preformed. A women's purpose is to give birth to a child and that's it. In today's society this is considered very wrong, but if you went back a couple of years and visited rural countries they still practise this. As you can see this shows us the power and control a man has against his wife. Most men do prefere women that have gone through this process. Why is it that men get to choose what he wants and doesn't want? Why can't the women make her decision? Are people afraid women might go around and sleep with other men for the plessure of sex and that's why they must go through this process? Why are women constantly looked down upon?
FGM is a recognized internationally as a violent of the human rights for both girls and women. Women are not the only one who goes through this process, young girls the age of 10 also get circumcised. Is this considered as abuse? Do we have the right to preform a FGM on anyone? By looking at this topc in dept we are able to understand that this is a strict form of discrimination against a women. This practise also violets a person's right to health, security, and physical integrity. Then why is it still practised? What can be done in order to stop this?
What's your opinion?
FACTS:
In Africa, aboout three million girls are at risk for FGM annually. Between 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide are living with the consequences of FGM. In Africa, about 92 million girls age 10 years and above are estimated to have undergone FGM. The practise is most common in the western, eastern, and noth-eastern regions of Africa, in some countries in Asis and the Middle East, and among certain immigrant communities in North America and Europe (World Health Organization, 2010).
Here's a video that will help you understand more about this topic :
While watching the video, I noticed that some girls who underwent FGM had Islamic names. I just wanted to say that this is actually forbidden in Islamic religion. It originated from ancient Egyptian times when Pharaohs used to rule. Neither does the Torah nor the Psalms, Bible or Qur'an mention such thing or demand it. I really thank you for posting this, because I never knew such thing existed! This shouldn't happen to anyone, and no one deserves it. I agree with you that it may have been done to prevent women from experiencing sexual pleasure and cheating on their partners. We need to make people more aware of this and put a stop to it!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mursal. Even I had no clue what FGM was. I have never heard or read of it before. I think it’s really sad to see that women are only seen for sexual purposes. There is no way that anyone can stop this because it’s always blamed on culture, tradition, religion, etc. People always use their religion, culture, and tradition as an excuse to get away from stopping the actual problem. They say that women are as equal as men but looking at these situations, it’s not wrong to say that inequality still exists around the world. The inequality is still ongoing but only in developed countries has it reduced (not completely).
ReplyDeleteYes I totally agree with both Heli and Mursal. This is a very important topic that should be focused on. But it seems as if no one really cares enough. Most people who end up practicing are FGM are people from a poor region who are uneducated and unaware of the rights they have. I agree with Heli that inequality still occurs and must be stopped. People who are educated must go out there and help understand the importance of our rights. When I did some research on this I was pretty shocked with the results I found. I knew this existed but it would be such a high number that was terrifying. Mursal, I was shocked to see how everyone used religion to say it was o.k. You right it doesn’t say anywhere that it is accepted. I guess people just use religion as an excuse to do whatever they want. Just like in the Handmaid’s tale.
ReplyDeleteGurpreet, I will like to say that I enjoyed watching the video you chose. Great video choice!
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, women can, and should choose what they want and what they don’t want. It’s difficult for some women because they live in places that if they speak up, they get hurt/killed. It’s unfair that women always go through so much pain, and they are blamed for every problem/issue. I also believe that female circumcision is abuse because they are cutting the clitoris, the pleasure part of the female genitals. An analogy for this is cutting off both your arms so that you can’t feel/touch anything. I wonder how men would feel if both their arms were cut off, so that they can’t feel anything...
Gurpreet, do you know if FGM in Africa is cultural base?
In many religions, as Mursal stated, there is no mention of FGM. On the contrary, both men and women should have the pleasure that sexual intercourse brings (I personally believe sex should be after marriage). FGM comes from men who believe that women should be used for as sexual objects. They place limitations on women, and to my surprise, many women endure pain and stuggle to please men. Male circumcision is different because it is cultural base, and men do not use the foreskin for pleasure.
Events such as protests can be used to make people around the world aware of such issues. People can use the method that one of the women said on the video – she talked to young girls one on one in her community.
@ Sageena
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question if FMG in Arica is cultural based its not really a cultural based practice but it more depends on the tribe and traditions people carry. Most tribes do want their daughters or wifes to have a female circumcision but not all. It doesn’t say anywhere that this should be allowed, I think its mostly what people have come up with on their own.
I know exactly what you mean, in the video there was this man who said, “I want my daughter to get a circumcision.” Even though the family hesitated he didn’t change his mind. I was really upset when I heard that, how would it feel if he was in that situation begging to not go through that process. Its very terrifying and sad that men don’t seem to care about this at all. They think they have the right to do whatever they want.
Protests can be made and educating the people will be great but the question is will anything be learnt from this? Most women are not allowed to do anything with their husbands permission so I believe even if they were taught, nothing major will occur as long as the men are still in control.
It is really painful and sad to see this happening around the world. I do not understand why all this happened to women. Women are the one who give birth to a male too and males are the ones who dominated and are not really appreciate what women are doing for the society. Really, true Gurpreet when males sleep around with women it’s acceptable but if a woman does it society insults them and make a big deal out of it. It just not fair, as Sageena said that both the genders should have the pleasure a sexual intercourse bring. Well true Sageena, many women suffer through this pain to please men. I think at some point women should be blame for not standing up and letting all this happening to them. We let males dominate us and let them decide what they want us to be like. If women were given the freedom to stand up from a very early stage today this issue won’t be need to address. I think that women should not give men that power to control them. I am not saying that don’t listen to your husband or your partner. I am just saying that both should be respected and their feelings and opinions should be respected and take into consideration too. Even males and society should realize that it wrong and stand up for women as women are usually not give the right to speak and stand up for themselves. Everyone has the right to their body.
ReplyDeleteBefore, I even started reading your blog Gurpreet, my eyes were caught on FGM, thinking what that actually stands for. Its very sad to see women around the world who are just used for sexual purposes. I agree with Sageena, when she said that women can, and should choose what they want and what they don’t want because its their life and they have a choice of what they want to do with their life. But, then again in some countries women can't even disagree and give their own opinion on topics because they can be threatened, killed, or hurt.
ReplyDeleteIt's not fair that women go through so much pain and they don't have the chance to express how they feel.
Also, many take their religion or culture for taking an action when they fear trouble. Today, many are saying that women are as equal as men are today but that is completely wrong, may be in some countries that is true but in the countries that are developing and developed, that statement is wrong.
@ Shraddha
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, males do not truly appreciate what women have given throughout history. They take advantage of us and blame things on us that we don’t have control over, such as rape or giving birth to a female. But I don’t think power can ever be in the women’s hand. I don’t think women ever in history had the choice to have control so I don’t think anything will change. But yes if women do go out get a proper education and strive to become independent then only things will change.
I agree with the statement “both should be respected and their feelings and opinions should be respected and take into consideration” this is a very important factor that plays in a good relationship.
@ Prina
ReplyDeleteYes, I liked your statement were people are saying that women are as equal as men but that is completely wrong. Have a look at our society in Canada, we say that women have just as much as freedom as men but then why do we get a different pay then men? Why do we get treated differently from them? It still occurs around the world and I don’t know how long it will take for things to change. All we can do is educate the future generations and hopefully they will change the way they think. I also agree that some people take religion as an excuse to cover up their fears or rights, and that is very wrong.
I once watched some documentary about FGM in Africa. Actually FGM was cruel, primitive, and even it was very unnecessary to perform it. Those people do it only for religious and cultural reasons. In my opinion, people do not have rights to perform FGM to anyone, because people do not have right to control other people's body. Obviously, I think that FGM is an abuse, because women are oppressed to perform those cruel things without their wills. I also think that FGM is form of strong discrimination against women. Why only women perform those crazy things? Why not men? Only women are unequally getting suffered by that to fulfill men's satisfactions. I think that the reason why FGM is still practiced is that, since it has been practiced for a long time, they are not willing to change their cultural and traditions. Moreover women in that situation might not even know that FGM is wrong thing, because they might be accepting such thing as a norm. Plus the wrong religious beliefs make them and force them to perform it.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t really know what FGM was before reading your blog. It is sad and heart breaking to know that women considered to be used for sexual purposes, it is just sad that how women are treated in other places. In some of the developing countries women still have lower status then men. The good thing is that the governments are passing laws on equality of women. As Shraddha said, it is true that if men commit a crime they are not faced with hardships while women on the other hand have to face a completely different situation. Also agreeing with the fact that women should have stood up for their rights and equality. I also agree with what Prina said. We say that women are equal as men but the reality can be seen. In my families and individuals class we learn that women have higher chances to be involved in homicide after divorce while men are not. Why is it that women are at a greater risk of being killed after having a divorce? How come men don’t really face issues like these?
ReplyDelete