Medicalising female circumcision is not cool

Chan Karunaratne
Sep 9, 2018 · 3 min read
Art.

A number of Muslim groups in Sri Lanka have called on the government to medicalise female circumcision. I just couldn’t help but wander how fucked up this whole thing is. Okay, before you ask, I’m not obsessed with vaginas, I think the whole circumcising deal is wrong, but I chose to talk about it specifically because it’s a hot topic right now in this part of the world.

The argument is that the practice of female circumcision is an obligatory Islamic duty, and that it is in no way a form of Female Genital Mutilation. I didn’t want to jump into any conclusions. I did a little Google search, let’s find out.

okay.

“It is something that is arranged and done by women”

According to the group, the procedure brings in several benefits and anyone who thinks it is a form of male oppression against women are mistaken. I wanted to find out more about the whole thing, does it really have any medical benefits? or improve your sex life?

According to WHO, female circumcision has no health benefits what so ever, it can even cause long-term health risks.

It is also a human rights violation and is illegal in several countries around the world.

The following is an excerpt from the official documentation by WHO:

FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children. The practice also violates a person’s rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in death.

Let’s assume that it has these “benefits”.

Even if the procedure is proved to be bringing in health benefits to women, it does not mean it is a procedure that has to be conducted on innocent young girls in the name of religion or any form of sociocultural norms.

If a woman decides to have her genitals circumcised, I would think it would be at a “I know what I’m doing” age. And in all fairness they should be allowed to that. And if you think it brings in the benefits, please feel free to do it, chop off my friend!

But when you start doing that to young kids who obviously has no say in it, or have any clue what the hell is going on, that’s where it’s wrong, that’s where it becomes child abuse. And for the medicalisation part, if there actually is no health benefits to it, why should it be medicalised? Keep your weird traditions behind closed doors.

Chan Karunaratne
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