Kinja reply list

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Moistly.FacetiousJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:29pm
“Currently, 98 percent of girls aged between four and 11 are subjected to FGM in Somalia.”

I had no idea it was this high.
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  abbababbaMoistly.Facetious
  11/25/15 4:56pm
  People actually do it in America. I have a friend who used to work as a nurse in an OB clinic at a hospital that serves a lot of poor people/immigrants, and she told me that almost all Somali women of child-bearing age have to be cut open during labor. Afterwards, the docs sew them back up, which is a little controversial, but the idea is that its more effective at preventing infection, given that most of these women would take care of it at home otherwise.
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  Moistly.Facetiousabbababba
  11/25/15 5:46pm
  What do you mean, “cut open”? Is sewing the vaginal opening closed a common FGM thing? Partially or completely closed? I’m terrified to Google... but also impossibly curious...
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Surfboard2121Joanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:39pm
I’m African but FGM is not super common in my country. It is mostly practiced in remote villages and usually only involves some minor cutting. I was very schocked to find out that 91% of Egyptian women have undergone FGM and 98% of Somalian women. These are such high figures, it’s crazy and incredibly sad.
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  abbababbaSurfboard2121
  11/25/15 4:58pm
  The interesting thing is that it is usually done to girls by other women, mostly family. And, for the most part, it’s not minor for Somali women, although I’ve heard that it has improved a little at least for young American-born girls.
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  Kinseyabbababba
  11/25/15 6:31pm
  I think it’s a lot like abuse - okay, it is abuse, obviously. And I think most people realize now that people who are abused while young have a high probability of abusing their own children. I think it maybe this plays a part in FGM? Women who endured it as young girls may not have wanted it, they may not be glad they experienced it, but they feel compelled to do it to the next generation.
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Dick BestJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:33pm
here’s an idea; let’s ban ALL genital mutilation.
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  CliffordGLAVIN!Dick Best
  11/25/15 4:35pm
  Here’s an idea: let’s ban ALL mutilation, full stop. Let’s also ban whiny MRAs with shit for brains who have to inject themselves into every goddamn conversation about fucking anything.
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  Dick BestCliffordGLAVIN!
  11/25/15 4:40pm
  not an MRA. just don’t understand why people still think it’s okay to mutilate little boys. to look like daddy or whatever BS reason they use to justify it. what if it was “just the clitoral hood” would it be okay?
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Saudi GaudyJoanna Rothkopf
11/26/15 9:37am
Like many commenters, I’m glad the president made this ban, but I’m skeptical as to how strongly it will be enforced.

I remember reading about FGM in a global development studies class in undergrad. Yes, mutilating someone else’s body against their will is bad bad bad, but in their race to set up NGOs in these countries and to spread awareness about this practice, many development practitioners ignored key field information, such as: not all FGM involves removing the labia and clitoris. In some areas, it only involves a ceremonious cut made next to the labia and as one commenter pointed out, often by other women in the community. I’m not one to start #NotAllFGM, but it’s important to point out the varied ways this tradition is practiced so that we don’t fall into easy generalizations about “backwards” practices in “developing” countries.
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actually a gooseJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:24pm
The next question: how well will this be enforced? A top level ban is great but there’s still some hearts-and-minds work before real change takes place.
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  Bagpiperactually a goose
  11/25/15 4:35pm
  Totally. Banning something and actually stopping it from happening are two very different things.
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AP BearJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 7:20pm
Good for th Gambia. Now if only Yahya Jammeh will pass along his super secret homemade cure for HIV...
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sammeessecondeviltwinJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:24pm
Yay! It’s about time. I’m actually still shocked that only 19 countries have banned it. Come on Africa, we can do better than this!

ETA: I know not all African tribes practice this, but still.
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  Bagpipersammeessecondeviltwin
  11/25/15 4:36pm
  Good job adding that addenum, wouldn’t want anyone to think you’re secretly a racist...
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  sammeessecondeviltwinBagpiper
  11/25/15 4:38pm
  Dude, I’m African. From a country where FGM has been banned but is still practiced.
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sukatraJoanna Rothkopf
11/26/15 2:49am
“Currently, 98 percent of girls aged between four and 11 are subjected to FGM in Somalia.”

Oh, God.
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AdjraJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 4:44pm
Enforcement of this becomes such a complicated issue because it requires addressing the large number of women who support FGM, as well as the number of women who are the ones performing FGM (sometimes in all women ceremonies).
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  CharitybAdjra
  11/25/15 10:39pm
  The only way to stop such practices is on the ‘ground level’, making it so that people don’t even *want* to do it.
  
  Think of it as drunk driving. Simply making it illegal wouldn’t have changed much; making it socially unacceptable is far more effective. Making it illegal is definitely important, don’t get me wrong, but you need both since Jammeh is not going to be able to police this thoroughly.
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takokatieJoanna Rothkopf
11/25/15 5:40pm
Wow, this is interesting. However, top down bans mean almost nothing for stopping the practice of female genital cutting and Jammeh is a sociopathic dictator who is not in any danger of losing any “election.” His official title is “His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Doctor” and he can cure AIDS on Thursdays and wants to kill all gays.
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