October 29: The Whys of FGM

I have been emailing back and forth with Tostan, now that the director of the U.S. office is back in town. While we continually encounter problems in trying to meet, it is encouraging to even be in contact. Fortunately, my last portion of research only wet my appetite. Processing so much shocking information at once almost inadvertently led me to ask why. As globally progressive a society we are today, how could such a blatantly cruel tradition still stand? Indeed, FGM is internationally recognized as a violation of human rights. In this portion of my research, then, I set out to figure out what--if any-- attempts at justification of FGM exist. The variety of proposed causes was surprising. While a general knowledge of FGM allowed me an idea of the “keeping women in line” reasoning behind the practice, I did not know how extensive and deeply rooted the reasoning behind FGM was.
The causes of female genital mutilation include a mix of cultural, religious and social factors within families and communities. As a social convention, the social pressure to conform to “the norm” and what others do and have been doing often perpetuates the practice. Further, there is an almost innate notion that FGM is a necessary part of raising a girl properly, and pertinent to preparing her for adulthood and marriage. Oftentimes, FGM is an attempt at reducing a woman’s libido and to ensure her chastity. The procedure of narrowing the vagina physically hinders a woman from having premarital sex, and the lifetime of pain that often comes with circumcision is believed to prevent a woman’s sexual desire and therefore discourage “illicit” sexual acts. Even more ridiculous is FGM’s connotation of cultural ideals regarding femininity and modesty. Girls are considered “clean” and “beautiful” only upon the removal of body parts that are considered “male” or “unclean.” Moreover, practitioners often believe that the practice is religiously backed. The torturous act even is endorsed by something so miniscule as local structures of power and authority. Often community leaders, religious leaders, circumcisers, and even some medical personnel contribute to upholding the practice. More disturbing is the fact that it sometimes even boils down to following trends. In some societies, new groups adopt FGM when the move into areas where the local population practices FGM. Some societies’ adoption is merely an attempt to copy the traditions of neighboring groups, while others get swept up in a wider religious or traditional movement. Many simply argue FGM a necessity in that it is a cultural tradition that should not be broken.
Particularly disturbing and shocking was the fact that FGM has, more or less, some form of religious backing. FGM is often justified by a saying contributed to the Prophet Mohammed. According to http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm, the Muslim Women’s League argues that those who advocate FGM from an Islamic perspective quote the saying: “A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet said to her: Do not cut too severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband.” While the actual meaning behind the saying is controversial, it clearly alludes to some condoning of female circumcision.
A UNICEF article (http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/senegal_30046.html) provided profound insights on this subject in that it offered the account of a Senegalese woman. Even rarer was the fact that she was an ex-FGM operator turned anti-FGM. While she was formerly somebody who not only supported but performed the operations, she now campaigns against it. In the article, the Senegalese woman emphasizes how important a practice it seemed to her when she considered it a religious obligation. She is even quoted as saying:
"Ever since I learned that FGM/C is not required by Islam and that it is a violation of girls' and women’s rights, I stopped practicing. It was when the Tostan program came to our village that I understood the dangers of the practice and began to question the need to continue. Our class called together the whole village and other communities where we marry our daughters and sons. Together we made the decision to end the practice."
This new knowledge was enhanced by her being taught about the health concerns that arise due to FGM. She noted a common belief that such problems (including hemorrhaging, shock, infection, etc.) were caused by evil spirits. She then noted how the education program taught her differently.
This speaks volumes to the huge impact that education can have. While such primitive and seemingly unwavering religious notions often seem impenetrable, the UNICEF article provided an exemplary situation in which a mere educational program can detach one from a strict adherence to a belief. The change portrayed was drastic not only in a shift from someone who performed the surgery to someone who campaigns against it but in the change from a strict belief in religious backing to a rational take on the reality of the situation.
While the causes of FGM are extensive and seemingly embedded, approaches clearly exist that can drastically better the problem of FGM.