Female Genital Mutilation otherwise called female circumcision is a practice done in Africa and some parts of Islamic Asia. At the onset, of the 20th century, Christian Missionaries tried to stop this practice terming it barbaric and insulting to the rights and dignity of women. However, successful lobbying by governments and local NGO’s argued for the practice citing euro-centric attitudes in shunning the practice that was embedded in the culture of African people. In the last twenty years, successful campaigns have been made in stopping the practice by a more culturally relative approach. This paper explores the powerlessness of women in stopping genital mutilation. In addition, the presence of this practice, despite its decrease in intensity, is still a threat to women empowerment.
The driving force of female genital mutilation has been attributed to male dominance. FGM is carried out in societies where males wield influence over women (Monagan 2010). From this perspective, FGM loses its cultural relative sympathy hat and dons that of symbol for male dominance in the society. In general, women who comply for FGM have fewer consequences from the males than women who resist. In some cases, non-compliant women are threatened with repercussions such as remaining unmarried for life or being unable to be respected in the community. FGM also premises from cultural expectations about femininity and modesty. In these male chauvinistic societies, FGM becomes a way of reducing girls’ sexual lavishness. According to some societies, FGM reduces women’s libido and make women resistance to sexual urges thus reducing immorality while restoring women dignity through virginity. For this reasons, FGM is viewed as a proper way of raising young girls as they prepare for the challenges of adulthood and marriage (World Health Organization, 2012).
Monogan (2010) argues that societies make women vulnerable to the requirements of the culture even if the requirements go against their wishes because of the societal economic structure. She lays out her argument by pointing out that, the epitome of patriarchy is where the social structure that bestows the responsibility of providing for the family to the male members of the household. In this arrangement, the father, husband, or brother becomes economically responsible for the wellbeing of the family. The consequences of this arrangement are that as daughters and wives depend on their fathers and husbands for safety and economic wellbeing, they are forced to comply with the values of the male patriarchs. In most cases, the male patriarchs would demand the respect of traditions. If the make patriarch is conservative in the culture, then the female household members have no choice but to obey. Still, the communal nature of these societies makes it utterly impossible for the father to refuse. If the male member of the family refuses to abide, the extended community can force him to bring the women in his household to the fold.
Monmoh in her book Female Genital Mutilation (2005) classified FGM as one form of violence against women. In her view, while women and their fellow women carry out female cutting, it is in most cases more severe than the average cases of domestic violence perpetuated by men. She argues that Female Genital Cutting instigates pain that sometimes accrues form medical mishaps, bleeding and a bacterial infection. Moreover, the healings take a long time. One notorious form of female genital mutilation is the case practiced among the Somali women. It involves the stitching of the opening of the vagina. The only opening left is for urinating. On the wedding night, the husband opens up the stitches before making love to the woman for the first time. These stitches usually stay longer because the girls are married between the ages of 16- 21. Instead of being the night of pleasure, the wedding night becomes a night of pain and torment. The case becomes even worse if the marriage is prearranged and there is little love between the husband and wife. Accordingly, this practice is perpetuated by a male dominated society that still believes in female virginity. “The buttoning up” of women’s genitalia is by far, the most demonstrable form of male inferiority complex and insecurity. The fear of women’s sexual lavishness is a representation of societal lack of trust for the females.
Female Genital Mutilation chauvinistic linkage possibly accrues from its religious justification. Adherents of religions such as Islam, Jewish religion, and African traditional religions points erroneously to religion as a foundation for the practices of female circumcision. Perhaps the most common similarity between the three religions is the strong hand that males hold in religion. An analysis of the countries where FGM is common such as Egypt, Senegal, Burkina Faso, and Sudan indicate a strong adherence to Islam. Islam as practiced in these countries limit the role of women in the society. However, the linkage of FGM to Islam and these religions is a misleading justification. Saudi Arabia and Libya are examples of Islamic countries but do not practice the FGM as practiced in Egypt. In addition, African religions, however diverse, have fully embraced Christianity, which for the most part, rules out the role of FGM as an initiation to womanhood (Caldwell &Orubuloye, 2000).
Rachelle Casman (2007) argues that FGM ought to be analyzed in respect to cultural relativism. According to her, westerners championing for the abolishment of FGM often forget that human values are not universal. In order to understand the concept of FGM and its symbolic meaning to the African culture, one ought to step into the culture and explore the meaning without ethnocentrism (p. 1). This way, westerners would be seen as self-imposing western values on a people, but fighting a practice on the grounds of its health risks or its disobedience to universal human rights. In this respect, FGM becomes threatening to the lives of millions of women and an inhibition to the success of the movement for equality between women and men. Understanding the concept of FGM from this perspective requires that cultural relativism becomes a cornerstone in the study of Female Genital Mutilation (p. 3). The concept of cultural relativism provides an argument that human values differ across societies and should be responded to while taking consideration of the differences. Female Genital Mutilation is an example of one of the differences.
Globally, most people would admit that cutting a young woman’s clitoris as a form of outright torture. However, a cultural relative perspective would emphasize African understanding of the concept of womanhood. The practice of FGM analogizes the graduation of a young girl into womanhood. The pain, therefore, is symbolic of the tribulations, suffering, and struggles that comes with womanhood. When exploring FGM from this perspective, one recognizes the tradition, honor, and purpose that FGM plays. Still, there is a need to accept the fact that it is conventionally, a gross violation of human rights.
However, lot of water has gone under the bridge, and there is a lot of progress done in the area of FHM across the continent of Africa. Ben- Ari (2003) reported that in, Senegal, there had been discussions about the dangers of female Genital Mutilation for women. Hitherto, this was a topic of no discussion between men and women. In the meetings held in local villages, participants recognized the essence of abandoning the practice because of its effect on the lives of young girls and primarily because it denied the women realization of their rights. Like in Senegal, most societies in Africa are now openly discussing FGM and its consequences. Still, there are challenges that inhibit a complete wipe down of the process. Changing this practice is not easy since it is embedded on the culture of the people because of what it stands for in the cultural values. A homegrown solution that recognizes the cultural significance of the practice while admitting its flaws is required for achievable results.
The secret for eliminating the practice lies in the change in thought and attitude about women. While it is essential to realize that the history of Africa makes the continent skeptical about western imposition into the culture, there is a consensus among Africans to change the culture to a more progressive and culture that respects and cares for every member of the society. Given, for many societies, FGM stands for the graduation of woman into adulthood. This is important. However, the symbolic aspect of the culture can be retained through other practices that restore the dignity of women in the continent. Like (Monmoh 2010) I agree that women empowerment and girl education as well as enlightening the men on the importance-educated women in the society will play a crucial role in eventual abolishment of the practice.
Works Cited
Ben-Ari, Nirit. “Changing tradition to safeguard women.” Africa Renewal. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2012.
Caldwell, John, I. Orubuloye, and Pat Caldwell. “Female Genital Mutilation: Conditions of Decline.” Population Research and Policy Review Vol. 19.No. 3 (2000): pp. 233-254. Print.
Cassman, Rachelle. Fighting to Make the Cut: Female Genital Cutting Studied within the Context of Cultural Relativism. New York: Northwestern University School of Law, 2007. Print.
Momoh, Comfort. Female Genital Mutilation. London: Radcliffe Publishing, 2005. Print.
Monagan, Sharmon Lynnette. “Patriarchy: Perpetuating the Practice of Female Genital Mutilation.” Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences Vol 2,.No 1 (2010): 160-181. Print.
World Health Organization. “Female Genital Mutilation.” World Health Organization. Media Centre for WHO, n.d. Web. 20 June 2012.
