Female circumcision is a practice followed in some African cultures. This socio-cultural practice is based on the traditional belief that circumcision will reduce sexual arousal in women and thus, reduce the chances of premarital sex and adultery. In the female circumcision procedure, the entire clitoris, labia minora and sometimes a portion of the labia majora are removed (Malley, 2008). This procedure causes several harmful consequences for the female. It causes mental trauma, physical trauma, and can increase risk for health hazards. In some medical terminologies, female circumcision is also called female genital mutilation. At the end of the procedure, the entire genital opening is stitched up leaving only two holes for menstruation and urination (Malley, 2008). The stitch is then opened only for intercourse after marriage and for child birth. The benefit of this procedure are for the men in the society and women are made to accept this social culture, which does not benefit them. The personal preference of the child to take up the procedure is not entertained by the culture, thus violating human rights. It denies the women of assuming natural and healthy sexual life. (Vissandjée, Denetto, Migliardi, & Proctor, 2014)
Sexual arousal is a hormonal and nerve phenomenon, and female circumcision will not prevent it. Unlike the society that I belong, the African and Asian culture that promotes female circumcision will not respect its women and will refuse to treat her as a human being with individual rights. Over many generations, women are brainwashed to be submissive to men in the society and to allow men to decide what is good for them. In my opinion, medical practitioners cannot interfere into a cultural practice, but abstain from participating in it. They can report the harms caused by the procedure and seek the government to forbid this procedure on the ground of utilitarian ethical principles. Children welfare enforcement can be alerted about such practices, as it is not tolerated in the U.S.
References
Malley, B. (2008). EzineArticles.com Expert Author. EzineArticles. Retrieved 10 January 2017, from http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Beverly_OMalley/231019
Vissandjée, B., Denetto, S., Migliardi, P., & Proctor, J. (2014). Female genital cutting (FGC) and the ethics of care: community engagement and cultural sensitivity at the interface of migration experiences. BMC International Health and Human Rights, 14(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-698x-14-13
