Why Are American Doctors Allowing Mutilation of Female Genitalia?
Read Time:1 Minute, 5 Second
At the end of last month, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a revised policy statement on female genital mutilation (FGM) called “ritual genital cutting of female minors,” suggesting that the federal and state law in the US should permit pediatricians to offer a ritual “nick” of girls’ genitalia as a compromise to appease the cultural needs of their immigrant clients.
International woman’s rights organizations from the US, Africa, and Europe were quick to respond to this outrageous proposition calling on the AAP to retract its 2010 statement and revert back to its much stronger 1998 statement on the subject.
The AAP’s response, however, has thus far been underwhelming and they continue to justify this latest position on three grounds:
• “Nicking” is a minor procedure equivalent to a pin prick or ear piercing and has no harmful health consequences.
• Offering the “nick” demonstrates cultural sensitivity in serving immigrant populations.
• The “nick” is a “compromise” that could prevent families from performing more severe forms of FGM on their daughters.
The AAP’s casual comparison of “nicking” of girls’ genitalia to ear piercing demonstrates just how far from the international framework the organisation currently stands. “Nicking” cannot be pulled out of context and must be understood within the larger gender politics of controlling women’s bodies and sexual rights.
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part 2, lol…hit enter, meant to hit caps.
anyway, where was I…oh, yes…
WE DON’T DO THAT HERE. FUCK OFF.
I’m also totally against male circumcision. It’s a barbaric practice as well.
Bee, was it you and I that got into it as far as the comparison, I highly doubt it but cannot think who it was? I cannot remember to save my life other than I said, if you get the whole penis cut off then you can compare, otherwise these are not the same thing by any stretch of the imagination. I have the same opinion about circumsision though.
Don’t think that was me, Jess, but yeah, I’m on board with that.
I’d kinda like to keep my parts whole and attached, guys.
Nope, sorry, immigrant patients need to be made aware that
Aww, I keep forgetting to sign in. I’m the anon up there.
=^..^=
You’re dead right Jess, we are all fortunate to have been born in places that are marching relentlessly forward and leaving all that superstitious mumbo-jumbo where it belongs, in the past.
As much as I complain about our government there is one thing for damn sure. For the most part, I am glad to have been born a female in this country, vs some others I could have been born into.
This won’t stop the fundies that want to do more with their girls. I recently read Infidel, Aayan Ali and the author went into gory details about how this was going to be done to her. Grandma said it was to make me pure is what she said. The woman had the thoughts, if it was not cut, her clitoris would grow and swing between her legs. This is just a barbaric practice that should not be happening anywhere. What do I know though, I am just a girl where in some parts of the world this could be done to me.
When this story first came out I was told in a debate group, well it is just like circumsision. Well yeah it is like that if you get the whole penis cut off, otherwise, not so friggin much.