Could somebody tell me the cultural reasons for female genital mutilation?

Question

I'm a photographer, and I'm getting more into photojournalism. I heard about female genital mutilation about two years ago, and I've decided I would like to do a portrait photo essay on women who this happens to. I've heard some of the reasons for this, supposed cleanliness, and other things but I'd like to know more so that I understand it. Not that I think there's anything to understand, I disagree with it highly, but there has to be reasoning behind everything, even if I think it's wrong. I'd like to do the essay in Africa, quite possibly Kenya, but I won't be able to visit for at least a year due to a lack of money. I want to do as much research as possible in the meantime though, so any help or advice would be appreciated.

Answer 1

In many cultures, women's sexuality is seen as something uncontrollable and, since in some cultures a woman represents her families honour (and so her purity is extremely important), it is seen as important to control this sexuality.  Removing the female pleasure by cutting out the clitoris is one way of doing this and, as they also stitch up the v****a opening, it ensures a woman can't have s*x until she is married (if she does, it will be easy to tell)....... it's barbaric and an horrific practice.  

Usually the procedure is performed with the women fully conscious and no sanitary precautions.  If infection sets in, which is likely, the girl will die.  The girls are usually very young when it happens.

Edit: The first poster is correct about that book, it is a must read..i think there were other books that followed that book too.

Iblockidiots:  Male circumcision is actually known to have health benefits - I read an article about this...i can recall for example, it reduces the spread of the HPV virus to women..which leads to cervical cancer.  It also reduces risk of STD's.  Circumcising women has no health benefits.  It completely eradicates female pleasure...of course, male pleasure is not eradicated through male circumcision.  It also involves stitching up the v****a.....it's about control....male circumcision is, of course, not about this.  The reasons for both are not the same.  I'm not advocating male circumcision, but I know which is mutilation and which is not necessarily mutilation.

Treffy:  Of course I would never agree with operating on a boy without proper conditions.  However, I am aware that even many non-religious doctors advocate circumcision.  I really don't believe it is comparable to female circumcision, but i take on board your point about unsanitary circumcisions...of course i also don't believe they should be forced into it either.

Answer 2

In Egypt, where over 90% of all women are circumcised, they use the same justification we use here in the U.S for mutilating boys; It's cleaner and the opposite s*x prefers it. Also, contrary to belief, women (mothers, aunts, grandmothers) demand their daughters be circumcised.

Edit: Re: Sexual Urges. We began circumcising boys in the U.S. for the very same reason. Boys in the U.S. began being circumcised as a way to curb masturbation. This is a fact.

Answer 3

My understanding is that the purpose is to take the pleasure out of s*x ,while maintaining the ability to reproduce in order to eliminate a reason for infidelity.

Answer 4

No way of sugar coating this, female circumcision, or it's better moniker female genital mutilation, is as primitive and barbaric a practice as cannibalism. Benny Loves His Bagels succinctly answered your question, it is primarily a method to ensure against infidelity.

Only the most dedicated and obtuse cultural relativist could find even a quark's worth of legitimacy to this horrendous custom.  Women in  primitive cultures are treated as nothing more than simple labor and baby makers, and in such societies, men will place the greatest emphasis on securing their genetic legacy.  It boils down to this, if you are a male, that must hunt and exert a lot of energy defending your territory, resources and family, you need to make sure you are doing it to preserve your lineage, not someone else's.  This very primeval imperative has caused many human social dynamics to cast the role of women as mere commodities and second order individuals.

Refocusing the answer to the issue of your African essay, do not feel pressured or obligated by politically correct disciplines or thought to cloud your views on African cultures, the vast majority of them are not simply primitive, but, exceedingly so, and this perspective should not be lost if you plan on presenting a nonobjective paper.

Answer 5

The reason behind this is to control women's body and sexuality.  It hinders sexual pleasure and is thought to deter women from being sexually active outside of wedlock.

Answer 6

1. There's a myth in many of the countries that practice this that a woman's clitoris will "get in the way" of a man's p***s.

2. It's to keep women from enjoying s*x, and sleeping around (since women who enjoy s*x are all s***s...*Eye roll*)

3. They claim it's for sanitary reasons, though I fail to see how using rusty, dirty tools to chop off an essential part of a woman's v****a is "sanitary".  A lot of women have died from severe infections.

I've read that, after the "procedure", they sew the woman's v****a shut, causing her intense and unbearable pain when she wants to urinate.  All in the name of controlling her sexual urges.

EDIT: To the "Thumbs Down" trolls.  If you're going to disagree with me, and least have the guts to say why.  Nothing I said warranted a thumbs down.

Answer 7

As much as the other reasons people have stated, there's also tradition. That's why it is so difficult to stamp out. The women want their daughters to be mutilated because that's how they grew up and they think it's proper. They think it's very necessary. It's also a rite of womanhood for them.

Claire, male circumcision is mutilation too. The benefits do not outweigh the violation of bodily integrity. Boys in Africa are also exposed to ritual genital cutting and the mortality rate, from unsanitary conditions, is as high as 10%.

This shouldn't have been brought up however as this question does not regard it.

Answer 8

There are a myriad of reasons which differing cultures offer to support FGM...simply research the countries which purport the practice.

However, do not forget to conduct historical research into the use of forms of FGM, clitorodectomy performed in western countries up until very recently to treat female conditions; mental illness - nymphomania for example.

Also, awareness raising through visual imagery is not always a positive thing - one should avoid sensationalism and exploitation.

And as for those that say women are complicit in it's existence in certain cultures, it is true, but you then must also research how male dominated cultures perpetuate and the reasons why women collude in these systems.

Answer 9

You should read Dessert Flower by Waris Diere - an autobiography of someone who went through the experience (might have spelt her name wrong) and Possessing the secret of Joy by Alice Walker - a fictional account of genital mutilation. Both very moving books....

Answer 10

I believe a lot of the responders got it right. From my understanding its to curb sexual urges (prevent infidelity). This is something I heard but haven't seen anything to corroborate it but it does make sense. And that is, in the past there's been such an issue with wives infidelity that when it came to passing down property to offspring it became difficult to determine if a child was actually the offspring of the father so to curtail this a lot of things were practiced (including genital mutilation) to hopefully stay some of the possible confusion.

I think its a barbaric ritual but thats what I heard is the biggest reason for it.