The Genital Mutilation Thread

[Liam]

To equate circumcision for males with genital mutilation for females, indicates a lack of knowledge, and I hope that people take this opportunity to educate themselves. Removal of the foreskin leaves an organ that is able to feel pleasure, and usually circumcision takes place when the male is an infant, and he has no memory, of this procedure. On the other hand, removal of a female's clitoris quite often takes place when she is an older child, she retains the memory of the procedure, and is robbed of her primary source of pleasurable sexual stimulation, not to mention the health issues which arise from this procedure. The repeated suturing of the vagina, and then the consequent breaking of those sutures is far more brutal than the quick cutting of the penis's foreskin, which happens only once. To equate the two, is to say a scrape on the elbow is the same as having one's arm amputated.

[blush]

Originally Posted by Liam

To equate circumcision for males with genital mutilation for females, indicates a lack of knowledge, and I hope that people take this opportunity to educate themselves. Removal of the foreskin leaves an organ that is able to feel pleasure, and usually circumcision takes place when the male is an infant, and he has no memory, of this procedure. On the other hand, removal of a female's clitoris quite often takes place when she is an older child, she retains the memory of the procedure, and is robbed of her primary source of pleasurable sexual stimulation, not to mention the health issues which arise from this procedure. The repeated suturing of the vagina, and then the consequent breaking of those sutures is far more brutal than the quick cutting of the penis's foreskin, which happens only once. To equate the two, is to say a scrape on the elbow is the same as having one's arm amputated.

No one is equating the two.

[Heart]

Originally Posted by blush

No one is equating the two.

Oh, but they are.

Blush - you directed this question to me:
"How is cutting off the foreskin NOT mutilation? It alters the penis permanently. It does not leave it in the natural state. The female version is much more globally damaging to females. I'm not arguing with you that that is true. Are we defining mutilation differently?"

I mentioned in a previous post that my own son is circumcised. So, according to your definition I have mutilated my son. Yes, we most definitely have different definitions of the word "mutilate."

Mr. Bent said this:
"There is a hierarchy of horrors, and FGM far outweighs - from both physical and cultural perspectives - male foreskin removal. But circumcision is mutilation, and it is relevant to talk about it here."

I think referring to male circumcision as mutilation does in fact minimize the horror of female circumcision. That is why I am comparing the two and hammering at this point. They are not the same thing, but in referring to both of them as mutilation, they are being equated.

Circumcision of both males and females is altering, but only that of females is mutilation.

Heart

[blush]

Originally Posted by Heart

Oh, but they are.

Blush - you directed this question to me:
"How is cutting off the foreskin NOT mutilation? It alters the penis permanently. It does not leave it in the natural state. The female version is much more globally damaging to females. I'm not arguing with you that that is true. Are we defining mutilation differently?"

I mentioned in a previous post that my own son is circumcised. So, according to your definition I have mutilated my son. Yes, we most definitely have different definitions of the word "mutilate."

Mr. Bent said this:
"There is a hierarchy of horrors, and FGM far outweighs - from both physical and cultural perspectives - male foreskin removal. But circumcision is mutilation, and it is relevant to talk about it here."

I think referring to male circumcision as mutilation does in fact minimize the horror of female circumcision. That is why I am comparing the two and hammering at this point. They are not the same thing, but in referring to both of them as mutilation, they are being equated.

Circumcision of both males and females is altering, but only that of females is mutilation.

Heart

Heart, I'm not going to debate your decision to circumcise your son. It is too personal, and I do respect you and your viewpoints. I'm a mother too. We have differing viewpoints on this, can we agree to disagree?

[Nat]

[blush]

http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/fema...al-cutting.cfm

This is a FAQ page I found helpful.