Maj.

Ahmad Hegazy, EGYPT

The tradition of FGC dates back more than 1000 years and is practiced in
different parts of the world. Female circumcision or female genital
circumcision (FGC) comes in three forms, namely: female circumcision,
female genital circumcision, and female genital mutilation. Throughout
centuries, female circumcision has been proved to be an inhumane
practice justified by ignorant beliefs and false benefits. Still, there are
millions of instances that occur each year.
FGC is still in practice for a multitude of reasons. A motivational
factor behind this practice is purification. Purity is one of the traditional
beliefs of why FGC is necessary. The word for circumcision in traditional
Arabic is tahara meaning to purification. While FGC occurs in varying
religions, it is predominant in Islam and culture as a requirement by
many Muslims. However, nowhere in the Quran, the holly book of Islam,
is female circumcision mentioned. Prophet Mohammed declared rights
for women and displayed humanity toward females when he banned the
pre-Islam practice of burying female babies alive. The Quran cites in the
following verse, Sura 2:228, Women shall have rights similar to those
exercised against them. Therefore, the justification based on religious
grounds is unfounded. Another commonly held belief behind FGC is that
there is a medical benefit for females. For example, some believe that
female genitalia are poisonous to sperm and must be removed to
maintain fertility. None of these beliefs are true. In fact, FGC has quite
the opposite effect on fertility and the health of girls. Infertility can in
truth be a medical complication caused by cutting this part of the female
anatomy. The World Health Organization studies show, Infants of
women who had undergone severe types of mutilation were more likely
to have required resuscitation at birth and more likely to die while their
mother was an inpatient than infants born to women who had not
undergone genital mutilation. There is a range of immediate to long
term complications, including but not limited to, the inability to urinate,
chronic urinary tract infections, pelvic inflammation, scars, tumors, and
bladder and kidney stones. These complications manifest the horrific
medical ramifications of FGC and obviously do not present any benefit.
Also, FGC results in painful intercourse and decreased sexual
pleasure. The latter is given as a justification of the procedure because
some believe that if a woman does not undergo the procedure, she is
believed to be a loose woman. For this reason, FGC is considered as a
precautionary measure against casual and premarital sexual
relationships, a very unreasonable belief that places all the responsibility
on the female and leaves the male unaccountable for his role in sexual
relations. This again displays the fear and ignorance surrounding FGC.
Although the tradition of FGC has long roots in history and culture,
still, the harm inflected on innocent women can never be justified. The
rationalization or justification by attributing it to tradition does not
vindicate this practice. Other irrational practices, such as slavery,
hangings, or human sacrifice, all were also accepted behavior in various
cultures at some point in time. Given the above stated facts presented in
this essay, FGC is proven unjustifiable and to bring more harm than good
to females. It is only through education of the women and cultural
awareness that we can bring about change because the higher the
education level of a woman, the less likely she is to have her child
undergo the FGC.