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Feminism: chat
ArabellaScott · 02/02/2024 16:11

Christ.

"When we meet with soweis they often say that FGM is an important source of income for them,” Koroma said. “Families can spend between $300 and $400 on the whole ceremony, which lasts three weeks. We have to be able to replace it with something else.”

PermanentTemporary · 02/02/2024 16:25

Yes. I see that. It's why it doesn't work to just eliminate the practice without being someone from that culture who understands its meaning. Replacing it with a rite of passage that doesn't injure or risk killing, and which still has to be led by those who will otherwise lose income, makes sense.

I wonder how many girls in the world are undergoing FGM right now. Feeling sick.

OP posts:
Delphinium20 · 03/02/2024 01:29

Oh my god. This is horrific. Those poor girls.

Allinarow48 · 03/02/2024 01:43

They could just have a big coming of age party and NOT cut the girls genitalia off?

Anyone?

WandaWonder · 03/02/2024 01:44

This is why I get angry when people stick a 'it's cultural' label on something

Will never make it right

coxesorangepippin · 03/02/2024 01:46

Education is the way forward.

3 lives, lost.

Awful.

aweegc · 03/02/2024 04:55

I've not read the article because I've read enough of what happens over the years and used to work in an affiliated area. It's upsetting.

There's a fringe Jewish alternative to male circumcision. It's called Brit Shalom (I think). It's been around for a good 10-15 years, but hasn't gained traction. So the idea of an alternative ritual is around, but not for girls and not successful.

The issue is actually implanting the no cutting part, rather than just the ritual replacement. When people deeply believe it's (male or female) dirty not to do it, and for women that they'll become hypersexualised and bring shame to their family and community through that, then getting those ideas altered is very hard.

Fundamentally it requires that women accept what was done to them. These are women who were deeply traumatised through the same actions done to them and who were deeply, awfully, gaslit into believing they were wrong for feeling anything other than lucky for undergoing it and who have likely used gaslighting younger women and girls as a means of dealing with their own trauma.

It's often actually easier to convince men. If they're told their wives would enjoy sex with them and likely want it more often if they enjoyed it too because they hadn't had FGM, it's quite easy to change their minds. But they've not been traumatised and shamed about their sexual bodies and having sexual desires, before they ever had sexual desires.

There's no one solution to stopping it. Hibo Wardere is someone who has done more about this than any other individual. She's a force. But even she can't entirely eradicate it.

WhereAreWeNow · 03/02/2024 07:57

Just awful.

JohnMytton · 04/02/2024 20:57

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NonnyMouse1337 · 08/02/2024 02:15

Such a despicable practice. Those poor girls. It is so deeply entrenched in the culture and society. I first read about FGM when I was a young teen, and it's so depressing that it still happens. Sad

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