my niece made a point...

[JokersGiggle]

she's very intellectual but views things in a very black and white way.
She has strong feminist views like me (her mum doesn't care much ). In conversation she threw in FGM (as you do!) And in her opinion having a bikini wax done is a mild form of FGM.
Just throwing it out there for consideration. It really made me think.

I should add that she's 7yrs old

Really a 7 year old knows about FGM and bikini waxing?

Honestly think she needs save learning about that for a few years.

Umm, really, how?
I have bikini waxes done - Brazilian or Hollywood because I enjoy how it feels afterwards. Other times I don't have them done. My choice entirely.

Not sure how that's remotely comparable to someone forcibly mutilating my genitals as a matter of routine.

Jokers I kind of get where she's coming from. Is she coming at it from the perspective of altering women's genital area in order to please men? If so, it does make some sense.

7 year olds know all about all sorts of things. The internet is quite powerful....

Whilst having your pubes ripped out is not quite same as having your labia hacked off, I can see what she's getting at (although slightly shocked she's only 7!). There's a kind of societal pressure for women to get rid of their pubes these days. I'm 34 and met DH before hollywoods and such like became really mainstream. I've got cousins who are ten years younger than me and apparently having pubic hair is not an option for women of her generation.

Difference being of course, that having your pubes waxed is usually a choice, where as FGM isn't.

She's taking the literal alteration of genitals as FGM.
They covered FGM at school And she knows I bikini wax.
I think in a way she's right. we alter our bodies ourself to fit social expectations.
I was impressed with her application of knowledge.

Difference being of course, that having your pubes waxed is usually a choice, where as FGM isn't.

Is waxing a real choice though? If, as you say, having pubes is not an option, then how can it be seen as a real choice?

I'm a little surprised that FGM was covered at school for 7 year olds!

My sister was worried about it being covered in school during "Africa week" but we were all impressed with how it was covered.

I have my pubes waxed to enhance my sexual pleasure. FGM is about removing sexual pleasure from women

I have just discussed the use of the word 'retard' with my 7 year old. Please god don't let me have to discuss FGM any time soon.

Is waxing a real choice though? If, as you say, having pubes is not an option, then how can it be seen as a real choice?

Which is an issue by itself, sure. But not comparable to FGM!
Peer pressure, the woman being waxed still walks into the salon by herself and I presume pays for it. And the hair grows back, it's not permanent. It doesn't remove sexual pleasure. If she was being literally forced into it then yes, that would be a serious problem but how many women is that happening to? And is that even about pubic hair or about control for whoever is forcing her?
Really really not the same and I don't think it's helpful to lump the two together at all.

Sorry what a load of tosh ! Of course there's an option to having a brazilian or not. You don't have one.

A 9 yr old girl is forcibly mutilated in the most despicable way possible how the hell can that be equated?????

I think it is an inappropriate comparison. FGM is done to girls, often without their consent. It causes permanent damage and can result in infection, inability to conceive and death.
An individual choosing to wax hair off is hardly the same thing.

Imagine if the argument was worded thus: it is hypocritical for western women to complain about FGM when they regularly mutilate themselves through waxing.

I hope you explained the differences to her and she has a better understanding as a result.

I think what she meant was if you did it through social pressure put on you by others rather than your own free choice to enhance your body.

Exactly trapper

wow, she is a smart seven year old! yes i think she's right, personally, though obviously the two things are not directly comparable, they are both part of the spectrum of activities/behaviours involved in making womens bodies more "acceptable". i am dead impressed that a seven year old can make that link.

"Africa week" for 7 year olds and they chose to talk about FGM? Seems wildly inappropriate to me, maybe in year 7 (with 11-12 year olds) and above but not at age 7.

Was there not enough African art, music, geography and history to discuss or something?

Interesting point.

Agree with earlier posters but . . .

Those who practice FGM would probably claim that no man would marry their DD if she had not had FGM done to her.

And there are young men men in the UK (apparently!) who claim they would reject a girl sexually if she had pubic hair.

FGM discussed as part of Africa week? In Yr2?

Righto!

trapper, what you said

No comparison at all.

I wouldn't want my 7 yo knowing about FGM and I can't imagine a year 2 teacher covering this.

She probably doesn't know exactly what it entails JokersGiggle (calms down a bit).

I remember reading in geography about 'female circumcision' at school and thinking WTAF? I only knew about boys I was about 14.

Be nice.
I was impressed that a little 7yr old girl was trying to understand problems and form an opinion. Yes its off the point of FGM but in class it was put to her as "changing of a females body from its natural state." I can see how, with a black and white way of looking at life, she came to her conclusion.
No need be " " over it.
If we don't educate children about life and allow them to form opinions we can't be surprised when they turn out like wet rags with no back-bone.