Sunday, August 12, 2007

Female Circumcision

A report out today about the second young woman in the last couple of months who have died due to complications arising from banned female circumcision surgeries.

The procedure, which many refer to as female genital mutilation, usually involves the removal of the clitoris and other parts of female genitalia. Advocates say it tames a girl's sexual desire and maintains her honor. Opponents say girls can bleed to death, suffer chronic urinary infections and have life-threatening complications in childbirth as a result.

Not to mention that this mutilation is happening against the young woman's free will.

Of course it does not appear that men are not made to lose their sexual desires, and the article does not discuss whether or not a young man has to remain a virgin until he is ties the knot. Those who believe in this practice believe that cutting off a woman's sexual desire also means lowering the odds that she will have sex before marriage.

Obviously this type of story breaks my heart, especially because the practice is only banned, and not outright illegal. The folks behind this particular case may never be prosecuted.

Still, the craziest fact here is the astonishing number:97 percent of the married population have undergone this horrific surgery, while half of Egypt's ladies between 10 and 18 have been limited of their desires.