Comments on: Clitoridectomy: Repressive or Empowering?

By: Alan

Alan — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000

Super. All we need is another example of how women are women’s worst enemy. Since i take a dim view of anything that smacks of slavery, I recoil from the idea that putting a bag over one’s body and/or having a whole organ removed for psychosocial “traditional” reasons could possibly be of benefit to anyone. As a sentient male, I am programmed to protect and nuture the vessels of human civilisation ( that would be you gals ). Get a frickin’ grip.

By: Manda

Manda — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:55:41 +0000

Helene, it’s all in perspective. The typical Western feminist point of view is to celebrate and appreciate our bodies just the way they are. Other cultures have different opinions. Yes, some places where clitoridectomy is practiced it is used as a means of oppression and controlling a woman’s sexuality (in that instance it’s also practiced with infibulation, which is known to make sex always painful for the woman).

But there are other places where that’s not the case. The Sande women (this society spans several African countries) believe that removing the clitoris actually makes them less dependent on men, because they think it makes them less masculine. I highly recommend Sered’s book; it has an excellent section on the Sande and section on their ritual clitoridectomies.

Freewomyn, I’ll definitely check out that book!

By: freewomyn

freewomyn — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:24:19 +0000

Great topic, Manda. I think that this is a tricky subject for Western feminists to unpack.

First of all, there are different types of clitorectomy, but the Western media sensationalizes the issue by focusing on only the most extreme forms.

Secondly, measures by governments to outlaw the practice in many countries have only pushed the practice underground, making it more dangerous.

Third, the concept of clitorectomy can be empowering because in many sociities where it is practiced, there are coming of age ceremonies that accompany the practice. I think it was in Kenya where grassroots women’s groups started a movement to practice “cutting without words,” where the coming of age ceremonies would still be performed without actually cutting the clitoris.

I’d really recommend the book “Cutting the Rose,” by Efua Dorkenoo. She does a good job of providing a very nuanced view of clitorectomies throughout several African countries. It totally changed my point of view.

By: Helene

Helene — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:07:45 +0000

I can understand how this surgery can make you more “feminin”. Without a functioning clitoris a woman will be dependent of man, and only an object for penetration. Maybe also a good way to decrease homosexual practise among women.
I don’t want to be feminine, if that means always being a dependent, recieving and passive creature. Its okay if thats what some women prefer, but these operations are DANGEROUS and wrong. Wrong because no parent should have the right to change their childs body, and because human has the right to sexual freedom. Wrong because no human need to fear their sexuality

By: Andrea

Andrea — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:03:52 +0000

I’ve done research into FGM/FGC and although I acknowledge my western perspective, I still don’t support the practice. Putting the health of a girl at risk shouldn’t be a bonding experience. There are many many other ways to create a bond among women that will not lead to infection, birthing problems and painful/unpleasurable sexual experience.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:15:35 +0000

I read a book in grad school about this (the name of the book is completely escaping me right now, my apologies). It was a collection of oral histories from different generations of women in the village, and a lot of the women were very adamant about how womanly they felt after having the procedure done. This was mostly prevalent with the older generations, but while there were several women who were just as adamantly opposed to the procedure (or putting their daughters through the procedure), there were just as many (if not more) women who were very proud of having experienced it.

By: recorta

recorta — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:35:13 +0000

I’ve heard about this pov from friends who’ve done research on the ground re: “fgm”, but this sounds like an interesting book!