Female Circumcision: what's wrong with it?

Thank God there are also good men like Seun from Nigeria who really know the word of Jesus : Love each other...
Hope to see that new generations of Africans will condemn it like our friend Seun...

One funny thing about this is that the men that have the barbaric courage to mutilate girls are doing so for their selfish ends.

Why can't they cut off the tip of their privates so that they too won't enjoy sex and stop running after girls.
I stand to codenm it and say that it is not only BARBARIC, it is also WICKED and TRADITIONALLY SELFISH.
If it shld be done, then whatever is good for the goose should also be good for the gander.

I don't agree with it.
I think it is dangerous, invasive, unnatural, and unnecessary.
It should be left only to the discretion of the woman.
If a woman chooses to do it that's her choice; it should not be done to children, babies or anyone that does not volunteer for it.

wow
I don't support it at all.
  And i know that God did not support it also.
It is very bad.

I think the culture has its root it the popular practice of gender inequality in most cultures. In this case, the woman or woman child is being denied the right to sexual satisfaction as this practice is believed to reduce her level of sexual activeness if not quench it.

No wonder the practice has found a comfortable home in Africa where  women are mostly regarded by tradition as meer objects or commidities to be bought and sold for sex and child production.

I consider this practice babbaric, and it must be stopped not just because it does not have its roots in Christianity or any modern religion but because of the danger posed to those who are mutiliated.

The danger of contacting HIV as many of the condition under which these practitioners carry out their practice are very unhygenic and the risk of total destruction of the woman's reproductive organ.

Thanks for feeding us with some facts.  They appear to be correct; where did you get them?

pay attention to your words...do you mean women are there only to satisfy the sexual needs of their husband? don't you also think of how she'd feel to be unbale to enjoy sex herself? having sexual feelings is different from being sexually satisfied, do you know that?

I imagine people who still do it and those who support it as people who wear animal's skin for clothes and bite the barks of trees for food. That's just the picture in my head about such people.

hmmm.....

Not all parents who circumcise their female kids deserve to go to jail. So many people go along with it in deference to tribal, religious and cultural norms and not because they hate their kids.
The key to stopping it is enlightenment. Making people know that there is a difference in circumcising males and females. Male circumcision is just cutting off the foreskin which anyway serves no purpose except to accumulate dirt!!! It's useless just like the appendix.  Its non invasive and is not mutilation like female circumcision.
But female circumcision involves cutting off an anatomically significant portion of the body and it has been known to cause vesicovaginal fistula (also common in cultures that encourage marriage and conception at a young age before full pelvic growth has been achieved- literally tearing the poor girl's vagina apart with a big privates). Most cultures do it because they believe it keeps a girl chaste and controls her urges for sex. While it does not control sexual urge which is mainly psychological (urge vs. stimulation), it certainly represses normal reactions to sexual stimulation. Reason why some people were able to sleep with their teachers in secondary school
Some moslems build upon references to female circumcision in the Sunnah (the words and actions of the Prophet Mohammed) but in actual fact, islamic scholars have said that there are passages in the Qur'an which by implication oppose female circumcision. See http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm You can find more info about female circumcision at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_circumcision
But in this age and time, its a violation of women's human rights because they are usually too young or frightened to give consent. And there is not one logically reasonable ADVANTAGE whereas there are numerous DISADVANTAGES.
So, people must be told about these disadvantages, our community leaders and other stakeholders.  The way to stop it is by enlightening people.

I totally agree with omoge. Not all parents that circumcise their children deserve to go to jail, because so many of them are not even aware of the fact that such actions are bad. Therefore, I think ENLIGHTENMENT is what they need, not punishment.

WOW    I do not even know where to start.  First I have to say that I am totally against Female Circumcision.   I first heard about it in more than 10 years ago.  I know it is a practice to prevent young females from not only being promiscuous but also to make sure that they are "saved" until they are married.  The reason why Male circumcisions are done is to remove the foreskin of the male privates to help prevent infections which would happen if the male is uncircumcised.  Please someone give me an excuse (or supposed reason) why females are being mutilated in such a manner to try to oppress who they are.  We are created equal to complete each other.  The Male is the Head of the Household however, that does not mean that he is master and we are slaves.  This shows so much inequality that it is ridiculous.  I know there going to be those who feel that women are this and that but I know in my heart that men and women complete themselves not rule and control over one another.  If that were the case then why are there Kings & Queens, Princes & Princesses. Mothers & Fathers.  Break it down to me if I am wrong.  I am not one of these "I don't need a man I can do bad all bad by myself type of women".  

Some things I want to point out about male, female and being circumcised/uncircumcised:

Genesis 1

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

 27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Galatians 3:27-29

27For as many [of you] as were baptized into Christ [into a spiritual union and communion with Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah] have put on (clothed yourselves with) Christ.

    28There is [now no distinction] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is not male [a]and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

    29And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.

Acts 7:51
51 You stubborn and stiff-necked people, still heathen and uncircumcised (not being separated) in heart and ears, you are always actively resisting the Holy Spirit. As your forefathers [were], so you [are and so you do]!

Romans 4:10-12

10How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcised (not being separated)

 11And he received the sign of circumcision , a seal (ownership and sign of protection) of the righteousness (being in right standing with Jesus Christ) of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised (not being separated): that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness (being in right standing with Jesus Christ) might be imputed unto them also:

 12And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised (not being separated).

In what way does it prevent AIDS?

my own small sense tells me that female circumcision should stop because of its obvious ill effects. sort of like the ill effects of scarification. But while we work to eradicate this circumcision, we must stop buying into the lies told by the west about how and why its done.

first of all, circumcision in general is a african affair. the jews, once residents of africa, learn it from us. its one of the reasons every ethnic group in africa circumcises.  i imagine that women in africa are circumcised because, like when its done to men, it is assumed it is a cleansing process. not a means to control the women's urges.  The ill intent attached to circumcision by the west fuels hate towards africans. I believe female circumcision (why call it genital mutilation?) stems from the same source as male circumcision and that is the desire to be clean.  besides if its to kill women's urges its doing a bad job because it actually makes the girls more likely to have sex because it has no feeling for them.

Besides why isnt the same argument placed about the cutting thatg goes on with men. why isntit called mutilation, and an attempt to control male urges. frankly it needs to stop for both genders, but also the erroneous intent attached to it also neds to be curtailed

Ok, lets clear up some bullshit

1) Male circumcision is not done for health reasons.  There is minimal health benefits to circumcision and certainly no resistance to aids.  Male circumcision is like getting a hair cut, only, the hair NEVER grows back.  Male circumcision, removes some nerve tissue from the privates, but the effect is not noticeable by men and it does not affect hormone release at puberty.

2) female circumcision also has no heath benefit.  If drastic enough, it will reduce hormone emission through puberty.  As a result, women who have undergone this would have a much reduced sex drive.  Sex drive refers to you're body's response or desire - not your mind.  A man suffering from erectile disfunction can want to have all the sex in the world, however, his body will betray him with ZERO erection.

The studies linking HIV resistance with circumcision are badly conducted - or the results badly interpreted and anyone telling you that there is some great medical benefit to circumcision does not know what they are talking about.

One thing I know about human behaviour is that, no matter how much you educate people, some stubborn parents will still insist on getting their daughters circumsised unless the government threatens them with a jail term.  If you really want to stamp out a practice, you must combine education and legislation.

Like Senegal, we can forgive those who have done it n the past, but make it known that those who do it in the future will have to spend some years in jail.  That's the way to really crush it.  So if the legislation is passed this month then a perent who does it next month will go to jail while those who did it last month will be left to their consciences.

Let's not muddle up the debate by bringing up male circumcision, which has no harmful effects except that it makes the privates uglier and the tip somewhat less sensitive over time (direct contact with underwear).  The only similarity is that both procedures are unecessary.  Female circumcision, however, is not only unecessary but very dangerous.  Yes, it's true that HIV transmission is reduced in circumcised males - apparently the skin at the tip of the privates of a circumcised male has less "holes" for the virus to pass through.