Nalijah
FGM
female genital multilation is a criminal offence in this country.
please check out the web site or google the above.
Although it is a cultural barbaric form of circumcise has any one seen a woman who has had this procedure done.
I certainly have, And these women suffer
They are left basically with nothing but a 'pea sized' hole which has been crudely sutured to such a size.
which makes it difficult for child birth if they are lucky enough not to be in a third world country they are always section surgically because they are to small to naturally give birth!!!

It is not uncommon for the women if in a third world country tear beyond your wildest imagination leaving a gross disfigured vagina which could leave them incontinent unable to walk normally or in some extreme cases they might even die given birth

their periods lasts for weeks unlike the norm 3-5 days as the entrance to the vagina is so small it just trickles out at a slow rate often or not causing pelvic inflammatory disease and other gynaecological problems
could you imagine having your labia clitoris removed

I'm not sure in which states but i know it is common amongst the Somalian culture.
I however DO NOT support this act and urge individuals to be sensitive when posting replies a lot of women have died as a result of this practice.
Some women who have suffered this practice might be reading this thread.

I can't comment on tribal marks.
www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs241/en/ - 22k