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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

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US Paeds compromise on female genital mutilation

63 replies

tabouleh · 07/05/2010 15:43

OMG

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which essentially promotes female genital mutilation (FGM) and advocates for "federal and state laws [to] enable pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a 'ritual nick'," such as pricking or minor incisions of girls' clitorises.

Link is here.

A friend linked the above on their FB.

It is bloody shocking. From what I've seen the US obs/gyns and paeds are deeply misogynist .

Of course the rates of cicumcision in the US are far higher than in the UK so this decision may be influenced by religion.

Does anyone know for certain what the UK's medical college's stance on this is. Would hope that it would be 100% against any "compromise".

OP posts:

Report

tabouleh · 07/05/2010 15:47

Sorry quote above wasn't copied correctly. Makes more sense here:

"The American Academy of Pediatrics has come up with a compromise on female genital mutilation.

International human rights organization Equality Now is stunned by a new policy statement issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which essentially promotes female genital mutilation (FGM) and advocates for "federal and state laws [to] enable pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a 'ritual nick'," such as pricking or minor incisions of girls' clitorises."

OP posts:

ImSoNotTelling · 07/05/2010 15:55

Good grief.

but the more I read on this topic the more aghast I am at the things going on over there WRT womens rights

minipie · 07/05/2010 15:55

must be taken out of context SURELY?? or maybe I am just naive to think so

why, why, why would anyone do this?

foreverastudent · 07/05/2010 15:58

to be honest i wouldn't expect much better from american docs, a bunch of barbarians imo

tabouleh · 07/05/2010 16:00

It seems to be some sort of insane belief that there is no way to prevent FGM and that this might be an "acceptable compromise" .

The fact that is sends a mixed message on the practice seems to have escaped them.

Interesting to see that the Scandinavia countries are taking a lead on prosecuting FGM and screening for it within immigrant communities (there was some info in the many comments to the above blog I posted to). If I can find some more info on this I will link.

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HerBeatitude · 07/05/2010 18:55

How is this a compromise?

It's surrender to barbarism.

dittany · 07/05/2010 18:58

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sarah293 · 07/05/2010 19:00

This reply has been deleted

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SirBoobAlot · 07/05/2010 19:16

Sickening. Just sickening

MagicMountain · 07/05/2010 19:39

Maybe a compromise to prevent people from having this carried out in a backstreet somewhere?

On the other hand, a ritual 'nick' is unlikely to be considered by anyone who is even contemplating full excision for their daughter.

smittenkitten · 07/05/2010 21:19

i believe all forms are illegal in the UK - thank goodness.

blackcurrants · 07/05/2010 22:25

I think (not defending this idea so much as defining it) that the idea is to offer an alternative to an 'underground' practitioner who chops the whole clitoris off. The idea being that they can thereby try to persuade societies who practice FGM to keep the ritual but effectively lose the horrendous mutilation.

I read about it on Pharyngula first and shared the outrage (tbh I find the idea of all genital cutting pretty horrendous, as I'm sure won't surprise anyone) but I was also interested in Amanda Marcotte's take on it, which is at Pandagon.

An excerpt: "I suspect in as many or more situations where there?s a struggle, this compromise will allow both spouses to back down, with no real damage to the little girl. Again, part of me wants a feminist riot of women around the world, wherein we stop dealing with men altogether until they start acting right, but the realist in me knows that?s simply not the way that change happens. Turning an actual mutilation into a ritual hinting is a strong step in the right direction, though."

Not sure where I fall on the spectrum between outrage, and 'well-it's-awful-but-might-end-the-practice-which-nothing-else-has-done.' Of course I'm outraged it happens at all, but I've read (and I'm sorry, I have no sources) that banning it in the cultures that practices it tends to drive the practice underground, make it happen to younger and younger girls, etc.

Mainly, the thought of it just makes me sick. And clutch the mahooousive belly protectively.

BelleDameSansMerci · 07/05/2010 22:31

Holy hell... This makes me want to cry with anger and frustration. Fucking hell.

CarmenSanDiego · 07/05/2010 22:37

This is horrific. I learned about it yesterday.

All this can do is legitimise FGM.

I suspect this has something to do with the fact the CDC is reconsidering their position on male circumcision at the moment and the AAP want to legitimise both male and female circumcision.

Circumcision (male) is too good a money spinner for their members, so they want to continue promoting it as acceptable if there are cultural reasons. Doing the same thing to baby girls fits with that logic.

The AAP is sick. They happily accept funding from Nestle and other formula companies whilst giving lip service to 'breast is best.'

The US really needs an independent body, rather than ACOG and AAP which give non-evidence based guidelines that operate in the financial interest of their own members.

CarmenSanDiego · 07/05/2010 22:41

This is the actual AAP policy statement for those who find this hard to believe. It is as bad as it sounds

blackcurrants · 07/05/2010 22:42

"Circumcision (male) is too good a money spinner for their members, so they want to continue promoting it as acceptable if there are cultural reasons. Doing the same thing to baby girls fits with that logic."

Oh gods, I hadn't thought of that, Carmen - that does make a lot of sense. I couldn't get OVER the fact that most baby boys are circumcised over here, 'just because.' It seemed so bizarre to me. And female friends, american ones, who insist they'd be 'grossed out' by an uncircumcised man, because 'it's not as clean' made me a bit [hmmm] - my reaction was "well don't sleep with men who don't know how to wash, maybe?" but I don't think they got it.

Unnecessary medical procedures to make money. Ugh. The NHS isn't perfect but at least you're protected from that guff.

TheCrackFox · 07/05/2010 22:46

Money talks, they won't be performing these procedures for free.

HerBeatitude · 07/05/2010 22:47

oh surprise surprise it's all about money.

j0807bump · 07/05/2010 22:51

been ignorant of such practises going on outside africa, the east nowadays. hope its illegal here in any form.

sarah293 · 08/05/2010 07:29

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Message withdrawn

ImSoNotTelling · 08/05/2010 08:54

So there is a cultural practice of circumcision in america, not just amongst communities where you'd expect to find it?

TheButterflyParty · 08/05/2010 09:07

This reply has been deleted

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sethstarkaddersmum · 08/05/2010 09:09

sadly I am sure you are all right about the financial motivation.
religion and capitalism both exploiting each other....

ImSoNotTelling · 08/05/2010 09:22

Yes it's the money driving this isn't it.

I wonder how circumcision bacame a cultural norm in america. Is it so throughout the country or are some bits different?

CarmenSanDiego · 08/05/2010 09:37

It became popular following Dr Kellogg's recommendations. He was an utter nutjob who thought it would prevent boys from masturbating. Almost all boys were circumcised up until recently in the US but the rates have been dropping over the last decade or so, thankfully.

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