Beliefs and Misbeliefs: a film about FGM and other harmful traditional practices

[ilovewretch32]

haha they think if the baby touches the clitoris when their been born they will die what a load of bullshit they think having the clitoris for pleasure is wrong ..... yeah and men have their cocks for pleasure so why dont the men chop their cocks off too this is wrong its terrible

[stephanie8701usher]

btw how is it beneficial to the husband's pleasure? im sure it would make sex difficult.and if these ppl r questioning if this is required by them in the koran, why dont they go and read it themselves and see that is isnt islamic or religious

[stephanie8701usher]

this is abuse, horrible, and has no benefit to the women, it ruins their bodies, can cause women to have stillborn babies, or to die in general,its sad that there r men in these cultures who wont marry a woman who hasnt had female circumcision.girls die from this, why are they still performing this practice ???these ppl r so uneducated and need to be educated about the harm they are doing.

[rirdan1]

Whether female or male genital mutilation, genital cutting on minors is a true abuse that must stop.

[64Hulya]

These Africans make me sick. Islam does not commend this sick tradition. It is a slander to my religion. I have read Koran. You sick twisted people make me sick calling your self Muslims.That is why Allah sent Islam to Africa to stop this inhuman tradition. Africans are the most ignorant race ever. That is why Africans are sold for slavery because God punished your race. I am so angry for the ignorant Africans. I hope you will pay for your sick tradition. Crazy Africans.

[Azadari4Evaa]

Its not in the Quran, the Prophet never circumcised his daughter, and it predates Islam. Furthermore it is a horrific act and must be abolished

[princessrora100]

This is very horrafying to watch how can mother allow their babies go through this.

[secretp101]

looks like the little girl is being raped :((((((((

[chaoscraig5v7o]

This result corroborates the factual innervation data that i can reference.

“ The five components of the foreskin that are routinely removed during circumcision are more sensitive then the most sensitive part of the circumcised penis which is the amputation scar on the ventral side.”(29)

29.Morris L. Sorrells, James L. Snyder. Fine-touch pressure thresholds in the adult penis . BJU 2006 Oct:22, pp. 864-869

[kleenex3000]

And do not fall for the hollow excuse that it be done for the "satisf*cktion of the future husband". WHILE some men insist on CC out of superstition, it is a weak allocation of the guilt to the males in general.

For good reason, ther actual "surgery" was always keep secret before the male community, that would be outraged if they received awareness.

[kleenex3000]

The girls are being CirCumsliCed by women. Women are the worst enemies of other females. Particularly when it comes to the imagination of alien intimate pleasure, that they were deprived of it.

[sambabyx3]

I don't think masturbating is a sin. It is for a individual person's pleasure. They're not hurting anyone. And what if a girl is raped? That is not her fault. It is the man's fault. People think they can blame women just because they are "not important as men". People need to realize their own wrongdoings and stop blaming other people when they should be blaming themselves.

[MJkaterina21]

I am completely broken by the view of this babe girl being circumsized. Shouting "mumie" while her mumie is holding her legs.........

[Tasia714]

This is absolutley ""DISGUSTING"" I want to kill that man for doing that to the baby and probably hundres of others. Sitting there like he is just cutting up a piece of meat. They don't even know WHY OR WHEN this barberic tradition started.. They don't even remember why they started doing it.!!!

"THIS needs to STOP!" God in heaven please make it stop!

I am going to help fight this, Somehow I am going to help our fellow females and put this "Evil Tradition" back in HELL where it belongs.

[o0portal0o]

Indeed, your body parts are there for a reason.

NOT to be CUT OFF though! If you cut off a womans clitoris, then it is just as bad or more horrible then cutting off a limb etc.

[queenofpeace1]

These poor little kids that have this done. It's a shame. They don't have a choice and it's sad. It should be banned everywhere on this earth. My question is how can these poor kids trust adults after being assaulted like this? They grow up fearing men for example, because most likely it was a man who cut them and maimed them for life or it was the man who made the law to have them circumcized. I couldn't see having my daughter cut like that, even if I was Islam or whatever religion.

[ElMa1788]

This is horrible! You were born with these body parts so there is no need to remove them, especially in this manner. Plus these body parts are the most sensitive and pleasurable. These "religious" people are so against sexual pleasure and look at it as something sinful. God gave humans this gift of sexual organs whos primary function is for pleasure. By destroying them and making their purposes seem evil is like going against what God gave all humans. They need to be educated! This is awful!

[SuperArchia]

@ElMa1788 I agree with you.

[SMC799]

the first 2 minutes, as a mother myself, brought me to tears! I couldnt even watch anymore!

[shoshana08]

omg this is the worst thing i have ever seen.the poor baby girl getting tribal marks and circumcised all at the same time..how can any mother ignore her baby sreaming in pain like that..i have met pple with tribal marks bt i dint realise they had it done as babies..horrible!

[renejm]

This is stupid and sad. This ignorant practice should be definitely banned.

[netrelief1977]

There should be an international law that forbids genital mutilations, because they are nothing but crimes against humanity. We need more education for woman and girls so they know and are informed of the risks.

[netrelief1977]

Long Term effects of fgm can cause Anemia, the formation of cysts and abscesses, damage to the urethra,urinary incontinence.

Infibulation can cause severe scar formation, menstrual disorders, recurrent bladder and urinary tract infection, prolonged and obstructed labor, and infertility (as a consequence of earlier infections). The risk of hemorrhage and infection is greatly increased during childbirth. Information taken from UNFPA. It's not worth the risk.I pray it stops for the childs sake.

[netrelief1977]

Immediate complications associated with fgm can be Severe pain,Shock,Hemorrhage,Tetanus or sepsis,Urine retention,Wound

infection,Urinary infection,Fever,Septicemia,Hem­orrhage and infection can be of such magnitude as to cause death. I don't think any child should have to go through this and possibly give it life for a tradition.

[markmywords53]

Female circumcision is a much loved tradition, enjoyed by girls and their eventual husbands alike. It's wrong for westerners to try to deprive them of this.

[charcot3]

Girls do NOT enjoy being mutilated, the pain is horrendous, as this film shows. And it is not westerners who are 'depriving' them of this 'loved tradition', plenty of Africans think it is wrong. The Inter-African Committee, who made this film, is an African organisation run by Africans and they have been campaigning against FGM since 1984 at least.

[markmywords53]

OK so maybe a small minority of Africans oppose the custom. They're probably trying to win approval from the so-called developed world. But think how many girls have been through this procedure who desperately want it for their daughters and granddaughters - what does that tell you?

[charcot3]

It's not a small minority -- according to their website, the Inter-African Committee is a network of African NGOs in 28 countries. FGM persists due to ignorance - the film mentions women who support it as they believe babies will die if they touch the clitoris during birth. Others think FGM is required by Islam, which is also untrue. The Africans who oppose FGM do so because they realise its harmful effects, to say they are doing it to win the approval of westerners is unforgivably patronising.

[markmywords53]

How do you know they don't enjoy it? There may be pain while the cutting is done, but the benefits last for the rest of their lives.

[charcot3]

Other than not being ostracised and considered marriageable, there are no benefits. The girls generally suffer a lifetime of health problems, if they survive the initial mutilation. Please read Waris Dirie's book Desert Flower. She was infibulated as a child in Somalia and among the lifetime effects was that urinating took 10 minutes and her periods were prolonged and agonizingly painful. Her sister died a few days after undergoing FGM, and Ms Dirie eventually had to undergo corrective surgery.

[markmywords53]

Fitting in and being fit for marriage are considerable benefits. Very few girls are killed by the procedure, and in any case that's an argument for better circumcision, not against it.

As for Waris Dirie, OK, she suffered some side effects, but also a great many benefits - freedom from masturbation, purity until marriage etc. I'm sure she didn't HAVE TO have 'corrective' surgery, she probably chose to have it done because she rejected her culture and traditions.

[charcot3]

Ms Dirie absolutely needed to undergo corrective surgery in order not to continue suffering the problems I mentioned in my previous comment, this is clear in her book.

I did not mention earlier the childbirth complications caused by FGM such as obstetric fistula and bleeding to death for the woman and death for the baby due to unnaturally prolonged labour.

Your remarks about masturbation and purity appear to be that of religious fundamentalist. Is this what you are?

[ELSOL102]

If you think like this then you better get your penis cut off. Then you will be pure and free from masturbation and free from having sex for the rest of your life so you cannot sin.

[intactivist1]

Genital mutilation of all children must stop!

[freedom0f5peech]

We need to stop BOTH Female Genital Mutilation AND Male Genital Mutilation! One is NOT worse than the other! They are both equally horrific!!!