Fighting female genital mutilation among America's daughters

Despite public health campaigns and widespread criticism, female genital mutilation continues in the West, a practice from African and Middle Eastern cultures imported via immigrant communities. Traditionally believed to control female sexuality and make girls "marriageable", FGM can have devastating health effects and maim women for life. Worries are high in the United States that some families will take advantage of the summer school holidays to send their daughters back to home countries to have the procedure done, and aid groups in New York are helping young women to avoid that fate.Duration: 02:17

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• WEB
• US
• IMMIGRATION
• WOMEN
• SOCIETY
• HEALTH
• RIGHTS
• AFRICA

[Chadolution]

Genital mutilation is wrong, whether forced upon females or males. Circumcision / genital mutilation is a bloody barbaric tradition that harms all victims, physically and mentally. We need a worldwide end to genital mutilation of boys and girls.

[peacerebelgirl]

male circumcision should be given the same criticism.

[peacerebelgirl]

@gabriellezers in fact, i have a good understanding of fgm; i've researched it and know what it entails. it is abominable and completely unwarranted. i've also researched, written about, and witnessed male circumcision. it is also abominable and completely unwarranted; i'm declaring that it be given the same criticism. the foreskin is akin to the clitoris, and the pain a baby suffers during the procedure is so intense that studies show the brain waves change. it is a lifelong trauma.

[gabriellezers]

@peacerebelgirl Obviously you have no understanding of what FGM entails. It is FAR more gruesome than male circumcision. The fact that you would even make this kind of comparison demonstrates your lack of knowledge when it comes to FGM. Women's ENTIRE clitoris is removed during some procedures, and their labia is SEWN SHUT in others until they are re-opened later on in life for their husbands.

[ruderevival]

@jonnykook thats bullshit, this is a hramful practice that should not be respected or tolerated. Anyone from these cultures who believe in this monstrosity should be insulted ruthlessly.

[jonnykook]

@Chadolution I like what you are saying and you cannot even understand how happy i am to read your take on this issue. If we decide to give everybody a choice, then we should stop the practice on both girls and boys. Thinking back at my circumcision I wish my parents had not done it. It is not okay to hurt me just because I am a boy. But if it was done at an early age when I was not even conscious this wouldn't be a problem. Early (days/months no ages) circumcision for boys and girls is better.

[jonnykook]

To Kady in the video,

"A human right violation" I beg to disagree. You still have a lot of work to do. I wondered where you come from with that woman right violation thing of yours; open your eyes Kady. it is clear that you had passed the age of being a candidate for circumcision you were way too big of a girl to even conceive that idea that's where the blaming of your parent should be focused not any of the above. advocate for early circumcision and safer cleaner conditions for the practice.

[stronzo5785]

Ladies...your bodies are so lovely without any cutting, and I'm sure that the man you choose would want you to be the way the God who created you meant for you to be.

Please...fight against those who would cut you.

[wiibot15]

@peacerebelgirl No, Lol , it shouldn't.

[SonyaKano]

@peacerebelgirl i half-agree with you.