I was talking today with a friend about an issue that's been recurring in many Arab countries forever, and yet I learned something new about it. It's the issue of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) - a.k.a. Female Circumcision.
As far as I know, some cultures of some countries are still doing it. After international pressure from human rights organizations, some have finally legislated new laws prohibiting such practices. I think Egypt and Sudan are amongst the latest even though it's still widely common there. It is a disgusting and inhumane practice; a violation of a woman's basic human rights. Who the hell are you to mess with a little girl's body because you're too lazy raising her well enough to not fornicate around!
Anyway, my friend told me that it's a common practice in the UAE. That's news to me. It's common, yet secretive. It's unheard of because no body talks about it. According to her, it's done for girls of age 10 to 13. A woman would come to the house, do her thing, get paid, and leave. As simple and secretive as that. I've read some are even done in hospitals!
My friend says that even the younger generation has no problem disclosing that they're planning to do it for their daughters in the future. Her Emarati friends say that it's 3adat O taqaled and it preserves the integrity of the girl. What integrity is left to the girl after you steel her innocence away because of your sick presumption of guilt? Why don't we cut off the boy's thing too to ensure he doesn't fornicate around either?
What's stunning is that my friend is a medical student, and those (her) Emarati friends are her classmates in college. So there you go. Long live the future, well-educated doctors.
Since this is news to me, I'm still hoping it's not true, or at least an exaggeration.
Imagine (and I'm not ruling it out) if this were part of our "3adat o taqaled o thawabit elommah," for which many of our so-called public figures and their followers are calling to preserve.
As far as I know, some cultures of some countries are still doing it. After international pressure from human rights organizations, some have finally legislated new laws prohibiting such practices. I think Egypt and Sudan are amongst the latest even though it's still widely common there. It is a disgusting and inhumane practice; a violation of a woman's basic human rights. Who the hell are you to mess with a little girl's body because you're too lazy raising her well enough to not fornicate around!
Anyway, my friend told me that it's a common practice in the UAE. That's news to me. It's common, yet secretive. It's unheard of because no body talks about it. According to her, it's done for girls of age 10 to 13. A woman would come to the house, do her thing, get paid, and leave. As simple and secretive as that. I've read some are even done in hospitals!
My friend says that even the younger generation has no problem disclosing that they're planning to do it for their daughters in the future. Her Emarati friends say that it's 3adat O taqaled and it preserves the integrity of the girl. What integrity is left to the girl after you steel her innocence away because of your sick presumption of guilt? Why don't we cut off the boy's thing too to ensure he doesn't fornicate around either?
What's stunning is that my friend is a medical student, and those (her) Emarati friends are her classmates in college. So there you go. Long live the future, well-educated doctors.
Since this is news to me, I'm still hoping it's not true, or at least an exaggeration.
Imagine (and I'm not ruling it out) if this were part of our "3adat o taqaled o thawabit elommah," for which many of our so-called public figures and their followers are calling to preserve.
14 comments:
??? Why would female circumsision effect a womans ability to 'fornicate' in anyway? I've heard of FGM and I am familiar with a couple of the excuses/reasons people use... but I've never heard that. Can you explain?
احنا أمة العرب و الاسلام حالة ميؤوس منها
الضرب في الميت حرام
أحيانا أتمنى أن أكون قد ولدت سويسريا أو نيوزلنديا عايش بحالي أفضل ألف مرة من كوني عربي صاحب عادات و تقاليد و ثوابت و أمة متخلفة تعيسة أئن لحالها و تأن لحالي
الله كريم
I am not surprised that the phenomenon of FGM is still practiced.
What disturbs me is that a female medical student does not show any emotions toward such practice. Did she flunk the physiology course?
But then again, I do not see any reaction against male circumcision, either, amongst our majority.
Unknown Entity,
It takes out the "pleasure sensors" in that part of a woman's body. They can fornicate, but the desire to do so is almost eliminated by circumcision.
Petroleum Belly,
Very true. Some conditions are deadly.
Kila Ma6gog,
في ناس تمدح النرويج
Hug,
Walla I still wouldn't rule out that it's an old custom, not an imported one.
WHOYOU,
عزيزي .. أنا أكتب في اللغة التي أحس أنها توصل رأيي وفكرتي أفضل ، في هذا الموضوع بالذات كنت مرتاح أكتب بالإنجليزي أكثر من العربي.
شرقاوي
Regardless of emotions, just the fact that they're "the future doctors" strikes me as an odd. These are the people whom we're supposed to trust with our bodies and well being.
As I know, male circumcision's benefits outweigh its risks and the risks associated with not circumcising. It's mostly attributed to hygiene and disease prevention. Cancer is one of which.
أنا لو برميثية أصوت حق جنان
ماشاءالله جميلة و ويها يفتح النفس يخلي الواحد صج وده يتابع شغل البلدية
Jandeef Khan,
Back in the 1980s, during the AIDS epedemic scare, our Minister of Health (then), in an interview with one of the local papers was asked about the threat to the general health in Kuwait.
His answer was that this will nver happen, because we are in a muslim country.
He was a former planning minister. And he was an adviser to the late emir.
How can one argue against such an authority
يالاحق خير...
Oh, I forgot to mention that he was also a medical doctor.
Shocking statistics...what/who's the source, q8first?
Shargawi, when boys are circumcised they do not lose their sense of pleasure, its done purely for hygiene.
As for girls its mutilation. I once saw a documentary on CNN more than a decace ago about how girls are circumcised in Egypt. The reporter who was a young egyptian lady was defamed and instead of being seen as a hero she was seen as a villain by Egyptian media and the public. That was reaally sad.
The fact that it's practiced in the UAE and Oman is just devastating.
بعد الإذن من جنديف خان،
A3sab,
Many practices were used in the not-so-distant past for hygienic purposes. And they are not used at present.
Examples: The use of DDT to fumigate the hair and clothes of school children.
And now, due to increased health awareness, and also to the availability of clean warter, soap, shampoo, etc., there is no need for such practices.
As for male circumcision, the removal of the foreskin has the effect of increasing the sensitivity, and the consequent shorter time it takes to reach a climax.
I believe that this may be a cause of problems for some males, and cause of frustration for their partners.
وسامحونا على هاللقافة...
a7med rabi i was born and raised where i was..
q8_first: Thanks for clarifying oo ya36eek il 3afya :)
Jandeef ,
can we have new subject !!! plz
Sorry for missing this brilliant post Jandeef, incidentally; I just finished reading a book that covers F.G.M. and Islam, and I will write about it as soon as I get the materials ready. Thank you for bringing the subject up. It is sad that not only illiterates perform this barbaric act on their female children, but also the highly educated.
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