Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) or Female circumcision is made up of all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

                                                                       (WHO)       

FGM,observed in varying degrees in virtually all continents of the world, is one of society’s numerous tricks to restraining the female sexual prowess, most especially in Nigeria. 

Most people from where I live(Lagos),would probably affirm the above statement,I mean, there is Bimbo and Mary as perfect examples. Bimbo is flirty,loose,wanton and whorish while Mary is the embodiment of womanly virtue, pure,chaste and reserved only for the best. It is widely perceived by Nigerians culturally,that a circumcised girl is able to control her sexual urges (that’s even if she has these “urges”) while an uncircumcised one can seldom hold her sexual urges at bay.

Now,the reason why you should re-think circumcising your girl-child is because according to the World Health Organisation, the above belief is totally baseless and untrue. The belief was spurned mainly by the chauvinistic nature of men in the biased society of old who counted a woman with unrestrained and liberated sexual expression as an abomination and a threat to their manhood.

Circumcision of a boy-child is religiously  and medically important to his over all wellbeing while the cutting of a girl-child is absolutely of no medical or religious importance but only serves to cause pain and life-long trauma. 

I know there are other reasons aside from sex, as to why girl-children are genitally mutilated. But being who I am, I will always frown upon the taming of  female sexuality because of the glaring gender inequality and discrimination this act ensues.

Female Genital Mutilation has been known to result in severe pain, depression and in extreme cases,a lifetime of sexual trauma or death. In a case of Type 1 genital mutilation where the clitoris(a very sensitive pleasure zone for women) is cut off, there’s little left for the poor woman to feel high from. Thus, she is deprived the privilege and right to an estactic sexual life. 

Some cultures even go to the extreme of Type 4 which involves the total removal of the female genital organs. According to UNICEF, 20-50% of this barbaric and inimical act(FGM) is practiced in Nigeria and an estimated 3million girls are thought to undergo FGM every year in Africa.Female  Genital Mutilation is already a criminal offence in the United Kingdom. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF) is currently on a worldwide campaign to put a stop to FGM.

FGM is a violation of the human rights of our girls and women. It has no religious and medical benefit. It must be stopped. Eradication of FGM starts with you. Your partner, families and friends need to be sensitized to the detriments of this uncivil and cruel culture.  We need to give our girls and women a chance to feel like we couldn’t, to explore like we didn’t and to enjoy all the juice and sauce of womanhood. We need to let society know that our women too have the rights to self-dignity&respect and a healthy&enjoyable sexual life just like men.  Our girls and women do not deserve such cruelty from us. 

SAY NO TO FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.

Picture Credit:Unicef, Creative Connection.