Cutting fluid

Anthropologist Franz Boas is well-known for promoting the concept of cultural relativism. Meaning, practices, beliefs, and ideas within a certain culture make sense within that culture. As an outsider, certain beliefs or practices of cultures that are different from our own can easily be misunderstood or interpreted incorrectly. Although cultural relativism promotes the idea of respecting and understanding the beliefs and practices of different cultures, when does a certain practice/belief…

The most common form of female genital cutting is the excision of the clitoris and the labia minora, which is 80% of the procedures around the world. Infibulation is a more extreme version of female circumcision and accounts for 15% of the procedures around the world. The other 5% is other random…

It is one of the vilest proscriptions against women: the unlawful killings of at least 20,000 women a year in the name of honor. Contrary to popular beliefs, this taboo is not only confined to Middle Eastern countries. Nevertheless, Middle Eastern countries have set a precedent which has caused a contagion effect that is spreading rapidly to other countries. The murders of these women being buried alive, beheaded, stoned to death, etc. all for the honor of their families, are appalling.…

freedom and puts fear to many. It is universally known as a breach of human rights of girls and women. FGM is rooted in culture, some believe it is done for religious reasons, however, there is no evidence in religious texts. FGM involves the cutting of a female’s external genitals (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). FGM can be classified into four types. It is a common poor practice that provides no known health benefits. FGM is practiced in communities around the world and its usage…

In the article by Richard A. Shweder, “Female Genital Mutilation”? And Why Understanding Culture Matters in the First Place”, the author emphasis female circumcision and the relationship to culture (Shweder, pg.1). The author is focusing on female circumcision however it can also be related as female genital mutilation (FGM) in other cultures. (Shweder, pg.1) Throughout this article, the author specifically focuses on the thought of the cultures which practice female circumcision (Shweder,…

Introduction Female Mutilation also known as female circumcision and female genital cutting is a very popular practice in many countries in Africa and also known to be practiced in The Middle East and parts of Asia. Female genital cutting is a very popular practice in the non-western world and because this is relatively unknown in western culture, the thoughts on this practice are generally always negative in response to hearing it. The way it is done and most of the time forced upon these…

FGM and Menstruation Taboos: The Consequences of Imposing Morality Across Cultures The concept of paternalism dictates that those in positions of authority restrict the freedoms and responsibilities of those beneath them. The authorities convince the subordinates that these policies are for the good of the subordinates. The enforcement of female circumcision and menstruation taboos exemplifies paternalism. The practice of female circumcision and development of menstruation taboos shows how…

In Honor Diaries, a group of nine female activists come together to discuss issues faced by women and girls, specifically with a focus on Muslim-majority societies. These nine women touch on an array of issues but emphasize major topics such as female genital mutilation, forced marriages, and honor violence. All the topics revolve around one major concept which is honor. The women argue that honor is contained in women and it is to be guarded by men (Basch-Harod, Kweskin, Traiman, & Smith, 2013)…

Expectations and standards for women in society are unrealistic and outrageous. These thoughts of what a woman should be like and how they should behave have been around for centuries. Woman are often times looked down upon when they don’t look like how society tells them to and this can cause a number of things to go wrong in their self image and life. Unfortunately these high expectations have had an extremely negative impact on females. In Margie Piercy’s poem “Barbie Doll” she discusses the…

Introduction Background There are several types of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) performed in Africa that coincide with cultural beliefs. The World Health Organization (WHO) (2016, 1) defines FGM as procedures that purposefully modify or cause physical harm to the female genital organs for non-medical purposes. Furthermore, FGM has no benefits for young girls or women. Additionally, these procedures can cause death, severe infections, bleeding, and future problems with urination. The WHO…