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Male and Female Genital AlterationMale circumcision and female genital mutilation has many controversies starting from the procedures and the reasons why it should be practiced. There are different times for practicing male circumcision in the region some do it when children are barely months old while some practice it when children are full grown. A rose by name gives details on male and female genital alliteration which occurs under different surgical procedures. Circumcision is very common unlike FGM which is prohibited in several countries. WHO has given the standard procedures of circumcision and has characterised FGM as illegal. The only time female genitals should be cut is for medical reasons that require an emergency other than this, it is violation of a girl’s and women’s rights.

Just like everyone would, I am against female genital mutilation since it has adverse effects on both emotional and physical. FGM has reportedly lowered self-esteem on women. Even though the article sees less effect of FGM especially on the sexual ability and response in women, the act has effects on sexual urge. Effects of FGM include hhemorrhage; infection/tetanus; urine retention; intense pain; shock and damage to adjacent organs. The article gives the cons of FGM whereby it increases the female’s vulnerability to reproductive system infections. For the case of the male genital alteration, there is a valid reason behind it. Unlike in female where FGM increases chances of STIs such as HIV, in the males MGA reduces chances of HIV infections.

Just like the article says, there are people who support both FGA and MGA and some support only one. There are those who do not support genital alterations. Due this controversies, FGA is still practiced in some placed however with a different name. Just like not everyone agrees to either of the practices, parents should not allow their children’s genitals to be altered because of cultural practices and beliefs. However, if need be, parent should do so because of proven scientific and medical reasons. The alteration done should not affect the child’s health at any point. For the males, I suppose parents should only allow circumcision and not any other form of genital alterations. For the case of females, no procedures should be done unless it is for medical reasons. Just like the Article propose that all FGA and MGA procedures should be certified and standard procedures provided by the health organizations. The other procedures leave the child at a high risk of different medical conditions such as over bleeding and getting infections. Cultural assumptions are not proven at any point even though it is not easy to escape from them.

The most intriguing issue the article presents is the fact that FGA has no effect on sexual habits on a female. This is not what I thought. Everyone grows up knowing that the reason behind FGM is to reduce female’s vulnerability to masturbation and several sexual feelings. I find what the article give as a research done on Nigerian women as controversial. It came to my shock that MGA just like FGA is considered to have some disadvantages. The men experienced greater harm because it seems that the women suffered only nicks to their clitoris, whereas the men had their entire foreskin amputated. The greater harm is also accompanied by intense pain. The article did a good job in giving details on both FGA and MGA as practice in the current world. Much of what is said in the article is true and it is experience by young males and females. The processes of genital alteration are delicate and the doctor has recommended one to go through the processes, then it should be done by licenced and qualified personnel.

Reference

Darby, Robert, and J. Steven Svoboda. “A rose by any other name? Rethinking the similarities and differences between male and female genital cutting.” Medical anthropology quarterly 21.3 (2007): 301-323.