Why is FGC practiced?
The reasons behind FGC are multifold and very complex. The fear of stopping this practice is also very real. Parents who support FGC believe that having it done will empower their daughters, ensure their ability to get married and protect the family’s reputation. In some groups, FGC is performed as a rite of passage into womanhood. It also is performed to preserve a woman’s chastity by restraining her sexual behavior. FGC is believed (by those who practice it) to lower a woman’s sexual desire. In some communities, women who are not circumcised can be viewed as dirty and be treated as outcasts. As mentioned above, religion is also used as a method of perpetuating the practice. Some communities believe that in order to be a good Muslim, one must circumcise their daughters. There are also many superstitions surrounding female circumcision, such as: • The clitoris will continue to grow as a girl gets older and so it must be removed.
The reasons behind FGC are multifold and very complex. The fear of stopping this practice is also very real. Parents who support FGC believe that having it done will empower their daughters, ensure their ability to get married and protect the family’s reputation. In some groups, FGC is performed as a rite of passage into womanhood. It also is performed to preserve a woman’s chastity by restraining her sexual behavior. FGC is believed (by those who practice it) to lower a woman’s sexual desire. In some communities, women who are not circumcised can be viewed as dirty and be treated as outcasts. As mentioned above, religion is also used as a method of perpetuating the practice. Some communities believe that in order to be a good Muslim, one must circumcise their daughters. There are also many superstitions surrounding female circumcision, such as: • The clitoris will continue to grow as a girl gets older and so it must be removed. • The external genitalia are unclean and can actually cau
