Once upon a time, a little girl was going to visit grandma with her parents. Little did the little girl know that it was cutting season when lots of young girls are brought into the woods for genital cutting. The little girl’s grandmother, against the girl’s parent’s wishes, brought the young girl to a hut in the forest. Little did the girl know that her life would change forever. Female genital mutilation, FGM, is prevalent in Middle Eastern and African culture; however, these cultures have spread into the United States and Great Britain leading to many young girls in the United States and Great Britain to also be at risk. Female genital mutilation is most commonly done to girls up to the age of 15 starting in infancy. Female genital mutilation violates the human rights of young girls because the girls are being forced to be put through a dangerous surgery sometimes without the knowledge or consent of their parents. On the other hand, some people believe that female genital mutilation is not a violation of human rights because female genital mutilation is a cultural tradition. Because of the health risks and the sexist intent female genital mutilation is a violation of human rights.

Female genital mutilation can cause severe health risks in a girl’s life including infections, pain when urinating, and a higher chance of miscarriages. The procedure for female genital mutilation can include cutting off the inner and outer labia, removal of the clitoris, and in severe cases, the vaginal opening will be sewn partially shut. The procedure is typically done in rural areas which do not have proper sanitation techniques leading to a higher chance of infection. Another side effect can be pain when urinating. During the procedure, the “doctor” will often time partially close the opening for the urethra. Victims of female genital mutilation report having excruciating pain when urinating and occasionally taking up to ten minutes to urinate. Another side effect of female genital mutilation is a higher chance of miscarriages. When the vaginal opening is sewn partially shut fetus’s are unable to easily pass through causing a higher chance for brain injuries and miscarriages. Miscarriages are also caused by the infections from the cutting itself. Overall, female genital mutilation leads to unnecessary health problems for women.

Another way female genital mutilation is a human rights violation is through its sexist intent. Female genital mutilation is used as a way to keep young girls “pure” before marriage. The amount of “purity” a young girl has is measured by whether or not she has sex before marriage. The idea of purity is sexist in its intent because girls are expected to remain virgins before marriage; however, boys are not. There is no purity or modesty standard for boys; thus, eliminating the cultural need for a procedure for boys. In cultures typically practicing female genital mutilation, marriage is viewed as the ultimate goal for women and a woman is considered lesser if she does not have the procedure done. Due to the cultural pressure for women to get married female genital mutilation is considered to be an acceptable practice. Boys in these cultures are taught to not want women that have not received female genital mutilation; “notions that female genitalia is dirty and that a girl who has not undergone the procedure is unclean” (Amnesty International). The overall intent of female genital mutilation is to make women feel insignificant and worthless compared to their male counterparts.

Although there are many issues associated with female genital mutilation some people still view the practice as acceptable and some will even promote female genital mutilation. Supporters view female genital mutilation as a cultural necessity saying that female genital mutilation leads to women being more faithful to their husbands and being more in control of their desires. Female genital mutilation being a cultural necessity is incorrect because there is no male equivalent which causes as much harm as female genital mutilation. Men are not told to stay in control of their desires and are not punished for infidelity as women are in some cultures. Supporters of female genital mutilation also argue that the procedure should be legal because female genital mutilation is deeply rooted into cultures. Female genital mutilation has been around for hundreds of years leading supporters to feel that making female genital mutilation illegal would lead to a gap in cultural traditions. Supporters also refer to female genital mutilation as female circumcision; “a term used to describe the practice that does not take into consideration the harm associated with it” (Amnesty International). Supporters of female genital mutilation will compare male circumcision, a process which does not cause permanent injury, to “female circumcision”, which does cause long lasting injuries. Both female genital mutilation and male circumcisions are rooted in different cultures; however, male circumcision causes no long lasting complications compared to its female counterpart. Supporters of female genital mutilation should not be agreed with due to the true medical and psychological turmoil victims of female genital mutilation go through.

The overall health risks and sexist intent of female genital mutilation make the procedure a violation of human rights. Health risks of female genital mutilation include severe infections, pain while urinating, and a higher chance of miscarriages lead to a low quality of life for women who are victims of female genital mutilation. Female genital mutilation also is inherently sexist due to different cultural norms and unfair ideas of “purity” for women. Female genital mutilation is also sexist because there is no male equivalent to what the victims of female genital mutilation have to go through. Finally, female genital mutilation is sexist because female genital mutilation is viewed as a necessity in order to be married. If a woman does not go through female genital mutilation she is viewed as undesirable or lesser than women who have experienced the procedure. Female genital mutilation is deeply rooted in many different cultures and will be difficult to fully remove from society. Female genital mutilation being considered a human rights violation will be the first steps in moving towards the world without female genital mutilation. In conclusion, female genital mutilation violates the rights of women everywhere and causes life long suffering for all its victims.