"...acts of violence perpetrated against women have an entirely different cultural and political resonance than acts of violence perpetrated against men, because of the inherent power differential between the two sexes."
That is of course true where adults are concerned, but when acts of violence are perpetrated on children, the sex of the children is much less relevant because children have no power at all. And FGC is primarily perpetrated by women, who are themselves victims of it, and will loudly (and when they are educated, eloquently) defend it. (See http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/article.php3?id_article=3752) So it's not a simple example of another bad thing that men do to women, though men are complicit. (Since FGC is so near-universal in societies that practise it, they probably would have no idea if they encountered one of the "uncircumcised" women they say they would never marry.) MGC is primarily perpetrated by men who don't know what they are missing. Western women probably have more freedom to protect their sons than African women to protect their daughters (from grandmothers, aunts and the whole community). It is a pity that discussions of FGC so often get hijacked by MGC, but MGC is happening here and now, perpetrated by some of the people posting here. What do the people posting against FGC ever do about it except wring their hands?
Comment Reply
"...acts of violence perpetrated against women have an entirely different cultural and political resonance than acts of violence perpetrated against men, because of the inherent power differential between the two sexes."
That is of course true where adults are concerned, but when acts of violence are perpetrated on children, the sex of the children is much less relevant because children have no power at all. And FGC is primarily perpetrated by women, who are themselves victims of it, and will loudly (and when they are educated, eloquently) defend it. (See http://www.thepatrioticvanguard.com/article.php3?id_article=3752) So it's not a simple example of another bad thing that men do to women, though men are complicit. (Since FGC is so near-universal in societies that practise it, they probably would have no idea if they encountered one of the "uncircumcised" women they say they would never marry.) MGC is primarily perpetrated by men who don't know what they are missing. Western women probably have more freedom to protect their sons than African women to protect their daughters (from grandmothers, aunts and the whole community). It is a pity that discussions of FGC so often get hijacked by MGC, but MGC is happening here and now, perpetrated by some of the people posting here. What do the people posting against FGC ever do about it except wring their hands?
January 3, 2010 - 1:35amThis Comment
Reply