Dean Genesis Terrible

LYCEUM – NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY TAPUAC DISTRICT, DAGUPAN CITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES ACADEMIC YEAR 2019 – 2020 Topic: Female Genital Mutilation A Position Paper Submitted by: Guirnalda, Tiffany Jem B. Terrible, Dean Genesis Submitted to: Mr. Joshua Aaron M. Reyes INTRODUCTION Female genital mutilation (FGM) consists of all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injuries to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The practice is mostly performed by traditional circumcisers, who often play other roles in various communities, such as attending childbirths or midwives. Most of the time, health care providers are performing FGM due to the notion that the procedure is quite safer when medicalized. The World Health Organization calls on health care providers not to perform FGM because it is being recognized worldwide as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects the deep-rooted disparity between the sexes and put up an intense form of discrimination against women. Such cultural-based health practice always carried out the young ones and is also a violation of children’s rights. FGM is considered a transgression to human health, security, and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruelty, maltreatment, and the right to life when the procedure ends up in death. (World Health Organization, 2020). ARGUMENTS a. Preliminary Argument For our own opinion, female genital mutilation is immoral and harmful because when each country able to execute this, it would ruin the internal organs of female reproductive system that can cause and they will die if done in nonmedical ways. The dignity of women is considered to be problematic as mutilating their genitalia can affect their physical and mental well-being. Legalizing FGM would violate the right of motherhood. b. Counterargument In some circumstances, female genital mutilation is moral especially in African countries such as Sudan, Djibouti, Egypt, Sierra Leone, Mali and Guinea. Apparently, it has been their tradition for many years and we believe that the justification why they do it is the desire to control female sexuality. FGM aims to purify women, bring their status in the community and avoid levity. Moreover, it tends to lessen rapid population growth in some countries in Africa as they are suffering from poverty and hunger. We can apply deontology theory by Immanuel Kant which were discussed in our Ethics subject before. We are asserting that performing FGM is a moral obligation because it is accorded in traditional norm of a particular ethnic community as well as it might reduce growing incidence of rape and sexual violence even though female genital mutilation gives a malfunction to girl’s reproductive system. c. Final Argument We are always reiterating that female genital mutilation is immoral in our society’s culture because it shows discrimination among women. According to Sida (2015) This form of GBV is most widely practiced in Sub-Saharan Africa and in the Middle East, but also occurs in Northern Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. It is often carried out by traditional practitioners, not by medical personnel. In half of the 29 countries where it is practiced, the majority of girls go through FGM before the age of 5, and in the other half between the ages of 5 and 14. Altogether the percentage of women who have suffered FGM ranges from over 90% (Somalia, Guinea, Djibouti and Egypt) to less than 5% (Ghana, Togo, Niger, Cameroon and Uganda). FGM lies at the intersection of very sensitive issues: patriarchy, gender roles, women’s reproduction, and men’s perceptions of women’s sexuality. FGM is also a clear example of gender-based violence that is sustained by women performing the practice. In an overview and exploration by UNICEF, the most frequently cited reason for supporting FGM was ‘social acceptance’, and this was also the benefit of FGM most commonly reported. Both the attitudes and the practice vary according to levels of education, economic wealth, and location, and in most countries it is less common amongst youth than adult women. UNICEF’s report also states that prevalence has dropped in more than half of the 29 countries in Africa and the Middle East where the practice is concentrated. FGM compliments and upkeeps gender inequality. Gender inequality is woven into the fabric of the gendered social order and justifies conditions in which women and men are not only treated differently, but in which women are significantly disadvantaged (Lorber, 2005). Moreover, women see this differential treatment as an integral part of their gender identity. Gender identity is emphasized as an element in the making of an individual in African patriarchal societies that practice FGM (Amusan & Asekun-olarinmoye, 2006). Belonging to a FGM THROUGH BLACK AFRICAN FEMINISM A LA AWA THIAM 14 specific gender is perceived as having a direct effect on a person’s self-esteem. Females take pride in being identified as women, wives, and mothers, and truly believe that the reward for their total submission to their husbands will be successful children (Amusan & Asekunolarinmoye, 2006). In addition, we also want to use natural law to stress out that FGM is truly immoral. For our own perception, seeing the actual mutilating process could tarnish femininity as well as violates the right to family as foundation of a society. FGM can also lead to women’s identity role confusion since her overall well-being was affected by mutilating external genitalia. According to A Black African Feminist Theory, to examine Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) within African Immigrant Families in the United States, FGM compliments and upkeeps gender discrimination. Gender based discrimination is clearly relevant to the discussion of Female Genital Mutilation. FGM is performed on female subjects to control women’s sexuality (Rigmore & Denison, 2012; Van Rossem & Gage, 2009) while enhancing males’ sexual enjoyment (Thiam, 1978). The implication is that it implicitly endorses the strong message of the subordinate role of women in society (Thiam, 1995). In most patriarchal societies, women’s role is very limited and these typical societies promote her submission to male power. In this context, FGM is perceived as an attempt to suppress women’s sexuality, emphasize her subjugation, and an effort to control her reproductive capacity (Thiam, 1978). In our opinion, FGM does not solve criminality especially rape because no matter what the woman wears, it is very inherent in the society. It also contributes nothing at all since it might be led to death. According to Is Clothing Probative of Attitude or Intent -Implications for Rape and Sexual Harassment Cases (Lennon, TL., Lennon, SJ., Johnson KKP) , The belief that clothing can indicate consent to sexual assault or can invite sexual harassment stems from the empirically proven fact that people infer intent and attitude of others based on their clothes.9 Because those inferences are often inaccurate, clothing is not probative or relevant evidence of the intent or attitude of the wearer.1V In addition, the widespread misinterpretation of clothing strongly suggests that introducing it to show intent or attitude will likely be prejudicial. For these reasons, clothing should be inadmissible in a criminal prosecution if offered to show the complainant's attitude or intent. KEY ARGUMENTS Preliminary argument: Female Genitals Mutilation is immoral and harmful to both physical and mental well-being. It would also violate the right to motherhood. Counter Argument: FGM becomes moral because it reduces the case of rape and any other forms of violence against women. It also aims to maintain the virginity of a woman and since overpopulation is a major global concern as well as it helps to reduce the urge of a woman to have sexual intercourse. Final Argument: Female Genital mutilation is immoral because it destroys femininity which is unacceptable in different cultures and traditions. We believe that FGM is not the solution against rape and other forms of criminality violating women’s rights. FGM merely brings harmfulness to women’s health that she may die even it was done medically without scientific observations. FGM can also lead women to confusion about their identity and their role to the society. Conclusion Female Genital Mutilation will let a woman’s dignity be downgraded and may led them in gender and social role confusion because they mutilate women at the age 4 and below and between 5 and 12. Where the child may have a lot of questions inside er head, like “Since I am not mutilated will my role in this society will be downgraded?” “Will other accept me even if I am not mutilated like the other girls?”. A theory about Erik Erikson can relate to this topic, in his Erikson's fourth psychosocial crisis, involving industry (competence) vs. Inferiority occurs during childhood between the ages of five and twelve. It is at this stage that the child’s peer group will gain greater significance and will become a major source of the child’s self-esteem. The child now feels the need to win approval by demonstrating specific competencies that are valued by society and begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments. If children are encouraged and reinforced for their initiative, they begin to feel industrious (competent) and feel confident in their ability to achieve goals. If the child cannot develop the specific skill they feel society is demanding (e.g., being athletic) then they may develop a sense of Inferiority. Then the fifth, children are becoming more independent, and begin to look at the future in terms of career, relationships, families, housing, etc. The individual wants to belong to a society and fit in. This is a major stage of development where the child has to learn the roles he will occupy as an adult. It is during this stage that the adolescent will re-examine his identity and try to find out exactly who he or she is. Erikson suggests that two identities are involved: the sexual and the occupational. According to Bee (1992), what should happen at the end of this stage is “a reintegrated sense of self, of what one wants to do or be, and of one’s appropriate sex role”. During this stage the body image of the adolescent changes. Erikson claims that the adolescent may feel uncomfortable about their body for a while until they can adapt and “grow into” the changes. Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of fidelity. Fidelity involves being able to commit one's self to others on the basis of accepting others, even when there may be ideological differences. During this period, they explore possibilities and begin to form their own identity based upon the outcome of their explorations. Failure to establish a sense of identity within society ("I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up") can lead to role confusion. Role confusion involves the individual not being sure about themselves or their place in society. Based on the researches about the Female Genitals Mutilation, women will also have different health issues. Lastly, according to an article researched that has been done, FGM does not really reduce rape or any women violations whatever a woman do and wear which is not a consent of any kind of sexual invite, because a man will choose to harass, rape or have anything women related violation, if he engages to his sexual desire regardless of what a woman wears.