Support for female circumcision stirs controversy in US

[AlphaCentauri]

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

The review by a prestigious US medical academy of its policy on female genital cutting has triggered a storm of protest from lobbyists, women's groups and feminist bloggers.

The Academy of American Paediatrics has been accused of sanctioning child abuse and of behaving unethically. Among its critics are many US medical practitioners.

''Have you all gone nuts?'' one paediatrican demanded of the academy's bio-ethics committee in a website exchange.

''Just a little female circumcision? There's no reason to do this procedure and to condone any form of it is not acceptable.''

Intact America, a non-profit group that campaigns against all forms of circumcision - male and female - accused the academy of deliberately softening its stance to avoid a double standard because it tolerates male circumcision.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/wellbeing/support-for-female-circumcision-stirs-controversy-in-us-20100521-w1uz.html

[Warpy]

1. If they want to do an equivalent operation

how about a hymenotomy? Get rid of that thing, it's caused us too much trouble through the ages and makes our first experience of sex hurt like hell. It also facilitates the transmission of semen borne diseases when it is torn.

Now that's an equivalent operation in girl babies I could really applaud.

[MindandSoul]

3. That would be a good idea!

[depakid]

2. Pays to read the whole story (which isn't breaking news)

The offence was not caused by the committee's final recommendations, which endorsed the academy's previous opposition to female genital cutting, last reviewed in 2007.

Rather, the outrage was invoked by the committee admitting in its report the quandary of some paediatricians who argue that offering a form of ''ritualistic genital nick'' might help dissuade families from taking their daughters overseas where they would be more likely to undergo life-endangering surgery and mutilation.

[struggle4progress]

4. Thanks!

[Lorien]

5. It's mutilation, not "circumcision". Unlike the latter it makes sexual activity

agonizing (which is the whole "point" of it) and makes women highly vulnerable to severe infections. It's Patriarchy run amok.

[Fearless]

6. +1

[pansypoo53219]

7. better a little nick

that to have girl's be totally screwed. it's PERSPECTIVE. it's gonna take a long time top fix the heads who want it.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. WTF?

What a stupid way to justify male circumcision. If anything, they lose credibility in the process.