The Controversy over Female Genital Cutting

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Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica" data-authors-initial="The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica" data-title="The Controversy over Female Genital Cutting" data-published-date="14 Jul. 2023" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/story/the-controversy-over-female-genital-cutting" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" data-modal=".md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="The Controversy over Female Genital Cutting" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/story/the-controversy-over-female-genital-cutting" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/story/the-controversy-over-female-genital-cutting">https://www.britannica.com/story/the-controversy-over-female-genital-cutting</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing font-12"> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div></div> </div> <article class="topic-content content mt-20"><figure class="md-assembly md-feature-assembly print-false" data-type="1" data-descid="1"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media" data-type="image"><a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/191777-050-51488C4D/Knife-blades-girls-circumcision-female-genital-mutilation.jpg" target="_blank" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center " data-href="*"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/77/191777-050-51488C4D/Knife-blades-girls-circumcision-female-genital-mutilation.jpg?w=600&q=60" alt="Knife and blades used for girls circumcision, female genital mutilation, FGM, Kenya, Africa" data-width="1600" data-height="1067" loading="eager"><button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"><em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em></button></a></div><figcaption class=""><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5">Friedrich Stark/Alamy</cite></figcaption></figure><p class="topic-paragraph"><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/female-genital-cutting" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Female genital cutting</a> (FGC) is a procedure that is performed on the genital tissue of a female ranging in age from infancy to adulthood. It can be as little as a small nick or as much as the removal of all the tissue. The practice is viewed by some as a traditional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/rite-of-passage" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rite of passage</a> and by others as an unnecessary, painful, and harmful procedure that can leave a female with physical and psychological problems and can even result in death.</p><span class="MOD1"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">FGC is referred to by a variety of other names, from broad terms such as female genital mutilation or female circumcision to terms that more precisely reflect what is being done, such as excision, clitoridectomy, or infibulation. The altering or removal of female genital tissue is usually done in nonmedical settings—with unhygienic conditions and without anesthesia. The cutting of the genital tissue may be performed with broken pieces of glass, razor blades, knives, scalpels, or scissors. In infibulation, the vaginal orifice is also sewn or otherwise sealed shut.</p><span class="MOD2"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Medical complications from FGC are common. Immediate concerns after the procedure has been performed include fever, debilitating pain, bleeding, infection, and even death. Long-term complications include urinary and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/menstrual-cycle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">menstrual</a> problems, scarring, painful sexual intercourse, and difficulties in giving birth that can lead to the death of the mother and the child. Psychologically, it can leave the girl or woman with anxiety, depression, and self-esteem issues, among other problems.</p><span class="MOD3"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">FGC is often associated with religious tradition, even though no religious doctrine requires it. It is a cultural tradition in many societies where gender inequality is ingrained, and it most commonly occurs in parts of Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and, to a lesser extent, South America. FGC also occurs in countries where the diaspora from the aforementioned regions have made a home.</p><span class="MOD4"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">United Nations</a> (UN) and the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Health-Organization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">World Health Organization</a> (WHO) have led efforts to ban FGC. In particular, two UN programs—the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/United-Nations-Population-Fund" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">UNPFA</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/UNICEF" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">UNICEF</a>—and WHO have called it a human rights issue, stating that it is a harmful and unnecessary procedure, and have campaigned vociferously for every girl and woman to have the right to be protected from such harm.</p><span class="MOD5"></span><span class="AM-END-OF-ARTICLE am-inline"></span></article><div class="related-info grid"><div class="col"><div class="learn-more"><h3>Learn More About This Topic</h3><ul class="list-unstyled"><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/female-genital-cutting" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">What cultural meanings are associated with FGC?</a></li><li><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/World-Health-Organization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">What is one international organization leading the campaign to ban FGC?</a></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="external-websites"><h3>Recommended from the web</h3><ul><li><a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="http://www.unfpa.org/resources/female-genital-mutilation-fgm-frequently-asked-questions#UNFPA_terminology" data-show-preview="true">Learn more about FGC at the United Nations Population Fund Web site </a></li></ul></div> </div> </div> </div> <aside class="cm-rightrail d-none d-md-block ad-rail"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col"> <div class="md-loading hidden display-4 font-weight-normal"></div> <div class="text-center my-20 mb-100"> <button class="md-infinite-load-next btn btn-blue" data-value="next-page">Load More</button> </div> </div> <div class="col-md-da-320 hidden-xs"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Story","templateName":"SPOTLIGHT","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":11,"pageId":5912,"pageLength":null,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.48"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/story-page.js?v=3.133.48' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"B","adLeg":"B","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Story","pageSubtype":"SPOTLIGHT","articleTemplateType":null,"gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false,"hasAiTopQuestions":false,"hasSimplifyButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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The Controversy over Female Genital Cutting | Britannica