Friday, September 7, 2012

Female Genital Mutilation


After the discussion in class I could not wait to put more of my opinions on the matter. It was very interesting to discuss violence and how genital mutilation has been a form of violence for years. Several people in the class had differing opinions and I would like to touch on a few of them. It seemed as though there was a strong reverence for the history and heritage that such practices entail especially when they are done on adults that have been educated in other ideas and practices. The interesting question about this point is weather or not this is still violence. Such a question as it pertains to a choosing adult is hard to find an answer for because as someone who has grown up in a western culture that frowns upon such practices makes me believe that this is direct violence, but there is also a choice that comes with age that will allow people to abstain from such practices. That brings me to the other point. Is there really true choice when someone will be thrown from their homes if they chose not to get such a procedure done? In that case it brings me back to the original question and causes me to change the last part of my answer.
Such a discussion in terms of international relations and acceptance of cultural practices makes the entire conversation even more difficult to understand and interpret because there is often a disconnect in ideals and acceptance of these ideals at least in understanding by other cultures.

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