[Ros]

Why is female circumcision deemed necessary in some cultures, and does it still go on today? What is the circumcision actually performed for?

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Name : Ros, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 20, City : Melbourne, State : NA Country : Australia, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[Graeme21534]

Female circumcision is performed mainly in Muslim countries, and is done for the same 'reasons' that male circumcision is performed: cleanliness (yeah, right), to reduce sexual pleasure, or because the religion supposedly says so.

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Name : Graeme21534, Gender : M, City : Johannesburg, State : NA Country : South Africa, 

[Kristina]

It is a practice that is done in most of Africa, India, and the Middle East. Why? It is because in those cultures, a woman must get a husband to survive. I mean, since she can't work, she must have a husband to support her. And to them, a woman is undesirable if she is not a virgin before she's married. So the female circumcision supposedly eliminates the woman's desires thus keeping her a virgin until marriage. It also helps to ensure that she doesn't have an affair with another man. And yes, the practice is still done today, unfortunately. However, the issue is starting to come to light to humanitarian groups, and thus trying to be stopped. Also, some areas of those countries that are more Westernized and urban do not encourage the practice.

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Name : Kristina, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Christian, Age : 20, City : Washington, State : DC Country : United States, Occupation : Transcriber, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 

[Lindsay]

Female 'circumcision' is the term used to try to make the practice of Female Genital Mutilation more palatable. It is practiced in many African and Middle Eastern countries as a way of keeping their women in check (However I believe it was also once practiced by a sect of Orthodox Jews, but I may be wrong about that). This usually consists of removing the clitoris, sewing shut the vaginal opening, But some other methods are used. The 'operation' is performed usually by unskilled people with no medical training, and unsanitary tools in an environment that most people would probably be appalled at, and the ages of the children subjected to it range from the toddler age to early puberty. This act is far less common than it once was, and seems like almost less of a racial thing than it is sexual.

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Name : Lindsay, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Dianic Pagan, Age : 17, City : Baltimore, State : MD Country : United States, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, 

[Jessica]

I studied female circumcision in a sociology class, and though the more severe forms are illegal in most places, it is still performed. Each of the types of female circumcision revolves around a theme of traditional purity. The most extreme female circumcision involves the complete removal of the clitoris and labia and the sewing shut of the vagina. It takes away sexual stimulation from the woman, thereby maintaining her 'purity.' Ironically, it promotes infection - and therefore is filthy rather than pure. When the vaginal canal is sewn shut, the bladder cannot relieve itself normally. When a fully circumcised woman needs to urinate, it simply dribbles out - and not all of it comes out - which causes extensive bacteria growth.

Taking away sexual stimulation and promoting infection in women is a way for the men of such cultures to remain in power, although in most cases the women are the ones who advocate the surgery. This is because women who perform and advocate such practices are given more power by the men than those who don't.

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Name : Jessica, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 23, City : Huntsville, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, 

[John29294]

Circumcision is NOT allowed in Islam. It is a sin and Muslims do not believe in its 'purity.' It is something that is cultural among many nations, but that does not make it ok.

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Name : John29294, City : Smith, State : IL Country : United Kingdom, 

[Jakki]

In some places, circumcision (and in some cases, subincision) are done as a puberty rite. One reason is because this is a painful, shaking experience, and when you share that experience with so many other people, it tends to scare you into submission. You are a part of the group, because you all went through the same thing. This isn't the same as when people do it here. Circumcision on males is usually done for cosmetic purposes, because of the myth that it keeps men 'cleaner,' or because people just think it's the way a penis is supposed to be. Hence, it is done during infancy when people aren't as likely to remember the pain. Women here sometimes (rarely, but sometimes) are circumsized later in life, by their own free will, again for cosmetic purposes.

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