Reflective Tag

Males and females go through a process of genital cutting known as circumcision. In males this can have some health benefits but in females the process has not benefits and can actually be harmful. A lot of the reason the harmful circumcision still goes on is because of traditional and cultural reasons.

Artifact 6

All around the world children are going through a practice of genital mutilation known as circumcision for reasons that are purely traditional which in most cases are harmful to the child. Circumcision for males if done properly can have a number of health benefits but for females it serves no health purpose and can be harmful.

Female circumcision is the removal or alteration of the female genitalia. There are three types of circumcision; type 1 includes the removal of the prepuce or both the prepuce and the clitoris, type 2 is the removal of the clitoris plus the labia minora, type 3 also known as fibulation is basically just the removal of everything and than having it sewn together leaving a small hole for urine and menstrual fluid. A lot of the reason why this is still a practice is false beliefs which have been passed down through the generations such as the clitoris being dangerous. Another problem is the conditions where these circumcisions are done are usually unclean using sharp unclean items used on multiple patients which increases the transmission of diseases.

Male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin on the penis which is usually done in most countries after the child is just born. The circumcision of the male foreskin for the most part has the benefits outweigh the risks. The benefits include reduced risks of urinary tract infection, prostate cancer, sexually transmitted diseases, and reduced risk of cervical cancer in the females. There are some parts in Africa though where they wait for the males to be older as a transition into adulthood. This can be dangerous in that they leave them in tents afterward for days until they fully recover and for the first few days they are not aloud to drink water.

Male and female circumcision is not the same thing, female circumcision is dangerous and unnecessary while male circumcision has a number of health benefits related to it. In spite of the new laws in other Asian counties this practice of female circumcision still occurs. The use of female circumcision has been decreasing though as the number of health issues have been advertised. Eventually I hope for a complete eradication of this practice.