Circumcision

Male and female circumcision both started from religious backgrounds, however thats about where the similarities stop. Male circumcision is beneficial with very few health risks involved (with modern healthcare), while female circumcision is much more intensive with many health risks and no known benefits to overall health.

Male circumcision is the removal of the foreskin by either cutting it off, or by cutting off circulation to the foreskin and using necrosis to remove the foreskin. This decreases the risk of males to contract an STI or urinary tract infection, and also makes cleaning of the area a lot easier. The benefits far outweigh the risks, so much so, that circumcision is not only done for religious reasons, but for general health and sanitary reasons. In Africa where the risk of contracting an STI is high, there’s been large campaigns for men to become circumcised.

Female circumcision is divided into three categories. Type 1 is the partial or total removal of the clitoris. Type 2 is the partial or total removal of the labia minora and clitoris. Type 3 is where the labia majora is stitched together with or without the removal of the clitoris so that there are only two holes showing, one for urination, and the other is for the vaginal opening. Female circumcision is believed to reduce female promiscuity and increase male pleasure. While officially outlawed by the EU, female circumcision still occurs today and mainly by untrained people in unsanitary conditions. There are no actual benefits to female circumcision, but some of the risks involved are; urinary problems, vaginal problems, menstrual problems, pain during intercourse, and an increased risk of childbirth complications.