Female Genital Mutilation in Africia

5/2/96

  Q: In many African countries, there is the practice of female, genital mutilation. What policies should be adopted regarding this practice?

     It is a great tragedy that these types of practices exist in both African and Arab cultures. They are not sustained by mere traditions, but by the fear of men in these cultures. They fear their women, should they be sexually alive, it could be dangerous. They do not believe in their own manly capabilities, that is the root cause and so they treat the women in such a way. These women, living in this culture, learn to adapt to these practices and to feel that, should they be in a natural state, they would be vulnerable, they could not trust themselves, so they acquiesce to the mutilations. This is a sad condition.

     Two things would be required to improve the situation. First of all there must be education among these people about sexuality so that they may see it in a clearer light and they may recognize that self control may be had by both men and women and need not be imposed by such mutilation. Secondly, the men of that place should learn to increase their manliness so that they feel confident in themselves and need not fear their women. If a man truly believes in himself, he has nothing to fear. He will feel confident that he may keep his wife and she will be loyal to him. He need not make such arrangements. He will be confident in himself. But this manliness is lacking so education is the first thing. And secondly, that these men come to have a better understanding of their manliness so that the women, too, may become free to accept their own sexuality. Alright?