There are many forms of genital cutting practices that occur in the world. There are multiple types that are performed on females, an array of normalization procedures that are done to those born with intersex traits, and multiple practices performed on males.
The female types may be termed (to name a few):
There are numerous documentaries (many are free on video sites), books, and articles available. You may even find the resources that promote the practices. There are many organizations dedicated to ending FGM alone.
Intersex is also referred to as “DSD” which stands for “Disorders/Differences of Sex Development.” Many books, videos, articles, and websites/organizations have appeared in recent years.
You might think that male “circumcision” is the best-understood form of genital mutilation that occurs in the world. Think again. This is often performed at such a young age that they do not know what is missing and any memories are buried deep. It is not likely that anyone teaches them about the part that is missing. Even those who go through a procedure at an older age are shamed into believing that it is best for them. Even if they can overcome the shaming, they are likely in grave danger if they decided to speak out in the culture that they live in. And, there IS more than one way that male genitals are cut. While there are many new resources that argue against these practices, there have been arguments for thousands of years. Be careful how you research this topic as you may find what your bias leads you to find. For instance, if you search “benefits of circumcision” you are very likely to find only those sites/articles that will only tell you about the claimed medical benefits and not tell you about the “circumcision harm” or the “history of circumcision” that is full of claims that have been debunked.
Emotional Terminology in Discussions About Genital Cutting
You may notice that terms are sometimes put into quotes. You may notice that terms carry emotional weight, and that is why they are placed into quotes. This site attempts to use scientific terminology (i.e. prepuce, labia, preputioplasty, posthectomy, labiaplasty, hoodectomy, etc.) whenever possible instead of emotional ones. Those who support genital cutting rituals use terms like “circumcision,” “khatna,” etc. Those who take issue with them will use “genital mutilation.”
Why use the term “ritual?” Ritual is defined as a ceremony or a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order. If someone is getting genital surgery due to a medical need, that would not be a ritual and would not fit the definition of sexual abuse. This is not to say that a consenting adult cannot participate in a ritual, at which point the question as to whether it is sexual abuse is for the individual adult to decide for themselves.
Page last updated February 8, 2022