An interesting commentary from The Guardian about all the new surgeries available to women to “fix” their vaginas.
“We rightly condemn female genital mutilation (FGM) when it’s forced on women and girls in the name of culture and tradition, yet we’re quick to embrace it when it’s sold to us packaged in the language of choice. There’s a glaring inconsistency in the western notion of female empowerment, when enshrined within that is the right of women to go under the surgeon’s knife in pursuit of a socially imposed model of physical perfection. It’s no wonder we face accusations of hypocrisy and cultural imperialism, when glossy magazines carry worthy articles about the horrors of FGM in the developing world on the one page, and advertisements offering the latest in designer vaginas in the classified section at the back.”
(Thanks to Petra for the link.)
…And don’t get me started on routine infant circumcision.
…a.k.a. male genital mutilation
For once I take issue with something (and this with 35 years experience as a gynae surgeon); I refer to this comment about Designa Vagina (not a term that I have much love for but then, Hey, the English language is murdered daily.
It is a question of CONSENT. FGM is forced upon girls without their consent and with the express intent to remove the tissues capable of receiving erotic stimulation. This is with the intent of ensuring fidelity of the assaulted girl to her male partner and so she can be used as an incubator for his babies.
It is a disgusting practice and stands in stark contrast to a woman seeking plastic surgical enhancement of her genital tract whether for the repair of prolapse and other birth related damage or for narcissistic purposes. It is implicit to INFORMED CONSENT that the procedure is done at her request and without pressure from any other person and a consent that includes fulfilling her desires for which she takes equal responsibility with the surgeon. All of this is regardless of the information or misinformation that she may have taken from whatever source. An ethical surgeon will take care to ensure that she/he is not operating on an individual who actively seeks to damage her body. This by the way why we have the Real Life Test interval before Sex Reassignment Surgery that can itself be accused as genital mutilation by its critics.
This talk of is garbage and typical of the madness exhibited by the excesses of political correctness.
My body. My right.
Oooh, tricky.
On the one hand, “choice” is not a trivial distinction at all.
On the other hand, when choice is heavily influenced by insecurities fostered by advertising, unrealistic media, and other cultural factors… “choice” is not such a pure concept after all.
The “choice” to follow a strong cultural command that is transmitted by traditional channels vs. the “choice” to follow a strong cultural command that is transmitted by glossy magazines and messages of sexualized value.
So sure, the age of the victim/patient is important, as is the general destructiveness of the surgery. Nonetheless… one culture says sexual pleasure is wrong for a girl and pushes a genital surgery on her. Another culture says sexual appeal is a woman’s only source of value and pushes a genital surgery on her. Not so different as we’d like to think.
They’re both forms of general surgery promoted by cultural pressure.
After my first baby was born, my female doctor unilaterally decided to give me a “honeymoon” stitch. That is, she repaired the (medically unnecessary) episiotomy that she did on me by stitching me up tighter than I’d been beforehand. The result was that I had pain during intercourse for four years! I only got relief by giving birth again. The next childbirth that stretched everything out again and released the adhesions.
These doctors are selling women on the idea of a tighter vagina for their partner’s pleasure and overlooking the possible painful side-effects for the woman. I say, if you want a tighter vagina, do your Kegel exercises daily!