Analysis Of Michael Schaap 's ' Mom ' Why Did You Circumcise Me

In the story written by Frances A. Althaus’s “Female Circumcision: Rite of Passage or Violation of Rights? She explores female circumcision within African Culture and the health complications after the ritual is completed. Female circumcision is the practice of partial or total removal of the female external vaginal area and is still practiced in several countries today , dut was ruled as illegal in America in 1997. Females did not have the option to chose if they wanted to have the procedure performed, mothers often made that decision for them. The practice is to transition a girl into womanhood and to ensure that virginity is not lost before marriage, prevention of infidelity and

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting (FGC) and female circumcision, is the removal of part or the entire external female genitalia or any injury to the female genital organ with no medical reasoning. The practice of circumcision is entrenched in gender inequality and efforts to control women’s sexuality. It is believed to bring about honor, purity, and cleanliness; however, FGM/FGC is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects deep-rooted inequality between the sexes, and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. It is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of rights of children. The practice also violates a woman’s right to

According to a published report in the August 16th 2010 edition of the New York Time’s parents are choosing less and less to circumcise their new born sons. The article states instances of circumcision have declined “to just 32.5 percent in 2009 from 56 percent in 2006. The numbers are based on calculations by SDI Health, a company in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. that analyzes health care data”. Why are so many deciding to not have the elective procedure even though the rate of complication is extraordinarily low? What about the arguments for hygiene, sexual satisfaction, psychological and social concerns and, lest we dismiss, religious views?

"I remember the blade. How it shone! There was a woman kneeling over me with the knife. I bit her; it was all I could do. Then three women came to hold me down. One of them sat on my chest. I bit her with all my might." These words reflect Banassiri Sylla’s account of her experience undergoing female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), at the young age of eight in the Ivory Coast. This disturbing description of her struggle makes it hard to understand why any culture could support such a practice. Yet, it is estimated that about 132 million women and girls in about thirty African countries have undergone the same, or at least similar, cultural

Circumcision is a barbaric practice that has no medical purposes besides for appearance and what is more attractive to the opposite gender. Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, it is a practice that got started because of religion. Circumcision is usually performed on the second day after the baby is born. During a circumcision, the foreskin is freed from the head of the penis, and the extra foreskin is removed. The foreskin is a normal part of a male child, it is not a birth defect or something that has to be removed for the safety of the child. Circumcision is painful to the baby boy, they do not give them medicine to numb the pain or put them to sleep. The baby is in so much pain from the removal of the foreskin they go into shock

The Missouri River can be a wonderful yet terrible place. So much joy can be experienced from being on the river, but at the same time, so much destruction can happen. I have had both wonderful and terrible experiences on this river.

When having a child many questions arise such as where will we take baby while we work, how are we going to accommodate another person in the household, and the ultimate will we circumcise? For some families in the world it is not even a familiar question discussed, but unfortunately in the US it is a very prevalent practice. It saddens and almost scares me that we have become so desensitized to the thought of male circumcision of newborns. In reality it is a very horrendous unnecessary procedure that is far too over looked. Majority of the world do not participate in the circumcision of male newborns and deem it unnecessary. I believe this barbaric practice should be stopped. Hopefully in the next few decades’ circumcision will ultimately no longer be the decision of parents in the US, unless deemed medically necessary. Cutting off a vital piece of skin on a vulnerable, sensitive, healthy organ should be the decision of the person in question not the parent, not your body not your choice.

Although circumcision is thought to be one of the oldest procedures in the world, the manner in which American doctors perform it is relatively new. Unbeknownst to most modern day Americans, circumcision wasn’t widely practiced in the country until about 1910. As a matter of fact, none of our founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, were circumcised! Americans tend to be dumbfounded when they learn that “about 80 percent of the world's population do not practice circumcision, nor have they ever done so.” (Wallerstein) We are, in

Circumcision is a commonly performed and highly controversial medical procedure. This procedure is not new however, it has dated back centuries in humanity. “Circumcision is a surgical procedure that involves removal of the foreskin on the glans penis”(Hisley&Ward, 2009). There are many reasons this procedure is controversial including religious and social beliefs, medical risks and benefits, and personal opinions. The medical benefits of having this procedure done are not believed to be true by everyone which creates different opinions by medical professionals, although circumcision has become a very common procedure in the United States and is accepted by the majority of the population.

Male circumcision has long been a debate with decisions based on cultural, ethnic, religious and social preference of the parent. There are both benefits and risks associated with the procedure of male circumcision. The procedure involves the removal of some or, the entire foreskin around the penis. Neonatal circumcision is rising among English speaking countries and it is known now that more than 80% of the male population has been circumcised. (CDC, 2006) This number is rising however; studies show that there is insufficient evidence to recommend neonatal circumcision as a routine decision. (AAP, 2006). Many debates of this procedure relate to the benefits versus the risk and medical costs that the procedure entails. This paper

Filmed in Sierra Leone and Ethiopia, this documentary sheds light on the cultural variations that surround this practice and the different levels of government and humanitarian intervention in place in both countries (Mediterranean Women, 2006). The film gives voice to the generations of women who have been silenced by the secrecy that surrounds FGM and presents the truth behind why it still exists today (IRIN NEWS, 2015). The film shows that an end to FGM can only exist when governments impose the necessary legislation but will only end completely when the communities themselves no longer regard female circumcision as an essential part of tradition and culture The function of this practice, whether mild or severe, is ultimately to reduce a woman’s sexual desire, and so ensure her virginity until marriage. The more extensive procedure, involving stitching of the vagina, has the same aim, but reducing the size of the vagina is also intended to increase the husband’s enjoyment of the sexual act (IRIN NEWS,

Coupled with this analysis, 100 to 140 million women and girls are thought to be living with the consequences of female genital mutilation (Boseley). This act makes me sick. Moreover, Boseley argues that female circumcision violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity, the right to be free from torture and cruelty, inhuman or degrading treatment, and the right to life when the procedure results in

The act of male circumcision is a practice dating centuries. Accounts of circumcision can be found all over the world with many different myths and legends. There are many different reasons why this antediluvian ritual takes place. In ancient times, circumcision was regarded as a rite of passage. The act was a symbolic transformation from adolescence to adulthood. Many other ancient cultures participated in circumcising as a means for eliminating masturbation. Today, circumcision is performed for very different reasons. Parents who circumcise may do so out of religious beliefs. Some may circumcise because of social pressure. Many parents feel an obligation to circumcise in order for their child “fit in”. Others circumcise on the basis of health and hygiene concerns. Some even circumcise out of pure ignorance about the issues that arise from the procedure. While the motives for circumcision have constantly changed, the practice still remains. The effects of circumcision are damaging to the male child’s body and mind. Circumcision is a permanent decision forced upon a child with no say in the matter. These days, it is no longer considered a rite of passage or a sacrifice needed for salvation. The health benefits circumcision claims seem to be under-investigated and minimal. So why do Americans still circumcise their children? Perhaps it is the social stigma of remaining intact or the misguided health concerns. Maybe it is a lack of knowledge about circumcision. No matter what

The religious purpose of circumcision may have been repudiated by the church of which the parents are members. Through

One aspect in which the two cultures and/or religions disagree, and which is one of the main themes of this novel, is the one of circumcision. Traditional Africans strongly believe that this practice will allow individuals to “learn the ways of the tribe” (29). It is not just something elders believe in, young children and adolescents in the novel, such as Waiyaki and Muthoni, consciously affirm to be ready for entering respectively manhood and womanhood. What this meant was that they were ready for being circumcised. Muthoni is the daughter of the converted Christian priest in Makuyo whose name is Joshua. Even though he was circumcised himself, after his religious conversion, he considered the practice inhuman, and thus, he did not put