Female Circumcision in the United States - Illegalized under Which Law? Research Paper Example

Research question: should female circumcision be illegal in the United States, and if so, under what law?

Introduction

The practice of traditional female genital surgery or female circumcision in the United States is complex and controversial. Whereas a majority of the population think it is a human rights infringement act or simply term it as gender-based violence, the proponents consider female circumcision an integral part of their culture which should remain unchallenged and simply respected. The proponents have a single argument to make, that female mutilation will help control female sexuality. Nevertheless, female circumcision has numerous medical side effects which include chronic virginal infections, difficulty with menstrual periods afterward and difficulty in childbirth. Both sides of the debate considered, the essential question that remains to be answered is whether female circumcision should be illegal in the United States, and if so, under what law? This paper takes the position that female genital mutilation should be banned in the United States. Whereas a few cultures still want to practice female circumcision, research has shown adverse medical side effects to the victims consequently necessitating the need to ban this practice under the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996.

Background of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

History of FGM in the United States and cultures associated with

Perceived advantages and arguments for FGM

Statistics and trends of FGM

Medical side effects of FGM

Difficulty with childbirth

Chronic virginal complications

Difficulty with menstrual periods afterward

FGM law

Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996

Progress in the implementation of the FGM law

Summary

FGM is a backward practice that no longer withstands a test of time and should be eliminated in the United States through the implementation of the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996. Historically, FGM was practiced as a medical remedy for several health conditions among women. It was believed to heal problems such as seizures, hysteria, masturbation, and epilepsy among others. In the modern world, the medical industry has made tremendous advancements in human healthcare and has come up with safe medical remedies to these health problems that were thought to be healed through FGM. As a result, FGM practiced is left without meaningful use for women today. Instead, it has been shown to expose women to health risks and medical side effects like difficulties with childbirth, chronic virginal complications and difficulty with menstrual periods afterward. Given no proven benefit for women, but clear dangerous health consequences for the girl child, the United States ought to fully implement the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996 to fully abolish FGM.

Work Cited

Abayomi, Olukayode, et al. "Supportive psychotherapy or client education alongside surgical procedures to correct complications of female genital mutilation: A systematic review." International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics 136.S1 (2017): 51-55.

Abusharaf, Rogaia Mustafa, ed. Female circumcision: multicultural perspectives. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013.

Goldberg, Howard, et al. "Female genital mutilation/cutting in the United States: Updated estimates of women and girls at risk, 2012." Public Health Reports 131.2 (2016): 340-347.

Mahmoud, Manal Ibrahim Hanafi. "Effect of female genital mutilation on female sexual function, Alexandria, Egypt." Alexandria Journal of Medicine 52.1 (2016): 55-59.

Puppo, Vincenzo. "Female genital mutilation and cutting: an anatomical review and alternative rites." Clinical Anatomy 30.1 (2017): 81-88.

Reig Alcaraz, Maria, Jose Siles Gonzalez, and C. Solano Ruiz. "Attitudes towards female genital mutilation: an integrative review." International nursing review 61.1 (2014): 25-34.

Ruiz, Ismael Jimenez, et al. "Men facing the ablation/female genital mutilation (A/FGM): cultural factors that support this tradition." Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 132 (2014): 631-638.

Tilley, Donna Scott. "Nursing Care of Women Who Have Undergone Genital Cutting." Nursing for women's health 19.5 (2015): 445-449.

Victor, Daniel. Father Imprisoned for Genital Cutting Is Deported to Ethiopia. The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 Mar. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/03/14/us/father-imprisoned-for-genital-cutting-is-deported-to-ethiopia.html.