STOP FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION IN THE UK

Yes, I think they look awful!

Message deleted by Gransnet.

I hadn't seen this thread before! FMG is illegal in the Uk. Its illegal to take a girl aboad for this purpose but its very difficult to "police". How do you find out if it been done? Routine inspections of those from a culture where this is practised is hardly ethical.

It has to be through better education and publicity but its hardly happy family viewing for television to want have programs or campaigns on either.

Very difficult I hope the above campaign can make progress.

Signed - I'm opposed to all ritual mutilation.

I am a little confused - obviously we are all totally opposed to any kind of ritual mutilation, but the link seemed to be to an advert for a book of advice to asylum seekers.
I think I have signed other petitions on this subject, but I am happy to sign again if I can find the right place

Annobel tens of thousands? Are you sure it's that many in the UK alone? Not world wide ? Tens of thousands is a huge figure. Have signed a petition like this before and have signed again. There is a book called 'Slave' by Mende Nazer in which the character undergoes this barbaric custom.

dorset, I had to go back to my OP to check that. I thought I was quoting the wording of the petition which actually said 'thousands' which is probably more credible than 'tens of thousands'.

Totally agree that this barbaric practice should still go on, in the UK and of course in traditional Muslim areas.

However, I always find it difficult to accept that most people condone circumcision not for strict medical reason. This is also often done without aneasthetic, in very traditional families done by the Imam with his teeth!
Why is this more acceptable? To me, both should be illegal.

granjura, I think you might like to re-phrase your first sentence.

granjura think the last sentence needs more thought too..sensationalism... Jimmy Savil was a DJ thatefre all DJs are paedophiles..nonsense as is the implication that circumcision by teeth is common!

Ooops, so where is that edit function- thanks anno.

No it is not common in the uk, just as female circumcision is not 'common' either. Even with anesthetic and in controlled medical conditions, it is still a form of mutilation done on a child too young to give their consent, and that is wrong, in both cases.

This is an advert .reported.

Yes - I remember this discussion before. I am equally opposed to male genital mutilation. Both are totally unacceptable unless done by grown adults who make their own choice. At least female genital mutilation is illegal in this country, which makes a statement of moral principle and allows for prevention, however ineffective. Baby boys have no such protection. None at all.

granjura from where did you hear that imams perform FGM by teeth? I've never heard of such practise.

Also, it's rather unfair to use the phrase 'imams' implying that's it's a Muslim tradition; it's an almost exclusively African tradition.

indeed riverwalk and performed before Islam ..it is cultural in origin not religious. Not that I would condone it either way!