Gynecologists argue breast implants are comparable to female genital mutilation, therefore FGM should be legal

'We are not arguing that any procedure on the female genitalia is desirable. Rather, we only argue that certain procedures ought to be tolerated by liberal societies.'

A new report claims female genital mutilation (FGM) should be classified the same way male circumcision and breast implants are. The World Health Organization (WHO) fights back, saying all forms of FGM are harmful and violations of human rights - nothing like circumcisions or implants.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - On Monday, two American gynecologists claimed female genital mutilation should be allowed in countries that currently hold a ban on such archaic and damaging practices.

The report on how to classify cases of FGM, which they move to call "female genital alteration," includes three main categories outlining which procedures should be legal and which should not.

The categories the gynecologists Kavita Shah Arora and Allan Jacobs claim should be legal are:

• Procedures that leave no long-lasting effects on either appearance or function, such as small nicks to the vulvar skin.
• Procedures that change the appearance slightly, but don't have lasting effects on sexual fulfillment or reproductive capabilities, such as labiaplasty.
• To be banned: Procedures that maim, harm or impair sexual fulfillment and reproductive/birthing functions of the genitalia.

Why either gynecologist believes any form of FGM is acceptable relates to traditions and customs of certain groups who often have their daughters visit unlicensed, illegal practitioners who use crude tools on children.

WHO immediately responded by updating its Fact Sheet on FGM.

WHO's "Key facts" are:

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.
• The procedure has no health benefits for girls and women.
• Procedures can cause severe bleeding and problems urinating, and later cysts, infections, as well as complications in childbirth and increased risk of newborn deaths.
• More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut in the 29 countries in Africa and Middle East where FGM is concentrated.
• FGM is mostly carried out on young girls sometime between infancy and age 15.
• FGM is a violation of the human rights of girls and women.

WHO clearly states that there are zero health benefits of FGM and that procedures can result in long-term consequences. 

Professor Ruth Macklin, of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, commented: "Ultimately, I suggest that children of whatever sex or gender should be free from having healthy parts of their most intimate sexual organs either damaged or removed, before they can understand what is at stake in such an intervention and agree to it themselves."
In another instance, Macklin said, "There is no doubt that in whatever form, FGA has its origin and purpose in controlling women."

No matter how nicely Arora and Jacobs word female genital mutilation and attempt to claim such practices should be legal for cultural reasons, it is important to understand that some traditions are better left in the past.

Please do NOT let the friendly term "female genital alteration" fool you. Stand against legalizing any form of mutilation by educating yourself and others with facts.

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