Let's talk about FGM... And then some.

My professor asked me to slightly change the topic of this blog and she made very valid points as to why. 

Before I detail that, I want to quickly ramble some more disclaimers about myself.

I have always had a difficult time blogging. 

It's just the starting the post and well... the pushing of the 'publish' button at the end. 

I can't tell you how many times my mouse has hovered over 'publish', eventually deciding to make that decision later and having that post never see the light of day. 

If I do press the button to publish the blog, it's after a fairly self-depercating "pep" talk to myself detailing the ways I can later edit the post and reminding myself that no one really cares what I think anyway, so no one will read the post (therefore there's nothing to fear). I can't describe to you how bitter sweet it feels to acknowledge this. 

It's honestly not that I'm a timid person or that I think that I am unintelligent or have low self esteem at all... It's actually quite the opposite. I think I am capible of great things, and therefore I am afraid to push 'publish' because I am constantly reminding myself that I am always capable of doing better. 

Which brings me back to my professor's suggestion. 

She believes that tackling the issue of Female Genital Mutilation as a whole is too small of an undertaking--- just hold on a minute and see where I'm going with this.

She believes that FGM is a symptom of a greater problem within society! 

Only addressing FGM is actually a distraction from the overlying problem-which is what she wants me to investigate and write about instead. 

It is a HUGE undertaking. 

I thought making Female Genital Mutilation a less taboo topic to discuss was a rather ambitious goal, but she's 100% correct. 

Let's say miraculously I do make an impact on the practice of FGM, and somehow it stops being implemented I those societies... Then what?

The underlying problems still exist! Women are still treated unequal and there are still so many symptoms that are left untreated... Why not go straight to the disease?

It makes since. 

So let's talk about FGM... But not JUST about FGM, but also the reasons why this is even a tradition. 

Let's talk about where it's practiced and figure out why it started and why it still exists in order to see the bigger picture and address the disease... Not just treat the symptoms. 

If by some chance someone out there is reading this, please help me. 

This is a network and we must work together. 

We are each the unique tools that are necessary for this missive undertaking. 

Let's talk about FGM. 

  

What is Female Genital Mutilation?

According to the World Health Organization:

• 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, infertility 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 (1).
• 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.

Let's talk about FGM. 

The Point Of Talking About Mutilated Vaginas

No matter what the reason is behind you stumbling across this page, the end result is clear... You ended up here, staring at a screen that is talking about genitals... and not only is it talking about genitals, it is talking about mutilated vaginas. 

And now you may be thinking to yourself, "Gross, why should I read this?", but possibly you are intrigued. 

There is a reason that your finger is hovering over the back button.

Something this grotesque may in fact peak your interest. 

Maybe you've never heard of Female Genital Mutilation, you've only come across the subject briefly, or perhaps you are well informed about the topic and actually came looking for this blog.

No matter the reason behind you reading this, I have your attention, and while I have your (potentially short lived) interest, I plan on taking advantage of it by giving you as much information about genital mutilation as your brain can hold.

I want to take you inside of societies that practice FGM by helping you see that it's not so far away... Although you may have a healthy, non-mutilated vagina yourself, FGM DOES affect you.

Please, follow me down the rabbit hole, let me talk to you about FGM, and please make this a two-way conversation. 

Do you see that little url above this blog? It says LETS TALK ABOUT FGM. 

So lets talk about it!

I am BY NO MEANS an expert on the topic of FGM. 

I am a young, white, american girl that has lived in the midwest for most of her life, but I am passionate about empowering women. 

This is what drives me, pushes me every day that I wake up. 

Women are being taken advantage of across the world. 

Women are told they do not need education or jobs, they are forced to be mutilated and raped, they are held to different standards than men. They are told they have sinned before they learn to walk.

I am dedicating my life to learning as much about these topics as I possibly can, meeting women and telling other's their story.

I plan to be a messenger girl of sorts, and I want to use this blog to do it.