Groups host talk on female genital mutilation

For most, sex is an enjoyable experience — but for millions of women around the globe, it brings only the painful reminders of the mutilation they experienced.

Monday night, members of the Student Ambassadors of the World, Civic House Associates Coalition and the UPenn Africa Project hosted a discussion about female genital cutting at the Penn Women’s Center. The discussion attracted around 25 Penn students.

The event began with an introduction to the people and the facts behind female genital cutting through short excerpts from the short documentary Warrior Marks. The film featured 22-year-old Aminata Diop, who fled to France for political asylum when asked to have an excision done to her. Her husband disapproved, as did her mother, who both viewed the custom as part of a woman’s destiny.

Religious Studies professor Anthea Butler and Anthropology professor Claudia Valeggia followed the clip with a panel-style conversation with the audience, which addressed the boundary line between cultural differences and harmful practices. Although the documentary focused on Africa, Butler made sure to mention to the crowd, “You saw this in African countries. It also happens in Muslim countries.”

She added that such practices aren’t confined to the east but can be found in Western countries as well. “Things don’t stop just because you come to a place that’s democratic.”

Butler added that the procedure is “control of a woman’s sexuality,” calling it “a natural chastity belt.” Valeggia, playing “devil’s advocate,” said those who support the procedure believe “human right is to provide the family with the honor of having an untouched girl” — bringing up the question: “Is there any universal wrong?”

College juniors Meredith Thurston, president of SAW, and Madeleine Macks, liasion for CHAC, also appreciated the event. Thurston was “really impressed by the questions people brought up,” unsure whether the panelists would dominate the conversation. Macks added it was a “perfect balance between dialogue between students.” They agreed, almost in unison, they “learned a lot.”

Wharton and College sophomore Kenny Puk came to the event aware that female genital cutting was an issue, having been introduced to the subject in high school and reintroduced briefly by The Vagina Monologues two weeks prior. Puk was shocked to learn that the ritual could even be found in West Philadelphia. “In the end,” Puk said, “not everybody needs to know about it to change something.”

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