In these first few weeks of class we have discussed many interesting and debating issues that arise in our personal lives and also the lives of others. We touched on many topics such as the “Virtue Theory”, “Consequentialism” and “Deontology” but, what caught my attention was the discussing on Yael Tamir’s “Hands off Clitoridectomy”. Clitoridectomy is obviously a deplorable practice. It is an extremely painful, traumatizing mutilation of young girls that leaves them permanently disfigured and deprived of sexual enjoyment.We should express no sympathy toward those who practice it, and support those who struggle to end it.
(Yael Tamir) After reading and discussing the issue of clitoridectomy I would have to say I am stuck between saying it is ok and that it should be condemned and never be performed again. After reading the article by Tamir she raised many strong points on the situation and made you look at both sides of the argument rather than just one. Clitoridectomy is practiced on young girls ages 13-14 where they are believed to be an adult.There clitoris is then cut out leaving them not able to enjoy full sexual enjoyment. This practice is unsafe because it can cause mutilation to the body, cause infection and even pain for the young girl during sexual intercourse.
Clitoridectomy suggests that women are just sexual beings and that they are just a sexual object for men to use to reach their own sexual enjoyment. I believe that Clitoridectomy is an argument that can be disputed with many different opinions but can never actually be resolved.This is a practice that some people around the world do but, what makes it any different from other practices that people make, like plastic surgery putting themselves through pain to try and better themselves by making themselves more attractive by others. How do we know that some if not all these women who get these clitoridectomy do enjoy and want it and would rather not feel sexual enjoyment and just bear children for their husbands, but there is also a chance that they do not enjoy or want the surgery and are just too young and naive to know the difference and also unable to stop what is being done to them.In a situation like this we need to open our minds and leave our feelings aside and really look at both sides of the argument. If the practice of clitoridectomy is something these people truly believes in and would do anything to keep the tradition going, who are we to stop them? Unfortunately clitoridectomy is a practice that in many eyes is wrong and just not fair for these women who have to endure this horrible procedure.
In my eyes the cons definitely outweigh the pros in this situation. I believe that clitoridectomy is wrong and unfair to the women who do not want to have it done but, I cannot say the same for the women who might actually want it done. In today’s world there are many different cultures that have many different beliefs and practices that we may not agree with but, we do have to respect it.
