The enlightened Egyptians. A doctor's view.

http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=subjects&Area=reform&ID=SP4299 ^ | August 3, 1999 | www.memri.org

[Desron13]

Dr. Ahmad 'Ukasha, a professor of psychiatry, refers to the celebrations that accompany the circumcision operation which is usually attended by the girl's family and relatives. Dr. 'Ukasha views this as humiliating, because the girl, he says, is crying in pain, while everybody around are singing and laughing. In many cases, the girl feels oppressed and starts hating herself and her gender. A long treatment is required to overcome the bad psychological consequences.

However, there are senior doctors in Egypt who do not share this opinion. Dr. Munir Muhammad Fauzi, the Head of the Gynecology Department at the Ein Shams University in Cairo was the one who appealed against the Minister of Health's prohibition on female circumcision. The Head of the Orthopedic Department at the hospital in the city of Embaba, claims that "circumcision is very beneficial for girls. It is only the protruding part of the clitoris that is being cut off. This operation both beautifies and purifies the woman. About the rumors of damage caused to girls by the circumcision - this happens only with girls who do not go to experts."

Dr. Majdi Mahfouz, a pediatrician and internist, adds: "female circumcision is mandatory both from the medical and the psychological sense. I perform this operation in my private clinic. Had I turned down the girls who come to my clinic, they would have it done by non-experts. The minister's decision would lead to that, because the phenomenon is widespread." "I will perform it on my daughters," Dr. Mahfouz concludes, "it protects women from the vices spread in our society."

[Desron13]

This is from a doctor in Egypt. Apparently he thinks that mutilating a young girl's genitailia is good medicine. Welcome to the religion of peace.

[dagnabbit]

Celebrate Diversity Bump

[Cate]

Uh, what vices would be spread in his society? Sexual enjoyment. Thats very bad for women... not...

[timm22]

Uh, what vices would be spread in his society? Sexual enjoyment. Thats very bad for women... not...

What are you, some kind of heathen moral-liberal? </ sarcasm>

[freedom44]

Africans have been doing that for ages.
It has nothing to do with 'Islam'.

[freedom44]

Africans have been doing that for ages.
It has nothing to do with 'Islam'.

[Cate]

I gladly accept the heathen part :)

[freedom44]

It's not a Muslim practice, but more so an African practice and Asian practice. It's practiced in most African countries historically.

http://www.who.int/inf-fs/en/fact241.html

Prevalence and Distribution of FGM
Most of the girls and women who have undergone genital mutilation live in 28 African countries, although some live in Asia and the Middle East. They are also increasingly found in Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA, primarily among immigrants from these countries.

Today, the number of girls and women who have been undergone female genital mutilation is estimated at between 100 and 140 million. It is estimated that each year, a further 2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM.

[Cate]

Or maybe it was the other 'h' word hedonistic...I always get those two mixed up.

[Savage Beast]

"Circumcision is very beneficial for girls. It is only the protruding part of the clitoris that is being cut off. This operation both beautifies and purifies the woman."

Maybe the Head of the Orthopedics Department would like to have himself beautified and purified! It is only the protruding part of his penis that would be cut off. I'm sure it would find this operation very beneficial.

"About the rumors of damage caused to girls by the circumcision - this happens only with girls who do not go to experts."

Oh...them. I know just what you mean: to hell with 'em. If they don't go to an expert, they deserve whatever they get.

THESE ARE CHILDREN, YOU FOOL!

These men call themselves physicians???

The more the world learns about Muslims the more it recoils in disgust!

[Desron13]

Just what the hell do you mean that it has nothing to do with Islam. It's obvious from this article that this barbaric practice is the norm in the Islamic world. Please explain yourself.

[redheadtoo]

It's obvious from this article that this barbaric practice is the norm in the Islamic world.

Female circumcision is widely used in many parts of the Islamic world. But, there is no mention of the practice in the Koran. Most Moslems, who practice circumcision, are unaware that they are engaged in a cultural practice rather than a religious practice.

[1066AD]

Yes, my wife was at college with a Kenyan lady who had endured this - and who was not a muslim. I believe it is indeed more an African "thing" tho' where Islam has taken hold e.g. Somalia etc it has become absorbed. Reminds me of a story from a guy I worked with on one foreign assignment, he got so enamoured with a local (Somali) girl that they both spent time undoing her "stitches" with his Swiss Army Knife - love will find a way ! True story :)

[NewRomeTacitus]

"This operation both beautifies and purifies the woman."

Hugh Hefner, Bob Guccione and the rest of the Western world disagree. This barbaric custom is a way to minimize a womans enjoyment of sex, for life. It's not enough that they be forced to wear concealing bags over the bodies God gave them and occasionally get executed for their "master's" own indiscretions.
That this savage is regarded as a physician...sheesh.

[Elsie]

Celebrate Diversity BumpLESS!!

[SarahW]

Egyptian Muslim clerics were outraged by the prospect of laws banning genital mutilation of girls....

It's origin is cultural, but the practice has been coopted and rationalized as required by the tenents of the islamic faith, on general principles.

[Redbob]

Further evidence of the sick Arab mind - as if it were needed.

[Henrietta]

"THESE ARE CHILDREN, YOU FOOL!"

Exactly! So why do most Americans have their male babies circumcised? I've always thought this quite barbaric...

I know some do it for "hygenic" reasons, but why not just wash his little pee-pee if it needs it, rather than just cutting off the skin?

[Kozak]

The Head of the Orthopedic Department at the hospital in the city of Embaba

Orthopedist? Sounds like he's the one with the orthopedic problem. The gigantic bone in his head where his brain ought to be....

[Savage Beast]

Male circumcision may not be the best idea, although it doesn't do much if any harm, and in the Western nations it is done by a physician under surgical circumstances.

Clitoridectomy is an entirely different matter. It is savage and absurd, and, if done under non-surgical circumstances, dangerous.