American Association of Pediatrics revokes compromise on female genital mutilation

Equality

It’s always such a good breath of fresh air to see reason and sanity triumph over the darkness that archaic mindsets would like to throw us back into. Earlier this month, the American Association Academy of Pediatrics actually suggested a compromise for female genital mutilation (FGM, or clitoredectomy), saying that doctors giving in to retarded cultures could just perform a “ritual nick” on girls’ genitals as opposed to slicing the clitoris off outright. Naturally, this received its just reaction: one of widespread outrage. I don’t care what your culture, beliefs or religion may dictate; you don’t have the right to bring a knife to innocent little girls’ genitals. (Or boys’, for that matter, but that’s another – and admittedly, rather less grave – matter.)

Well, perhaps realizing that there was no way to get out of this one in a good public light (perhaps not to mention that whole “ethics of slicing up girls’ genitals” bit), the AAP has issued a revised statement expressly condemning their own previous compromise on FGM:

(CNN) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics has rescinded a controversial policy statement raising the idea that doctors in some communities should be able to substitute demands for female genital cutting with a harmless clitoral "pricking" procedure.

"We retracted the policy because it is important that the world health community understands the AAP is totally opposed to all forms of female genital cutting, both here in the U.S. and anywhere else in the world," said AAP President Judith S. Palfrey.

The contentious policy statement, issued in April, had condemned the practice of female genital cutting overall. But a small portion of statement suggesting the pricking procedure riled U.S. advocacy groups and survivors of female genital cutting.

Of course, they shouldn’t have even made such an unspeakable compromise to begin with. But it is nice that they’re trying to fix their screw-up, if only in response to public pressure. As a civilized society, we have no business kowtowing to the horrible and downright retarded demands of some cultures who wish to oppress women to the point where they are no longer able to even enjoy sex or have children, amongst other things. The only possibly right answer in the event of such demands is a very, very firm “NO (and fuck you for even asking)”. End of story.

(via Pharyngula)