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I share people's horror at ALL forms of FGM. What interests me is that they resist the idea that it takes different forms. I get that you're angry & share that feeling: infant genital cutting should be outlawed worldwide. 1/
But why do you all keep insisting that it involves "cutting off the woman's clitoris." That is an inaccurate description of Type III (the worst & incidentally least common type of FGM)—which is actually even WORSE than your description. 2/
And it is a completely inaccurate description of Bohra practices (removing some skin from the clitoral hood) & of a lot of ritual practices which involve making a pinprick in the hood. If you are so passionate about opposing something—which I agree you should be. 3/
Why not take the time to describe it accurately? I increasingly believe that many people making these kinds of arguments aren't so much opposed to FGM as enthusiasts for circumcision. They care about FGM only as a narrative. 4/
They use it as a pretext. "This even worse thing exists, so it's OK for us to do this not-as-bad-though-still-bad thing." I hate this kind of thinking. 5/
Instead, how about having some consistent standards and values? Oppose any interference with a child's healthy genitalia, except on clear health grounds (i.e. the child will not be healthy without the procedure—a requirement that applies to neither circ nor FGM). 6/
