What is female infibulation and what is the process? Well in the south of Africa females at birth or “coming of age “ must go through this painful process without numbing medication and is carried out by the elderly woman of the village. The young girls are held down by the assistants and /or family members to prevent her from struggling. It involves the complete removal of the clitoris and labia minora, together with the inner surface of the labia majora. The raw edges of the labia majora are brought together to fuse, using thorns, poultices or stitching to hold them in place, and paste mixtures made of herbs, cow dung, hot ashes, barks, and roots of trees or other mixtures are rubbed on the wound to stop the resultant bleeding.
The legs are then tied together for 2-6 weeks. The healed scar creates a hood of skin which covers the urethra and part or most of the vagina, and which acts as a physical barrier to intercourse. A small opening is left at the back to allow for the flow of urine and menstrual blood. The opening is surrounded by skin and scar tissue; it may be as small as the head of a matchstick as described by the world health organization. In simpler terms they sew the vagina up so they could only urinate and for their menstrual cycle.
This is their tradition so when the female has her male partner he cuts it open and after when she is pregnant they seal it again until the child is about to be conceived. After the child is conceived these poor women must go through the painful process for the third time. What is the purpose of this procedure? So, they do not become sexually active and also possibly the ancient superstition that an evil spirit may enter their body. The procedure is very risky since death is a high factor and also other health complications may occur.
This does not occur only in Africa but many different parts of the world. Why do mothers have their daughters go through this painful process? In the early years of history men have always tried to control sexuality since it is there weakness. Men have thrown away so much for this, in other words it can make or break men. For example Marc Anthony’s empire fell due to a war that started over a woman he desired. Who could forget about the Trojan War. Men go to the extreme by wasting exorbitant amounts of money just to escape a lonely Saturday night. Men crave sex more than woman because since the beginning of time were never restrained to sexuality. Men want to be feel like men so they must be dominate which all goes back to men’s masculinity. Men do not want woman to have a weapon to a mans arsenal.
