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Female genital cutting is believed to have originated in Pharaonic Egypt . It crosses the lines of various religious groups. It is found among Muslims.
A number of reasons are put forward for the practice of FGC. These include the belief that it annuls or moderates sexual desires in women. It is also believed that it is more hygienic. Frequently the practice is associated with traditional initiation rites. Some believe religion justifies the practice. In some cultures there exists the belief that a newborn child has elements of both sexes. In the male body the foreskin of the penis is considered to be the female element. In the female body the clitoris is considered to be the male element. Hence when the adolescent is reaching puberty, these elements are removed to make the indication of sex clear.
The operation is most often carried out by female practitioners. Thus it has been attributed by some authors to a deep-rooted fear of elder women that the more attractive younger women might seduce away their husbands and thus leave them without support.
Among practicing cultures, FGC is most commonly performed between the ages of four and eight. As with most plastic surgery, advocates of it believe it should be performed under hygienic conditions and with the application of an appropriate anaesthetic. However, this technology has only been available for a relatively short time, and even today the procedure is usually carried out without anesthesia and under unsanitary conditions. As with any procedure, FGC can be extremely painful and dangerous to health when not performed hygienically.
It has frequently been stated that FGC negatively affects the sexual functioning of circumcised women. It has been argued that the physical alteration of external female genitalia creates conditions that inhibit the ability of women to achieve an optimal sexual experience. Researchers point to consequences such as painful sexual intercourse, reduction of sexual pleasure, among others, as being a direct consequence of partial removal or damage to essential genital organs such as the clitoral hood, clitoris and labia or through stitching and narrowing the vagina
References-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_circumcision#Cultural_background
http://www.kuleuven.be/onderzoek/onderzoeksdatabank/project/3M05/3M050851.htm
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