Comments on: Good news from Cairo

By: Frumious B

Frumious B — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 16:48:23 +0000

I heard a great quote from Kofi Annan on NPR this morning. I’m not sure of the context, but I think it’s applicable to FGC. I’m paraphrasing since I don’t recall the exact words, but it was something along the lines of:

“Human rights are not a Western import, they are intrinsic.”

By: Anna in Portland (was Cairo)

Anna in Portland (was Cairo) — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 06:46:38 +0000

This is good. The practice is still pretty common in Egypt (as well as a lot of other African countries) – I hope this will help the NGOs that are working with women in rural areas where it is most prevalent by giving them an argument that people will listen to.

By: Mnemosyne

Mnemosyne — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:52:40 +0000

From what I’ve heard in the past, claiming that this practice is dictated by Islam has about as much validity as insisting that Santa Claus is integral to Christmas. So I’m glad to hear that scholars are coming out to deny that it’s “required” in some way.

By: johanna

johanna — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:15:38 +0000

This is wonderful news. It’s good to see Muslim scholars responding in this manner (reminds me of Fauziya Kassindja’s father in Do They Hear You When You Cry?).

By: Jill

Jill — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 20:02:32 +0000

Sorry if this was triggering for anyone. I’ll edit it now and put it below the cut.

By: cry4turtles

cry4turtles — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 18:11:51 +0000

My initial reaction to this was blind rage. I silently screamed, “Each and every person responsible for this deserves a .38 slug between their eyes.”

I had to sit back, take several deep breaths, and a sip of calming tea.

Then inside my skull echoed the words, “Each and every person responsible for this deserves a .38 slug between their eyes.”

By: Natalia

Natalia — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:42:22 +0000

I didn’t read the description. I’ve read others, I’ve seen pictures, etc. I can’t read this stuff anymore.

Especially since I have spoken to people – young Muslim women, no less, who passionately defend the practice. And then there are the men that defend it too. Qaradawi comes to mind. A young man I spoke to just the other day – “I don’t care if it’s against the law in Canada, my daughter will be cut, she will be a good woman.”

They see that last bit of female autonomy in sexual pleasure, and they wish to cut it out. Literally.

This practice is supported by a “weak” hadith that these people cling to. To hell with them, seriously. If officially declaring it un-Islamic doesn’t help, I don’t know what will.

By: Craig R.

Craig R. — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:58:48 +0000

Leave the description above the fold.

It needs to be there.

It “NSFW” is the issue, it will still be the issue when the reader opens the expanded text.

By: evil fizz

evil fizz — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:29:34 +0000

But why the hell shouldn’t we be shocked into doing something about it, rather than shuffle the horror of the cutting back under the carpet.

Well, two reasons. One, for some of us, it’s a little NSFW. For others, graphic scenes of sexualized violence can be triggering.

It’s not an unwillingness to hear about it, just the need to do so at a suitable time and place.

By: Em

Em — Sat, 09 Dec 2006 12:26:26 +0000

No one is asking to ignore it. A cut with a warning with be nice. Unless, of course, you enjoy thinking that people may be triggered by the passage.