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From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.religion,net.books
Subject: Re: Law and Christianity (sort of)
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Date: Thu, 7-Mar-85 15:24:34 EST
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> > I'll also add that by female mutilations, people usually mean foot-binding,
> > among other things, but the primary item is the clitorectomy, the removal
> > of a girl's clitoris to greatly reduce her future pleasure in sex (don't
> > want them to ahve any fun. now do we ?). This is still practiced in many
> > African and Near Eastern cultures and is probably the most pervasive type
> > of female mutilation still extant.
> > 
> > jcpatilla
> > 
> 
> Does anyone know what reasons (excuses) such societies state for their
> practice of clitorectomy?  I doubt that they actually claim that they do
> it in order to reduce the girl's future pleasure.  In the U.S., large
> numbers of unnecessary hysterectomies have been performed under the name
> of "health".  I'm always interested in how people justify their behavior.
> -- 
> Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)

I have heard two excuses.  The first is that it reduces the probability
of adultery.  Since this practice occurs in countries where the penalties
for adultery are already severe (for the woman) one might think additional 
precautions were superfluous.  However, the same culture that prescribes
death for adultery is unlikely to draw the line at mutililation to
prevent it.  The second is not so much a justification as a defense;
"This is our culture.  It's none of your business."  Of course, the
same can be said for burning heretics or executing political prisoners.
(Come to think of it, I think the same *has* been said for these practices.)


"Don't argue with a fool.      Ethan Vishniac
 Borrow his money."            {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan

*Anyone who wants to claim these opinions is welcome to them.*