Thursday, February 12, 2009
Back to the Blog!
Welcome back! Based on our discussion of ethnocentrism, I wanted to bring up this situation. In some countries, teenage girls are required to undergo female genital mutilation as a rite of passage to adulthood. (If you have never heard of it, look it up.) If someone from another country wanted to practice their culture here in Raleigh and have their daughters go through this practice, should they be legally allowed to do it?
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My personal opinion would be No,and to tell that person to go into some other country who actually practice this type of tradition because thats not how things are done in the United States of America. In the eyes of enthnocentrism I would have to understand that it is apart of that person's culture and accepted it as it is. I believe that people get offended sometimes because they are only thinking of their own beliefs and feelings and never think of how they would feel if it was the other way around. When I hear about things that other cultures do that our culture doesn't do I try to think from the other point What if someone told me I shouldn't do what I believe in how would I feel?
ReplyDeleteThis is a hard one Dr.G. Even though it isn't my belief, we should adapt to other culture's. I don't feel that the person would be able to do it long if it where to get out about the mutilation. Some people in society would not like it and if child protective services maybe found out they would be arrested and sent back to there country.
ReplyDeleteThere was a man here in N.C. that took nude pictures of his child, because it was what they did in his country to show the joy and excitment of the birth. He took the photos to have them developed and he got arrested.(child pornography)
Like you said in class we need not to be so quick to judge what other cultures do. It's hard because we feel what we do is right and it just maybe wrong.
I think that if a person wanted to perform female mutilation here in Raleigh they should be able to do so legally. The United States is suppose to the land of the "Free" so if we prevent people from other cultures from practicing their ways we are wrong. If female multation is a custom in their culture then there is nothing that we can do about it. If the United States started to tell every single culture that they aren't allowed to practice their own personal beliefs and customs then this country would riot. Instead of being closed minded about this particular custom boys get the exact same thing done at birth or depending on what type of religion or cultural background that you belong to. It might be as painful or secrete but it is the same thing. So if Raleigh or any other state doesn't make a big deal about boys being mutilated then it should not be the same way with girls.
ReplyDeleteIf you think about other cultures might think that it is wrong for boys to be mutilated at birth and they beleive that we are bad people, so we cannnot judge other cultures for what they do with their own people. Instead we should just learn their ways and accept them.
If someone wanted to practice their culture I don't think there should be a problem. For one this is the land of the free and we do have freedom of religion. But at the same time it varies what you can practice. For example some culture allow for male to have more than one wife but in the United States its prohibited. Altogether I think the ritual should be allow to be practice out of respect of the culture itself.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with Stephanie. We as Americans live by the Land Of The Free but a lot of our judgments are so socially constructed the we as a country has completely ignored the word "FREE". I feel that to live by this slogan it would only be right to allow different cultures to practice there cultural beliefs even if it is considered to be taboo in our society. I try to be very sensitive to other culture's practices because a lot of thing that we do in the American culture are considered to be out of the norm to other cultures.
ReplyDeleteTo us this ritual is looked upon as crulty but this is a ritual that has been set for god knows how long. Prohibiting the practice here would be trying to change there heritage and beliefs.
BUt then on the other hand since we are the land of the free that also mean the people are intitled to make their own decisions. Female Genital Mutilation is often performed when she is young i think an article quoted around 10. I feel that as long as she dose not protest the ritual that it is okay but the options should be given. this will balance freedom of choice and practices of other cultures.
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ReplyDeleteWell I don't particularly favor female genital mutilation, but if it is someone's culture, then their culture shouldn't be judged. If we don't want people to judge us then we shouldn't judge them. As long as they don't try to convince us to convert to their culture, then they have every right to practice their freedom here. I'm sure there are things that we do in our culture that they probably don't agree with, but it is our responsibility to accept the differences in culture. We ought to learn more about other cultures and seek understanding of why they do certain things.
ReplyDeleteI feel that it is totally okay for them to practice it in other cultures. I have nothing aganist what another person practices or believe. Its tradition to them and thats cool. It should be perfeclty fine for someone to practice their beilefs where ever they live. As long as it is not harmful to anyone.
ReplyDeleteBut for me I dont agree. My birthday is actually tomorrow and I would go crazy if someone wanted to practice this on me. It would have been ok if I was circumsised as a baby because I would have never known what I was missing but to go through it now. It would feel akward and uncomfortable.
Honestly, just like others have said, I wouldn't agree with it. I also was thinking that ther person should take thier daughter back to their country to have it done. If they really believe in it and its thier culture and they feel like its do or die then, if its leagal here in Raleigh, then I say they should be able to.
ReplyDeleteBefore I did research my opinion was to let them do whatever they want. If female Genital Mutilation is something practiced as a part of someones culture, then who are we to say no.
ReplyDeleteAfter I researched Female Genital Mutilation and realized that it basically is not beneficial at all and is recognized as a violation of human rights of girls and women I have changed my mind. There are too many complications involved with female Genital Mutilation that have lifelong effects.
it is whatever floats your boat
ReplyDeleteIn my own opinion i think that Gential Mutilation shouldn't be allowed at all for females. But i can't say that because its how they live their culture. And who are we to judge on how they allow their females into adulthood. Even if they are in Amereican and they want to practice their culture here i think it should be allow.
ReplyDeleteIf we don't let them practice their culture then what does that say about Americans? We have different things we do in our culture, and just because we don't do it here doesn't mean it not right in another part of the country.
Disreguard that last comment. I think that it should stay in the countries where it is legal and not affect the females all over the world. My opinion is that people have different cultures and that we should interfere with other cultures. We are Americans for a reason to have our own peace of mind. It is violating women's rights to do what they want to do with the bodies.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Lauren that there are lifelong affects that go along with mutilation but on the other hand even though there are effects most cultures do not think about that. They believe that this is a way to keep young girls from having sex until they are married. If a girl is hurt for a lifetime then at least she cannot have sex with many partners. She will be faithful to her husband.
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I agree or disagree because we are all entitled to our own opinions. I have a friend that is from Somalia and so is his wife. She had this procedure performed on her. They are trying to have a child so they tried to have it reversed. The doctor's here in the U.S. are findind it hard for her to conceive, but they are still trying.
ReplyDeleteI just believe that what you do in your culture should remain. We don't understand it, but we shouldn't knock it.
With this one I feel like it is up to the family and the girl. If it is their culture then they should be able to practice it. Of course here in America it would be looked at as insane and maybe even cruel and unusual punishment but like you said in their country it is a sign of adulthood.
ReplyDeleteIf I made the rules I would say if this is what they really want than they shall have it. I would also let them know that I disapprove of this practice and it does not seem like something that should determine adulthood, but I would still leave the decision up to the family
This is a thing of is it right to make someone conform to what you feel is right. I think that you are who you are and you do what you know. If this is what a culture does then it is not our place to say that they can or can not practice what they know and believe in. There may be things that we do not agree on but who are we to say that it is right or not. If this what their culture is i think and believe that we should let them practice what they practice it is time we stay out of other culture and stay in ours. If we did we would be in so many worldly issues.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Miss Carter to an extent because I know I want kids and to have this procedure would prevent me from having kids. If the procedure was done while I was a baby, then like she said, I would never know what was missing. I can't want to produce kids if I know I can't have them. This procedure is really not practiced in the US for me to just accept it; so though I feel they should be able to practice their culture here, I am not in agreement with what they do. Maybe it is because it's not something I'm used to, but I am against the procedure. I don't mean to judge their culture, but it is natural because we don't practice it.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't think female mutilation should be allowed. I don't think it should be allowed in no country. This is very violent and cruel behavior to anyone. God gives us what he expects us to have and people want to change God's work. God plan for women to reproduce and with female mutilatilon it can be a problem. I think this is a very viscous and violent act.
ReplyDeleteMan,that is a tough call for the simple fact that people migrate to America for numerous reasons. One being the right to practice, and value tradtions that has become a custom in thier lifestyle. This makes them who they are and it also makes them different from me and you. If we deprive some one the right to follow through with what they beleive to be an introduction into womanhood then we should also deprive the right for jews to have a Bar Mitzva and the right for American to have cotillion should be denied as well. Yes, some may say that this procedure can be considered violation of human rights, but it a procedure that has taken place for over 100 years. America prides itself on being the land of the free, meaning people are pretty much free to do what they believe is morally correct. We as Americans do not practice this tradtion so to us it is not acceptable. And in the eyes of others American traditions are not acceptable, but we want outsiders to accept it when they become citizens of our land. I am not against this procedure, but I am for reconstruction of it. It should be the choice of the young lady who has to undergo the painful procedure whether or not she chooses to live out her culture here in America.
ReplyDeleteHere's my take on things...I do believe and practice cultural relativism...I believe it's because I'm well traveled that I am able to see the differences in all the nations and accept them all. I believe that if someone has personal beliefs in genital mutilation, they should be able to practice them. Those who practice this behavior do it for a reason that we shouldn't be expected to understand...but they understand it. I'm sure they don't agree with all the things we do to our daughters...(pagentry for example). Legally it should be looked at as a personal procedure that the girls choose to do and should be no different than maybe a girl getting her genitals pierced...but then again..I'm super liberal...so I don't believe in oppressing other people or their culture.
ReplyDeleteI agree with keiara... i hope i spelled it right. I agree with her because if someone wanted to practice thigns of that nature that are not practiced here in america they should stay where they are. Expecially since many times the child is in pain and really does nto agree with it. This is America, the free country and if the child says no then no is the answer. People come to America to get away from the crazy things that their countries may do. Things they dont agree with or wnat to be apart of.o why would you come to a place to get away from those practices and then continue those practices? I just dont understand it. I guess maybe I feel this way because I dont agree with the cultures who do this anyways. I guess you could cal me being ethnocentric.
ReplyDeleteIf i look at it from the perspective of people in that culture, I guess I would say somethign more like, if its a free country, we should be able to do what we wnat and if we would like to carry some traditions from our original culture then thats our business. I still don't personally agree with the idea but I guess coming from a culture that doesn't practice it, even reading about it, i still dont particularly understand why they would do that. I think the girls who this is performed on should have a choice on if they wish to participate in this type of ritual or not.
Even reading about the cultures who do practice this, I don't understand why they do it. It puts the young woman of their culture in pain and scares them... it almost scared them into not wanting to become a "woman" so I guess maybe im being ethnocentric because I really am trying hard to understand it but I just dont get it
ReplyDeleteWell I know America is the land of the free; however, if America adapted to everyones' religion and or culture we would be one big crazy place. I watch on National Geographic Explore what alot of different tribes did all over the world based on their traditions and or beliefs. Frankly half of the stuff I see them do should be illegal. Some of these tribes inflict some of the harshes rituals and procedures I have ever seen. I dont feel based on some of the ethical laws we have here that they would be able to pull some of those things off here in America. I dont feel when you do this to a young woman (girl) that they realize how much damage and pain they are causing her. There was a lady from Africa on Top Model who had this procedure done on her and she felt so bad about it and you could tell that everytime she talked about it, it hurt her. She is now in America and will never be able to have sexual intercourse with a male. Morever, if this is America which is home of the free shouldn't these little girls be free to keep their genitals?
ReplyDeleteI would say no based on the fact that there are many foreign customs or traditions that if practiced here would be illegal or socially unaccepted, or perhaps morally wrong. I might not see a problem with it if it didn't involve 'harming' another human being (with or without consent), but since it does it will clash greatly with the culture here in America.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Trey's solution. To make a trip back to that country where it is practiced in order to perform that ritual would be some sort of solution.
ReplyDeleteI believe that female mutilation should not be praticed in our country due to America's way of living. I know that it is a free country and America is a diverse society with different cultures messing with the female genital organs may cause problems in the near future. In our country if we go ahead and let this pratice be legally praticed we as Americans would break our societies way of how female are suppose to live and stay healthy. I just think this kind of tradition should stay in there own culture.
ReplyDeleteNo i don't think she should make her daughter go thur that pain just she feels its right because its not. I think should keep her culture close to her daughter but don't go out that far she has to remember she's in america not home.
ReplyDelete