Changes

Quite a few alibis are given as to why male and female circumcision must be placed in different articles, and they will be debunked and discussed at length in this article. However, before going any further, the common thread that binds male and female forced genital cutting will be presented, and it is this; forcefully cutting off part of the genitals of a healthy, non-consenting individual violates the exact same principle of [[genital integrity]].

! [[Clitoridectomy ]] and [[Infibulation]] in Africa

| "It's only a little piece of [[skin]]. The baby does not feel any pain because his nervous system is not developed yet."

|"An intact [[vulva ]] is unclean and only the lowest prostitute would leave her daughter intact. No man would dream of marrying an unclean woman. He would be laughed at by everyone."|"An intact [[penis ]] is dirty and only the lowest class of people with no concept of hygiene leave their boys intact."

Male genital cutting can consist of a mere prick to draw a drop of blood, to cutting off just the tip of the foreskin, full [[excision]] of the [[foreskin]], a procedure called subincision where the underside of the penis is cut lengthwise to expose the [[urethra]], to a [[penectomy]] or shaft removal, castration or the removal of the testes, to the removal of the shaft and testes.

The WHO's definition of Type II FGM is "partial or total removal of the [[clitoris]] and the [[labia minora]], with or without [[excision]] of the [[labia majora]]. When it is important to distinguish between the major variations that have been documented, the following subdivisions are proposed: Type IIa, removal of the [[labia minora ]] only; Type IIb, partial or total removal of the [[clitoris]] and the [[labia minora]]; Type IIc, partial or total removal of the [[clitoris]], the [[labia minora ]] and the [[labia majora]].<ref name="WHO - Terminology">{{REFweb

The WHO defines Type III FGM as narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and repositioning the [[labia minora ]] and/or the [[labia majora]], with or without [[excision]] of the [[clitoris]] ([[infibulation]])."<!-- <ref name="WHO-2006-10-02"/> --> It is the most extensive form of FGM, and accounts for about 10% of all FGM procedures described from Africa.<ref>{{REFweb

Two factors make the difference between a mutilation and surgical procedure; medical necessity and/or [[informed consent]]. If there is no medical necessity, a procedure is still valid and acceptable if the recipient gives his or her full consent. This must happen in elective cosmetic surgery for example. When there is a medical necessity, but the patient is a minor, this decision must be left up to the minor's parents or guardians. The controversy in male circumcision is in that it is usually performed on a healthy, non-consenting minor where there is no medical necessity or clinical indication. Can a doctor perform non-medical surgerey surgery on a healthy, non-consenting child without a medical necessity or clinical indication, let alone give parents or guardians the option?