From: Jim Rosenfield <jnr@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Date: 11 Nov 92 19:42 PST
Subject: Female circumcision
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1471700242:000:4249
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!jnr    Nov 11 19:42:00 1992


From: Jim Rosenfield <jnr>

Date: 10 Nov 1992 14:13:19 +0200
From: Mark Ramsden <MARK@Uctvax.UCT.AC.ZA>
Subject: Re: Female Circumcision

Hi Jim

I missed most of the postings on female circumcision, yet I gather 
that you were the original person raising the topic.  I am sorry it
didn't seem to get many positive reactions and denegraded into a 
flame between oppossing political groups.  Since I have "missed the
boat" with this discussion (coming in on the tail-end), I am rather 
writing to you personally.

If you were wanting information on female circumcision, the following
books may be useful (written by african women):
Sisters in Affliction: Circumcision and Infibulation of Women in Africa
by Raqiya Haji Dualeh Abdallah, 1982 Zed Press; and
Woman, Why do you weep?  Circumcision and its consequences
by Asma El Dareer, 1982 Zed Press.

The second book looks at Somalia in particular, while the first book
examines a number of African countries.  

I was actually suprised that the first book didn't list South Africa as
one of the countries where female circumcision is practiced.  I had
assumed it was after an aquaintance of mine spoke about his wife and
daughters having been circumcised (clitorodectomy).  He was proud of it, 
and despite invoking the hostility of all others present, insisted 
it was good for their sexuality.  

He had lived in the Orange Free State before coming to Cape Town, 
which is where he had his children circumcised.  (Thinking now, it 
must have been before they started school - at the time they were in 
primary school).  He claimed that it was a custom of the Sotho people, 
and in the discussion we had, Xhosa, Zulu and Swazi people who were 
present spoke strongly against female circumcision.  

It also emerged that male circumcision was common to all of them except 
the Swazi.  What was also clear was that female circumcision was a way 
for the father and husband to assert control over his wife and children.  
The fact that the wife or daughters expected to be circumcised did not 
alter that.  He claimed his wife enjoyed sex "more" as a result of
the circumcision.  More than what I don't know since she was circumcised
as a child.  From all accounts (including this man's graphic description
of the circumcision) I doubt it is anything other than gross mutilation.

BTW I am not circumcised and appreciated a friend of mine's difficulty
when he was forced to "go to the bush" for male circumcision 
ceremonies.  He had actually been circumcised as a baby, as a result
of his father's wishes that he avoid the (sometimes dangerous) ritual 
which takes place before a Xhosa is regarded (in society) as a man.   
(Every year several young men die in South Africa as a result of
infections contracted during circumcision mainly as a result of
instruments not being properly sterilized).  My friend pretended that 
he had already undergone the ceremony, in order to avoid it, even 
though his foreskin had already been removed and he would just be 
going through formalities, and would not be recut!

When it was discovered that he had not attended the ritual, social
pressures forced him to attend: as a shop steward in a union, he could
no longer command the respect of his fellow workers.  According to
him the two weeks he spent "in the bush" (isolated from society at
a special camp) involved mainly discussions on Xhosa history, and
"sexist instruction" - how to relate to men, women, children etc.
There were some things he declined to elaborate - these rituals are
kept secret. 

PS I am glad I have two daughters and didn't face THAT agonising
"choice" we exercise with our sons: should we circumcise them?

Mark
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