Female Genital Cutting (FGC) : who Defines Whose Culture as Unethical?
Onsongo, N.
IJFAB International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics 10(2): 105-123
2017
ISSN/ISBN: 1937-4577 Document Number: 573684
Since its inception, the global female genital cutting (FGC) movement has been led by Westerners and framed along the lines of eradication. Unfortunately, the success of harm reduction strategies such as medicalization has been met with stiff opposition in favor of a rights-based framework of FGC eradication. In this paper, I join with others who have advocated for medicalization as beneficence. I question the Western paternalistic FGC eradication strategy and support the autonomy and empowerment of non-Western women in FGC-practicing communities.