What's the feminist line on circumcision? Is there one?
I know that on Reddit there's a bunch of guys that call it genital mutilation, but I think that's a bit insulting to women who have been mutilated in a lot worse ways. I also think those guys know it's insulting and that's what they wish to achieve.
Well, it certainly is an alteration.
FGM is a tangled subject, Unlike male circumcision, it is done to control female sexuality. Bit like a lot of things done to women it becomes embedded in larger societal issues. Mothers who do not mutilate their daughters may be shamed or excluded. Women who are not mutilated may very well feel confused/shameful.
Comparing the two, then, is not quite right.....male circumcision isn't so much an attempt to control male sexuality....the root cause isn't as sinister.
But this does bring up an interesting point about feminist views on the subject...or at least feminist reaction to attempts to compare this or any other subjects affecting men and women.
Ostensibly, those objecting to male circumcision are right in that both are forced alterations done to the genitals of kids.....and this can open up the whole debate about feminist focus on issues from a female-only perspective. For example the statement "There are not enough girls going into STEM subjects" can be countered with "Well, there are an awful lot of boys not getting into STEM either....shouldn't we focus on across-the-board attainment?" On forums this is known as "what about the menz".
It took me a long time actually to unpick this. As a socialist, I feel I don't have to worry too much about feminist issues because the goals of feminism all fall neatly under my big philosophical umbrella. Here Lenin speaks to the great Clara Zetkin (warrior) about socialist views on how Capitalism is the root cause of the subjugation of women:
https://www.marxists.org/archive/zetkin/1920/lenin/zetkin1.htmSo to me it seemed obvious that energetic feminism could be a good thing, but perhaps not the best use of resources.
But digging deeper I finally found a really good article on just this. A feminist writer compared it all to a plane that needed refurbishment. The whole thing was a bit or a wreck really (Capitalism), but they (feminists), being unable to fix everything, choose to work on the wings. If someone else (men) want to work on the rudder or the engine....good...it is needed. But somebody has got to focus on the wings.
So bringing that back to FMG v. circumcision....yes we may very well have to rethink circumcision....but the feminist movement is working on the FMG bit.