FGM is 'akin to male circumcision, breast implants and designer vagina ops': Gynecologists argue genital 'nicks' that don't harm girls should be legalized

FGM is 'akin to male circumcision, breast implants and designer vagina ops': Gynecologists argue genital 'nicks' that don't harm girls should be legalized Milder forms of female genital mutilation should be classified in the same way as male circumcision and breast implants to stop it being 'demonised,' a controversial new report has claimed.

Changes to the way female genital mutilation is defined and viewed are needed to protect young women from more serious forms of cutting, a team of experts argued.

The gynaecologists suggest a small surgical 'nick' - a minimal procedure they compare to male circumcision - that slightly changes the look of a young woman's external genitalia should be legally allowed.

In a paper published in the Journal of Medical Ethics, they say mild forms are no worse than cosmetic procedures such as breast implants or 'designer vaginas' western women pay for.

But the experts stress the procedure should not alter the function or the sensory capacity of a young woman's genitalia. The Daily Mail

See also:

• Female genital alteration: a compromise solution Journal of Medical Ethics
• Cutting slack and cutting corners: an ethical and pragmatic response to Arora and Jacobs’ Female genital alteration: a compromise solution’ Journal of Medical Ethics
• Not all cultural traditions deserve respect Journal of Medical Ethics
• Harm reduction and female genital alteration: a response to the commentaries Journal of Medical Ethics
• Female genital mutilation: multiple practices, multiple wrongs (editorial) Journal of Medical Ethics
• Legalise genital ‘nicks’ argue two US doctors OnMedica