What is it about?
Between 1940 and 1960, the Egyptian society wittnessed a debate about female genital cutting (FGC). While it is often viewed as a campaign against FGC, I argue that the debate did not primarly aim at protecting the rights of women and girls. Instead, it was dominated by a male-centered perspective that considered FGC a backward practice. Efforts to eradicate it were considered essential for creating a healthy and progressive nation. This perspective marginalized women's sexual satisfaction and ignored the role of the traditional female health practitioners involved in the practice.
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Why is it important?
Female genital cutting is still widespread in Egypt up to the present day. This research sheds light on the reasons behind its persistence: Instead of focusing on addressing gender inequality and protecting the rights of affected women and girls, the main objectives of the debate in the past were to safeguard men's health, promote healthy families, and strenghthen the Egyptian nation. The study thus also shows the significance of having a varied and independent activism against female genital cutting, led by civil society organizations.
Perspectives
Navigating through archives and libraries to uncover these insights about FGC was truely a highlight of my research in Egypt. I hope that my findings will enhance our understanding of the history of efforts to combat FGC, and ultimately, contribute to the eradication of this practice.
Elisabeth Trepesch
Universitat Hamburg
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gender, Medicine, and the Creation of a Modern Nation: Calls to End Female Genital Cutting in Egypt, 1940 to 1960, Studi Maġrebini, July 2023, Brill,
DOI: 10.1163/2590034x-20230083.
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