Female genital mutilation impacts millions of girls and women worldwide. In this context, breaking the silence around the clitoris becomes not just a cultural necessity but a global health imperative.
Silence and taboo around female body parts has significant implications for women’s health and rights. Photo: Cliff Booth
Growing up as a shy, relatively conservative young girl in Addis Ababa, I felt like everything about my body became taboo as soon as I reached 14. I felt as if I was not allowed to see, name, or explore my body. I buried myself in books, attempting to learn about being a woman while ignoring the changes happening to me.
Life at the university miles away from home was unbearable; I was thrown together with six other girls in the hot weather of Jimma more than 350 kilometres from the capital city. The dormitory life was not easy to adjust to. With everyone living so close to each other, I saw for the first time what it meant to lack privacy. I was perplexed by girls unafraid to walk naked in the dormitory. I built forts every time I changed, avoided the shower during busy hours, and was always conflicted about my belief that my body was not to be seen, even by me.
Some girls felt it was normal to shower or change in front of others. Still, despite their bravery, most felt that being a woman was cursed, or they frowned upon discussing our anatomy, periods, or sex except for a few “bold” ones who were also considered promiscuous. The liberation of the female body was tied to men. Being comfortable in your skin means you have defied the rule of the “good woman,” often compared to Mary from the Bible.
In the Amharic-speaking community in Ethiopia, where I grew up, uttering the word “clitoris” (ቂንጥር) is akin to unlocking Pandora’s box, inviting discomfort and judgement from women and unwanted attention from men.
It is a word coined as an offensive slur to shame women for their sexual appetite. Even among “liberated” women human rights defenders and feminists whom I interact with now due to the nature of my job, the word is considered tainted, and many feel the need to replace it with another word that can be detached from shame.
I have had many conversations with friends and colleagues who still struggle to say the name of their reproductive organs out loud; I even see myself shy away from uttering some words because of the shame associated with them. Some told me that we need to come up with a more positive name for the clitoris, a body part that is simply a source of pleasure, plain and simple. This silence and taboo around female body parts, in general, and the clitoris specifically, isn’t just a cultural quirk. It’s a global issue with significant implications for women’s health and rights.
The female body is considered a forbidden space. In our biology classes, the male teachers were unable to control the chaos when male students laughed at words like labia, vulva, and clitoris. Even educated women consider our reproductive organs the place where women please their husbands, urinate, menstruate, and give birth. Sexual pleasure is not up for discussion, and when it is, it is accompanied by face-covering muffled, shy laughter, and nervous scruffs. We are defined as pleasers; songs are written for our innocence, the beauty of our tears, and the decency of our dresses.
In Ethiopia, a country known for its cultural heritage, beauty, unity, conflict, oppression, and culturally harmful practices, female genital mutilation (FGM) is still prevalent in many parts of the country despite years of advocacy. Gender-based violence has also increased, raising concerns about the overall state of women’s rights in the country.
FGM is not just a problem in Ethiopia but throughout Africa and African communities across the world.
The World Health Organization has reiterated that FGM, which mostly focuses on the removal or incision of the clitoris, has no health benefits and causes only harm, underscoring the critical need for awareness and education.
In this context, breaking the silence around the clitoris becomes not just a cultural necessity but a global health imperative.
The clitoris in all its glory
At the heart of this taboo lies the clitoris, a small yet potent organ nestled within the intricate folds of female anatomy, boasting over 10,000 nerve endings. It is the epicentre of female pleasure, an emblem of satisfaction and empowerment. It is also one of the most stigmatised parts of the female form due to societal norms.
Historically, many cultures have struggled with accepting female sexuality, often shrouding it in secrecy or depicting it as taboo. FGM is practiced largely because of the belief that a woman needs to have intact premarital virginity and the belief that the procedure will maintain marital fidelity. According to a report by UNICEF, female genital mutilation impacted “an estimated 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone some form of female genital mutilation (FGM)—many before the age of 15.”
In patriarchal cultures in Ethiopia, where women’s bodies are objectified and regulated, the clitoris symbolises the pleasure point for a woman who is sinful and has uncontrolled urges. I recall any woman who was clumsy or who accidentally broke glasses around the kitchen was called “the uncircumcised woman.”
The cruelty of FGM and societal control
As women, we are no strangers to oppression. Yet there are moments when human cruelty is beyond comprehension. The revelation that individuals once sat down and decided to mutilate young girls’ bodies to curtail their sexuality and assert control is beyond comprehension. Across the world, societies have struggled to understand and accept women, particularly regarding their sexuality. In Africa, being a woman is deeply entwined with the fabrics of culture and religion.
Culture is often built at the expense of women’s health and pleasure. For instance, in countries such as Rwanda and Uganda, customs like labia pulling are purportedly designed to enhance women’s sexual pleasure. However, these practices are often inflicted on young, non-consenting females, supposedly to ensure that they become sexually responsive wives.
In my conversation with human rights defenders from Uganda, I have learned that there are women who support activists who have supported pulling as a means of extending women’s pleasure and empowering their sexuality, but they emphasise that consent must be paramount. Despite these efforts, significant challenges remain in allowing women to make autonomous decisions about their bodies and dissociating female sexuality from notions of sin.
Feminism and the women’s rights movement in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is committed to eliminating female genital mutilation (FGM) and early marriage by 2025 to ensure the health and wellbeing of its people, including women and children. As part of this effort, the Ministry of Health banned the medicalisation of FGM in all public and private medical facilities, and any medical personnel involved in FGM will face legal action. However, FGM remains prevalent in different parts of the country, where it is practiced due to cultural and religious expectations.
According to the Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey 2016, 65% of women aged 15-49 are circumcised. The prevalence is highest in Somali (99%) and lowest in Tigray (23%). Among women who have heard of female circumcision, 24% believe it is required by their religion, and 18% believe it should continue. This highlights the need for increased societal awareness to understand the harms of this practice.
Despite the work done by Ethiopian women-led organisations, civil society, media, and the government to eradicate harmful practices such as FGM, data clearly show there is more to be done. In my belief, part of the work should be helping society understand the importance of female sexuality, that women are not objects to be used, and that sex is not sinful but a healthy and natural need.
Following the bill put forth by religious groups to overturn the 2015 ban on female genital mutilation and cutting in Gambia, there came a wave of similar requests in Ethiopia. Specifically, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC) recently allowed medicalised FGM to be practiced while stating that the Ulamas have a difference of opinion on whether FGM is compulsory or a choice.
Following this, women human rights defenders are fighting this decision and for the liberty and agency of Ethiopian women. Article 35, a renowned feminist social media activism group, has conducted activism by interviewing women and hijabi feminists like Urji Biso, a human rights lawyer and lecturer at Haramaya University, who advocated against the statements by the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council accepting the medicalisation of FGM. In her social media, Urji boldly stated, “A man should never make a law about women’s bodies.”
The urgent need for change
In a study conducted in the town of Jijiga in the Somali region, FGM was linked to several health complications, including birth complications and perineal tearing, which refers to the tearing of the vaginal opening. Women with FGM are significantly more likely than those without FGM to experience adverse obstetric outcomes such as outlet obstruction, postpartum hemorrhage, and emergency cesarean sections. The risks appear to increase with more extensive forms of FGM, indicating that it contributes substantially to adverse obstetric outcomes.
This adds to the known harmful immediate and long-term effects of FGM. The World Health Organization also states that FGM causes many health complications, including urinary and vaginal problems, as well as menstrual issues like painful menstruation and difficulty passing menstrual blood.
Despite the evident risks, and regardless of the efforts to promote alternative rites and educate communities about the dangers of FGM, it is still being practiced in many communities.
FGM is often seen as a rite of passage or a requirement for marriage in many. Despite the prohibitions banning the practice, enforcement remains a challenge. Continued advocacy is essential to ensure these laws are upheld and to increase awareness about the negative impacts of FGM. Engaging men and boys in these efforts can also help shift societal norms and perceptions.
Globally, the United Nations and other international bodies are working towards the eradication of FGM by 2030. In Ethiopia, much work remains, and community-based approaches, partnerships, and increased funding are crucial to strengthening the fight against FGM and supporting affected communities.
As we continue to address the countless practices affecting women, we must advocate for women’s bodily agency, allow and encourage women to accept and love their bodies, and engage in community outreach programs. It is essential to educate the community about the harm of FGM and other practices that degrade women, their body, and their sexuality.
The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Re:solve Global Health.
Kalkidan Tesfaye is a women’s rights and human rights defender, and trainer, poet, and digital rights activist based in Ethiopia. Passionate about writing, she explores human rights challenges and societal issues in her country through her work. As a writer, Kalkidan uses her craft to advocate for the liberation and equality of women, using her voice to inspire change and highlight the struggles faced by marginalised communities
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