Rich American Women Seeking Female Genital Mutilation

[queerbychoice]

Funny, I thought males were the ones who were supposed to worry about the length of their sexual organs. But according to this article that I found by clicking from Rachel Kramer Bussell's site, a lot of women are eager to pay $10,000 to have their labia shortened.

"Ironically, when the same procedure is performed in some parts of Africa and the Middle East, Westerners denounce it as genital mutilation. But in the U.S., we call it cosmetic enhancement and pay beaucoup bucks to get it done. The possible side effects of the operation -- including infection, chronic pain and loss of sensation -- are just as horrific in the First World as in the Third."

According to the poll on the oxygen.com website, 78% of women are not interested in getting their vulvas surgically altered, but 22% of women would consider the surgery - 11% of them said they'd consider it simply because they think their vulvas are "unsightly," and another 11% said they'd consider it "but only if it would enhance sexual pleasure."

Well, I didn't even know there was a standard of beauty for vulvas, but now that I've been informed, I'm sitting here trying to imagine what an "unsightly" vulva would consist of, and how 11% to 22% of women could have acquired one.

It's awfully difficult to imagine.

Comments

[embryomystic.livejournal.com]

I think the difference is one of choice. Like, I think circumcision is evil, generally, but I support the right nonetheless of a free-thinking adult male to have the procedure done to himself. If it must be done at all, wait until the person can make the decision for himself.

Now, this makes even less sense, but if that's what they want...

Though I do think they're brainwashed by patriarchy into believing that their genitals are unsightly.

But whatever. Personal choice.

[queerbychoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I agree with all of that.

Body modification in general tends to bother me though. I understand that it helps some people to feel better about themselves, and I even kind of understand why, but it just still bothers me anyway.

The splitcock website contains pictures of the single most horrifying instance of voluntary body modification that I've ever heard of.

Voluntary circumcision is nothing compared to that. And even transsexuals use anaesthetic. And even the occasional voluntary instances of third world "female genital mutilation," without anaesthetic (yes, some women have volunteered for that), have not been self-performed.

The splitcock guy is scarier than any of them.

Re:

[embryomystic.livejournal.com]

I don't even want to click on the link. My imagination is scary enough.