Decolonizing Female Genital Mutilation: A Harmful Yet Identity-Affirming Practice

Abstract

Women have historically been the target of violence, especially in the situation of social flux; for instance, the Rwandan Civil War of 1994. It was observed that countries in conflict simultaneously observe an increase in Violence Against Women (VAW), particularly Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). This article displays the historical context within which the practice developed, culturally significant facts and myths encouraging its continuation, to substantiate existing scholarship around FGM and colonial legacies, and its effects on gender discourse. I argue that colonial legacies of ethnic rivalry, unequal distribution of resources, and weak institutions have dominated postcolonial scholarship, few have zoomed in on the role dehumanization played. I claim that colonial legacies and power dynamics correlate to the frequency and resilience of harmful practices such as FGM, as the ritual itself could be perceived as an anti-colonial act. I conclude that for harmful practices to be eradicated, cultural and moral absolutist arguments, which justify cultural impositions to ‘save’ “brown women from brown men,” should be made obsolete. Instead, I recommend that the international community ought to recognize the identity-affirming capacity FGM possesses, and acknowledge its relationship to colonial legacies before attempting to counteract it.