Okay, I finally understand the fine line you are drawing. I guess I look at it this way: Since so much of human behavior is difficult to quantify (and hence determine what is in the range of normal), I go by what I consider conducive or detrimental to mental health. Yes, there are cultures where it is normal to handle a child's genitals. In china they do this to stimulate elimination as part of toilet training. In Cuba (as in the case of Elian Gonzales) it is normal for family members to check on a boy's penis to see if he is growing normally. In some cultures sexual activity between children is considered normal. It depends largely on the cultural context. One could arguably question whether extramarital affairs are normal, or healthy. There are going to be as many sets of opinions as there are therapists. Now, as for clitorectomies.....Having done a fair amount of reading in this area, I have strong opinions on this. Yes, it is a cultural norm in some places, but:1) It is only the female population that is subjected to this and in a society where women have absolutely no rights and 2) the way it is done in most places is medically catastrophic (which is not true for male circumcisions). Many children die shortly after the procedure, or suffer long-term physical disability(such as pain when walking), elimination problems and continual infections. Even when done minimally (where just a tip of the anatomy is excised), it can still often result in elimination problems(such as blockage and incontinence), and always, diminished capacity for sexual pleasure. But in the majority of cases, it is not done minimally and the results are catastrophic. In some cultures too, the young girls (as young as 5 to 8) are forced to have intercourse within days of the procedure. And then, when the bride consummates a marriage or gives birth, she must be cut open again. Shall we open up a new thread on this? Or do you agree with me that this is a serious human rights issue?
Replies:
|
| Behavior OnLine Home Page | Disclaimer |
Copyright © 1996-2004 Behavior OnLine, Inc. All rights reserved.