The Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation: A Lesser of Two Evils

Bryanna Moore (Monash University), Bryanna Moore

"Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an issue that rests at the intersection of anthropology, sociology, human rights theory, public health, medicine and bioethics. The at best tenuous putative benefits young girls stand to gain from exposure to FGM procedures does nothing to diminish the intrinsically wrong nature of the act. Yet the reality of FGM's continued practice - not only in cultural communities traditionally associated with the custom but also now in some Western societies - has shifted focus towards the ethics of regulatory measures. My paper examines the ethical viability of medicalising FGM as an attempted 'harm-reduction strategy', with a particular focus on two questions: (1) Does medicalising FGM conflict with the proper goals of medical care? and (2) How will medicalising this cultural phenomenon shape its future?. Ultimately, I argue against transporting FGM into the clinic, though with a few provisos. (NB: this is a talk in applied ethics. If you don't think this is "real" philosophy, then perhaps this isn't the best WIP seminar for you)