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CUT FLOWERS,
BY SANDY WILCOX WITH ARINA SHORT
Reviewed by Leah
Welch
Cut
Flowers presents a holistic Christian perspective on
an issue that many people born and raised in the United States
have heard of, but
may know little
about. Written by Sandy Willcox, a university professor who grew
up in South Africa, this book navigates through the cultural
layers of a practice prevalent throughout Africa that many
consider one of the main issues of women’s justice today.
The difficulty of
assessing Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM)
begins with
the name itself. Often designated “female
circumcision,”
Willcox
explains how this label is not medically accurate. Male
circumcision and FGM involve very different procedures and
comparing
them trivializes the severity of the experience for adolescent
girls. She also investigates circumcision within the biblical
account, revealing some myths associated with it and calling
attention to how the church often perpetuates FGM through
biblical arguments.
Even if
“circumcision” is not used as a synonym for FGM, the word
“mutilation” may not be appropriate either. It lends itself to
classifying the practice as an issue of violence against women,
but may not respect the women who have undergone the procedure.
As a way of protecting women’s dignity, the tradition is
sometimes called Female Genital Modification, or Female Genital
Cutting.
Willcox provides
many case studies, further illuminating the complexity of FGM,
though she also generalizes certain cultural features of
communities that perform FGM. She brings up the notion that male
control of female sexuality is one significant reason why the
practice is sustained. The fear that women will be promiscuous
leads to unfounded ideas about what will happen to a girl if she
does not undergo the cutting, for instance, that she will become
clumsy. These beliefs serve to classify girls who have not
undergone FGM as unfit for marriage. Thus, not only do the
majority of men wish for their wives and daughters to be cut,
but also since the practice is so wrapped up in culture, many of
the women and girls themselves desire it.
FGM is a highly
contested issue in current feminist discourse. Some would argue
that to blame FGM on men’s domination of female sexuality
lessens women’s agency and unfairly caricatures the societies
that practice it. Those of us who are new to learning about this
topic should be mindful of this as we raise our awareness of FGM.
But surely, education is the best step toward understanding
others and increasing our sensitivity, and Cut Flowers
can be a helpful introduction.
Perhaps the most
insightful aspect of this book is its discussion of FGM as an
important rite of passage in many African communities. Willcox
does not consider marking the passage into adulthood to be
negative, but suggests through her analysis that FGM may be a
dangerous way to commemorate it. She explains to the readers
that even delineating the health risks of FGM will not cause it
to end, since it is such a crucial aspect of culture. Instead,
the practice may fall out of favor if different ways of
celebrating the rite of passage are promoted. FGM often
accompanies the education of young girls about their
responsibilities as women. Therefore, she writes, a way to
transition out of FGM in several places has been to throw a
party at the end of the adolescents’ training. Willcox suggests
that this is an area where the church might take a forefront
position, replacing FGM with the rite of Christian baptism.
Cut Flowers
contains an overview of FGM throughout Africa, some cultural
characteristics of these societies, and the health consequences
of FGM. Wilcox gives a biblically based response to FGM, as well as
resources and recommendations about ways to comfort and act on
behalf of women undergoing FGM, making the book valuable to a
wide range of professions, including ministers, social workers,
and health care workers. If you are just being introduced to the
practice, as I was, the book may feel graphic and distressing,
but I encourage you to learn about the reality of many women’s
lives.
Purchase Cut Flowers and related resources online at a
25% discount!
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