We Need to Talk About FGM | Hannah Witton

[@ahumanontheinternet8614]

Would you be able to do a video on intersex genital mutilation? Many of the things you talked about also affect intersex folks, except they are perfectly legal and often encouraged by doctors (at least in the US) when a child is intersex.

[@Paulinemoke]

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[@story.struck]

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[@jessicaonymous4352]

A similar channel, Sexplanations, did a video where the host (Dr. Doe) interviews an intersex person (Eden Atwood): kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ-yaJiwjbKlfJo She talks about surgeries that were preformed on her when she was a child and how she was lied too and how the experience effected her emotionally.

[@MsMaddieTheOdd]

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[@smashedpumkin]

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[@gemmi1]

So, what is the reason for fgm? What do the people performing it hope to achieve?

[@digitalnomadgirl]

Thank you for making this video - such an important topic. I learned so much from this.

[@bethboddison1583]

I have had FGM training and was shocked how common it is, I work on a labour ward and I thought it’s scary how common this happens. Thank you for raising awareness on this!x

[@valhalla1240]

So, how does this happen? A woman just gives birth and while she's on the table and probably partially numb down there, the doctor just removes her clitoris? I'm seriously scared as hell...

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@valhalla1240 no, it's most often a ceremony where women relatives bring the middle-school aged child to a local "wise" woman who does the cutting in her own home. Best case scenario using tools cleaned with rubbing alcohol or in a dishwasher. At worst, an old carpet knife or razor blade used many times before and never cleaned...

[@valhalla1240]

@@SonsOfLorgar Okay, I've heard about that, but only that this happens in african countries. But I'm curious about whether this also happens in western countries and how exactly it happens. When Beth writes she saw it happening in a labour ward... that's scary as hell.

[@roebearwhat]

@@valhalla1240 I dont think she means she sees it happening on the labour ward, i think she means you can tell when women are giving birth that its been done to them. I think it happens in the western world but mostly by people who have moved here.

[@bethboddison1583]

It doesn’t happen actually on labour ward we see a lot of people from different cultures who have had FGM previously, sometimes children are taken on a long ‘holiday’ abroad to have it done or relatives are even coming over into this country specially to carry out this practice on children

[@Dreamin2Believe]

I did the captioning for this!!!!!!

[@tokyotoastie]

Very much appreciated, thank you :)

[@sopheyrac1204]

Thank you

[@andreavalen2]

Thanks!

[@user-xd4sk4pk7h]

I don’t use them but there are people who appreciate it so thanks on their behalf

[@rach0147]

I am so glad your talking about this it’s something more people need to be educated on . Xx

[@gibanete]

I remember in high school a teacher of mine talked about it but i never thought it was something close to us, she said back then that it only happened in Africa. Then i found out last year here in Brazil there was a doctor that after the women gave birth he would, without consent, stitch the women's vagina so it would be "tighter" for the husband. Crazy to think that these things still happen, specially with doctors.

[@kimmycheyenne]

this happens regularly, in MANY countries, western countries. It's called "the husband stitch" (yuck)

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@kimmycheyenne first time I ever heard of it, and I find it appalling.

[@arisymphony]

The "husband stich" happens pretty much everywhere.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@arisymphony I could understand sutures and surgery to prevent prolapse and other complications of stretching or tearing to repair and restore everything to the desires of the delivered person. I can't understand or accept a mindset that tries to justify medical procedures for any third party's sake. That's just so way beyond wrong and breaks the hippocratic oath.

[@MichaelThe-Pyro]

that's not why its done... when a woman has a child naturally the vagina actually tears in places it is especially common for the vagina to rupture the anus making one hole. this can heal naturally but it will take months and my have complications. the stitches are to help speed up this healing process and reduce any complication or massive scaring.

[@simblesamble]

Thank you for this, Hannah. I work in a secondary school and so many of the young people that I work with aren’t aware of issues like this. It’s not something that’s really talked about - and this goes not just for FGM, but many other taboo topics that you discuss on your channel. Thank you for providing a platform which educates young people about this topic. It is so important.

[@Whydidmyhandlechange414]

Not sure when this was filmed, but the first case of someone being found guilty of FGM by a British court happened recently!

[@godimlarge]

As a male in the US, I was under the impression this was just an issue in Africa. I’m so glad you made this video to open eyes. Hannah, you have amazing content. Bethel, you were incredibly informative, so thank you both

[@miyounova]

It's predominantly an issue among African cultures. So people who emigrate to other countries bring that culture with them, sometimes in countries that don't do it culturally.

[@simsamsammie]

Oof I just feel so sick thinking about women having to go through this...

[@snakesocks]

Such an important topic. And kudos to you Hannah for approaching it when you could've given it a wide berth. The point about there being _"no religious connotation"_ seems like a bit of a dodge to me. They may not have invented the practice, but the Abrahamic religions definitely played a large role in the adoption and propagation of circumcision. Nowadays, the vast majority of FGM is committed in - or adjacent to - Islamic states. The prevalence of male circumcision in the US is a relatively recent phenomenon; becoming popular in the decades after WWII, when the Jewish population, having fled from Europe, brought the practice with them.

[@tagus100]

snakesocks I agree. It feels like Hannah specifically said that in order to not offend people, which is bullshit. It is okay to call out and criticise religions and their barbaric, evil and cruel practices.

[@jx14aby]

Actually, the American push towards circumcision came earlier than that. Circumcision was promoted in the late 1800's by Harvey Kellogg (of Cornflakes fame) to stop adolescent boys from masturbating (itself a colossal failure). It has since been touted as a cure for everything from syphillis to strep throat. It has always been a cure in search of a disease.

[@janeinma]

if male circumcision was the same as FGM they would cut off the top helmet area and the sensitive underside of the penis. Do not be ridiculous. One is removal of a shield of skin, the other is removal of the sexual area.

[@jx14aby]

@@janeinma Wrong. A male circumcision amputates what would grow into approximately 15 square inches of glabrous skin - that is skin without hair, that is packed with Meissner's corpuscles (that are fine-touch nerve endings that allow the blind to read with their fingertips), heat, pressure, and stretching nerve endings. The pain can be horrific, and is, in fact, sexual torture. Also, there are many forms of female circumcision, from a mere pin-prick to clitorectomy. Male circumcision is far more severe than many forms of female mutilation. Why oh why do you feel the need to protect girls from even a pin-prick to their clits and denigrate the horror experienced by men?

[@NommyYummieland]

Even though it is practiced in those so called ‘Islamic states’, it is prohibited to circumsize women according to the Islamic faith. It is a cultural practice and honestly very barbaric.

[@SelinaLismet]

I became aware of FGM when Waris Diries book "Desert Flower" became popular. I was probably 15 years old at the time. I read the book and I couldn't belive that such terrible things happen to girls. But information is key, as along as we don't know that such things happen, they will never stop. So thank you for educating!

[@emmahughes1112]

I wrote my EPQ on FGM and the UK law and was so thrilled to see the first successful prosecution last week. Thanks so much for talking about this and raising awareness, it's such an important topic and education is SO important! x

[@Molscheira]

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[@машамурадова-г9д]

i live in russia where FGM is conducted in some regions. many local human rights activists try their best to raise awareness about this practice, but the whole discussion is somewhat stigmatised and too far from being consistent. so i just wanted to say a huge thank you for this interview and for contributing to this discussion about something that is considered a "non-western-problem". and wow, so cool that people like Bethel do what they do - a huge shout out to her also

[@leefosaeed3965]

This is a very wonderful video, thank you for talking about this important issue! I'm a medical student from Sudan (an African country that widely still practices FGM) and this such a deep rooted tradition here that even after people immigrate from Sudan, they still carry this (very dangerous and harmful) tradition with them to the UK and practice it in their new homes because there isn't enough awareness about it.

[@janistransbian]

what kind of men would get pleasure from women in extreme pain? sick men. not only should this practice be fully abolished, it never should have started.

[@willwilton2686]

It's not always men. One mother was convicted recently for it

[@SonsOfLorgar]

It started from a sick desire to control sexuality within strictly hierarchical tribal cultures..

[@jx14aby]

@@SonsOfLorgar For boys in America, it started as a way to prevent masturbation - which was absolutely ridiculous, but people bought it and today, half the boys born in the U.S. are sexually tortured and genitally mutilated at birth.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@jx14aby exactly. I view religious americans as a form of tribal culture on a larger scale... #happytobescandinavian

[@andresvillarreal9271]

When you see this practice as the search of some men to get more pleasure you are prolonging the plight for the cultures and societies that promote it. Even though a few men might think like you believe they think, most men and women who are involved in this practice have totally different goals and beliefs. And those people see people like you as the invaders who want to destroy their culture, not as the humanitarians who know better than them. (And guess what? It is quite possible that you are from one of the countries that invaded and ransacked the countries where FGM is most common). You have to learn a lot about the culture and history of those who you want to change, not become a condescending ignorant, if you want to improve the lives of others.

[@johnkavyrosqy9793]

This is a really deep conversation, I can say the guest is well versed and knows her stuff.💁🏽‍♀️ It’s definitely not the first I’ve heard a talk about FGM though but I couldn’t help but notice when Hannah asked how the victims are affected with regards to their mental health... I’ve not come across a lot of work that sheds light on that matter so thanks 🙆🏽‍♂️ I believe that and many other aspects have made this quite educational and special 🙌

[@fanny9017]

Have you seen the film "Female Pleasure"? It's an amazing documentary about women and their right to sexual pleasure. One of the portrayed woman (Leyla Hussein) also adressed the issue of FGM and her experience with it, however, there are also four other women portrayed with equally as interesting and moving stories. All in all it is very much an eye-opening docuemntary who anyone should watch.

[@Nixed_66]

Thanks for this!

[@phormidable]

yes! saw it here in switzerland and leyla‘s story moved me the most. fgm is just so horrible!!

[@fanny9017]

@@zulal2498 yes exactly that's the one I mean:)!!

[@ashtrayheartedgirl]

As someone who works with children, it’s required for me to know a lot about FGM and it’s my legal duty to report it, if I have concerns. But I learnt even more from this video. Thank you to you, and Bethel, for coming together to make a video about this topic and raise more awareness. I love how you’re branching out into these new kinds of content 💛

[@olgamartinezlopez5902]

Yes, we can talk about Female Genital Mutilation without talking about male circumcision. Both procedures are done to children, on their genitals, without their consent, but they have very different impact on the person. I am against circumcision (unless it is done for medical reasons), but I don't think it's as big of an issue. The same way I am against people piercing the ears of baby girls, but it's not as urgent, terrible and important as this.

[@Wouter-van-der-Molen]

about circumcision: 119 infant boys die from circumcision-related issues each year in the U.S.

[@hanzib31]

Yes to the piercing thing too... I've never understood why parents do that to their kids?! Unnecessary pain in my opinion.

[@strangekat2840]

@@Wouter-van-der-Molen Do you have a reliable, independent source for that?

[@strangekat2840]

@@Wouter-van-der-Molen Do you have a reliable, independent source for that?

[@manuelbonet]

@@strangekat2840 Baker RL. Newborn male circumcision: needless and dangerous. Sexual Medicine Today.

[@youdontknowme8129]

Will you ever do a MGM video? As circumcision is barbaric and pointless.

[@carolynmcmillan7083]

Such an important topic thank you for highlighting it.

[@jx14aby]

The genital cutting of all children must be banned, not just girls.

[@S34U5]

FGM has always been a scary topic for me to broach. I studied for many years as an Anthropologist, and it came up in talks with my professors a lot (one in particular). The line between an anthropologist and not so is scarily thin in these situations. Anthropologists have a code of ethics about how we treat other civilizations and cultures, and their beliefs and actions. How we should treat things that we don't understand, with acceptance rather than disgust. And FGM is one of the topics that puts an Anthropologist on the edge. it seems cut and dry to a lot of people, without the same Anthropology Ethics (not that they don't have ethics that's not what I mean, just not the same code), that it's just bad and thats it. But if we decided FGM is bad and we as Anthropologists have to change it, then the line gets even more fuzzy. Scary shit.

[@paris7905]

Thanks for bringing this up! Studying anthropology has made my life so much more complex for that exact reason. I'm torn between thinking practices like FGM are wrong and obviously harmful, but also trying to understand and accept it as an anthropologist. I'm also always questioning whether my morals around culture are based on my western upbringing and whether the people experiencing other cultural practices even want or need reform, or if its a case of me projecting what I view as 'correct' onto others and most importantly, whether that is actually an okay thing to do even in cases like this where women are mutilated based on their sex. As you said, it's a uniquely fuzzy and scary topic for anthropologists, regardless, I do know I want practices like these to be ended. I think as an anthropologist what we can do is be the ones who consider what that would mean culturally for the people embedded in these systems. Call to end it, but come at it with an understanding approach, rather than outright calling the practices primitive and such.

[@MariM-rp1md]

Very necessary and interesting topic Hannah! Please can you make a video about INTERSEX mutilation??

[@ahumanontheinternet8614]

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[@JonathanDavidJ]

A really informative video! It's sad and disgusting that it still takes place today. As a guy I still can't understand why circumcision for non medical purposes is still not classed as MGM in the uk.

[@janeinma]

if male circumcision was the same as FGM they would cut off the top helmet area and the sensitive underside of the penis. Do not be ridiculous. One is removal of a shield of skin, the other is removal of the sexual area.

[@JonathanDavidJ]

@@janeinma Did I say it was the same? No. All I was saying is that it is genital mutilation which it is and should be banned.

[@caramelcupcake1275]

@@janeinma wrong! Do some research before stating something that's completely false! Both female and male circumcision removes a bit of "skin" as you put it, about 20,000 highly sensitive nerve endings for men and around 8000 nerve endings for women. With the exception for type 3 circumcision, a circumcised woman who has undergone type 1 or type 2 circumcision is no different than a circumcised man. The myth that female circumcision removes the whole clitoris is laughable. It's impossible to remove the whole clitoris cause 95% of the clit is internal, called the G spot, and you can't remove the G spot lol. Only the tip is removed which is the external part of the clit, and only 8000 nerve endings are lost and that's nothing compared to the 20,000 nerves that males lose when they're circumcised. But this isn't a competition about who loses the most sexual feeling after circumcision. Both male and female circumcision are wrong , but don't act like all female circumcision is type 3 cause it's not. Type 1 and 2 is exactly the same as male circumcision

[@MrsMster]

Question for everyone: Would you say circumcision for non-medical or maybe non-religious reasons is wrong? such as in America where I believe a lot of men are circumcised for non-medical or religious reasons

[@alantbaird]

I'd say that any unnecessary surgery is a bad idea. I would put 'religious reasons' in the unnecessary group (if an adult wants to do it for religious reasons when they are old enough to understand what it means then that's more morally acceptable). Permanent mutilations like cutting off parts of the body or tattoos should have to wait until consent can be given.

[@MrsMster]

@@alantbaird I agree with you that if no consent is given, it shouldn't happen unless it is absolutely necessary (such as medical reasons), and a religious person must be over the age of consent in their country to undergo any religious permanent mutilations for it to be legal.

[@hmmcms1]

Was thinking similar question

[@hanzib31]

If it is consented, then fine. But to a baby, absolutely not. I think its horrifically wrong to mutilate a child for absolutely no reason.

[@Elias_g1]

@@MrsMster I was circumcised about 1.5 year ago for medical reasons.I would prefer to not have done the surgery but it was the only solution that was going to work 100%.While there isn't anything wrong now I'd still prefer to have a foreskin.It's a decision you should make on your own when you are an adult ,not one your parents or a doctor forced...

[@jacquiz.6837]

Thank you Bethel and Hannah for this amazing and necessary conversation!

[@tinkzorro]

I remember years ago listening to the singer Tori Amos being interviewed about her song Cornflake Girl, which she says is about FGM and that one of the most disturbing, traumatising aspects of the practice is that often its done/allowed by the people and women who are supposed to love and protect you, mothers, grandmothers. My heart goes out to those effected.

[@jx14aby]

What about boys? Don't you care about them?

[@tinkzorro]

Yes I do care. What scares me about male circumcision is that it's been normalised by the masses and in that respect is a bigger problem.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@jx14aby quit the whataboutism. All of it can and should be adressed with a single law.

[@jx14aby]

@@SonsOfLorgar I agree. The genital cutting of all children should be banned.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

@@jx14aby then stop with the dishonest argumentation fallacies, it only make you look like an idiot and stops people from listening to the good points you do have.

[@varexai]

FGM is actually an Islamic practice as well

[@Karola8510]

One thing I don't get is association of female genital piercing (conscious and consenting) with FGM. How on Earth conscious and consenting adult woman who wants to increase her sex satisfaction with VCH piercing or decorate herself with christina piercing is FGM? And why is the male genital piercing not considered GM then?

[@gregorythomas333]

Thank you!

[@wdwerker]

I'm so glad you have used your channel to share knowledge about this horrible practice. Maybe when this practice is gone they can address circumcision done in a wholesale manner . It's not nearly as invasive but is it really necessary in this day and age ? But putting an end to FGM is far more urgent of an issue.

[@caramelcupcake1275]

Not all female circumcision is type 3 you know.... Type 1 and 2 is no more horrific than male circumcision. Yeah women lose 8000 nerve endings but men lose 20,000. It's not a competition, though, so let's abolish all forms of circumcision at the same time

[@sheepinaspaceship]

i'm not from the uk, but i had no idea that this sort of thing happened! Thank you for making this video, it was really eye opening for me

[@gregorythomas333]

It happens in the United States as well.

[@sophiess9751]

You need to do another collab with Rose and Rosie...

[@aliciamuriel5044]

This video is so important; this issue should be taught in schools and there should be more conversations about it.

[@abbiesmith7612]

If someone who is intersex has surgery as a child to "correct" their genitals is it considered FGM?

[@francesivy6194]

I don't know but I wouldn't think so as it's for medical reasons

[@jacquiz.6837]

FGM and compulsory surgery for intersex infants are two different things, but lots of people (including myself) are against both. Here's some intersex info written by intersex folks themselves: www.isna.org/

[@abbiesmith7612]

@@jacquiz.6837 Thank you!!

[@jx14aby]

Intact genitalia is a human right. No one has the right to perform surgery on a healthy infant. So, yes.

[@ahumanontheinternet8614]

It is IGM I belive (intersex genital mutilation), and it is different because though IGM is not typically medically nesisary, doctors widely encourage it and it is entirely legal in the US. It can have lasting physical and emotional impacts for those who go through it though, like FGM. For more info check out this channel as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jWrUaJyZaphmjM0 Edit: there's also this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ-yaJiwjbKlfJo

[@VulcanOnWheels]

May your video help to end this horrible practice soon!

[@tilda4699]

we actually talked about this in high school and because its such a horrifying topic, my teacher told us that it was ok if we wanted to leave the classroom. I‘m really glad she decided to bring awareness to the topic even though it wasn’t in the curriculum, i think.

[@Seltyk]

What worries me is how when people bring up FGM, it's easy for everyone to get up in arms. And rightfully so; it's a nasty scar on humanity. However, when people bring up MGM it's passed off so easily. "It's just a religious thing", "it's part of our culture", "it doesn't harm anyone", etc. It's important to fight back against FGM, but to ignore MGM in the process somewhat adds to the idea that it's OK. I know in the UK and most of mainland Europe MGM is uncommon, but here in the US and in Canada it's so frequent that it's arguably a bigger problem than FGM. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're talking about FGM. I'm glad you shed some light on the details and the danger, but I feel as though you are remiss not to at least acknowledge MGM at the same time.

[@jonahs92]

How about talking about MGM and all the harm it does? It's a practice just as cruel and barbaric as FGM, and it deserves just as much attention.

[@pile333]

It's incredible and some kind of deeply sad that in 2019 we have to raise awareness about these inhuman still ongoing practices.

[@gregorythomas333]

I am very glad you are covering this topic...it is a horrible practice that should be obliterated...forever. A strange thing though...but never says what "religion" actually practice this act of mutilation on children. No less than 200,000,000 women have been scarred for life & even killed by this horrific crime. The mother of a three year old baby was recently convicted of this crime “A 3-year-old has no power to resist or fight back.”

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Because it's practiced across multiple religions as it's a regional tradition that predates current religions. Idiot.

[@mMeFlora]

whats with the random zoom-ins, so awkward

[@eherbert33]

I think it’s meant to replicate a documentary-style interview, where they have several camera angles etc, but I agree it’s a little awkward

[@jess0070]

Thank you for talking about this, I actually first heard about FGM when a friend who worked as a lifeguard had to do a safeguarding course about it! X

[@imiburrell5694]

I did a presentation on this at my Amnesty International group today! There is a bill being voted on in parliament on the 8th Feb that would amend the Children Act to allow social services/schools/hospitals to intervene in children they believe are at risk of FGM. People living in the UK please email your MPs and ask them to represent you as their constituent and vote to pass this bill! There's a website that makes emailing your MP SO easy and it will take about 5 minutes - it is called writetothem.com. It pretty much does it for you, you just have to fill in the email box. (It basically finds your MP and makes sure you include all the correct info)

[@StrongImaginationA]

What's your take on using the phrase 'Female genital cutting' instead of FGM? I know academics today prefer the first, because they claim using the word 'mutilation' carries too much of a judgement to actually go into constructive dialogue with danger groups. 'Cutting' is a more neutral descriptor which focuses on the action, not the motivations and implications, and therefore facilitates conversation with the those who partake in the practice. I would be interested in hearing your take on this. :)

[@nothingtoseehere7554]

Thank you for talking about this. This is a really heavy subject.

[@brewaffles3102]

Until hannah said what FGM meant, i thought it meant Female Gay Marriage......

[@Music24monkey]

If you are interested on this topic Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s gives an interesting account and is just generally amazing. Look her up!

[@myopinions1]

So who goes around doing this to children? Never heard of it in my communities so what communities does it happen in?

[@kingofrockpopandsoulfan8247]

This video could not have come at a better time I am currently doing an essay on fgm

[@md9691]

I would love to see you collab with Dr Mike!!

[@averekriz]

there is a fgm event in my town tomorrow, deffs going! but isnt male genital mutilation also a thing? is it just less common?

[@miyounova]

Yup, way more common and accepted unfortunately, cause that means it'll keep going for a long time before people start actively working to end it.

[@TinksiehTink]

Circumcision is unfortunately common and accepted practice.

[@JAYDUBYAH29]

People think it’s something that happens in Africa, but it happens in England..... (neglects to say: in African and middle eastern communities.) is labioplasty in the west FGM..... maybe, but it is elective, and whatever we can say about her psychological reasons why, the comparison with the kind of cultural pressure girls face in communities where they will literally be shunned and labeled as whored for refusing, if they can even do that without honor killing ending their lives.

[@AdamKyleAnderson]

The sad thing is when it comes to FGM a large % of people relate it to Islam. This is where they are wrong. FGM has happened in Christianity, Judaism and Islam. It is a cultural practise and sadly actually happens more in Christian West African countries than Islamic countries. One thing I will ask is why people never talk about MGM ? There is no medical reason why boys have to got through circumcision and yet it is still very acceptable.

[@human_no847]

Yes both types of child mutilation are wrong and I wonder why there isn't much of an outcry over the male version. I've just been reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali's autobiography and she and her sister and brother were all cut on the same day. She is against both types of mutilation and is a very outspoken activist. Though people try to call her a bigot and shut her up :(

[@dickiewongtk]

I saw in a report that 5000 cases of FGM were happening in the UK last year. Then I think, isn’t the UK a civilized country?? I though the British abolished those practices centuries ago in their colonies.

[@caramelcupcake1275]

Just cause something is illegal, that doesn't mean it doesn't still happen. That's like saying "oh the US has murderers but killing is illegal. I thought the US was a civilised country...."

[@florencejadeabba3816]

I was wandering when you’d make a video about this. This is so important. NO HATE IS INTENDED ONLY POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AND CRITICING IN A LOVING WAY I wish this was more professionally done, for instance better sound quality and the short cut zoomed into bethal. This would mean it could have gone viral.. So informative thank you so much for making this and sharing the awareness. Again, no hate intended AT ALL.

[@Endgame707]

This is the kinda stuff that makes me ashamed to be male

[@laurabeale6541]

Not knowing much about FGM myself this video was very interesting and super informative and important!! I'm horrified that stuff like this happens

[@albaruizdunbar4565]

If you havent yet, you should watch the documentary "Female Pleasure"

[@albaruizdunbar4565]

look into it!

[@ordinaryorca9334]

While in no way as bad as FGM, male circomsisions are also bad. It removes only part of the pleasure but it is in the west way more common and even legal, you cant just cut away the foreskin of a baby and people dont even know why they do it. An exception could be made for jews or medical reasons (thight foreskin can make erections uncomfortable or even painfull) but most of all we need information, so people stop doing stupid stuff without realising it. Again no where near as bad but at least most people are disgusted by FGM but fine with circumcission...

[@johnagusta1500]

Good discussion and hope will help end these practices. Crazy how it is viewed as common to perform male circumcision in many cultures. Here in the USA it is common, and when we had our son in 1994 the hospital staff looked at us strangely when we declined having him circumcised. I wish I were not but alas, have no control over the past.

[@timcaron9049]

I remember watching a movie on what you were talking about. It totally discussed me and even traumatized me. I just thought what that young woman went through. I thought of myself being held down and some one cut off my testicles. It makes me sick. This has to stop, Thanks for making us aware of this.

[@jesswoodcock9869]

Back at GCSE I did my English speaking exam on FGM and my entire class was disgusted and didn't realise it happened. I'm a white British trans guy and people said I had no right to talk about it but I think that if we don't normalise talking about these things then no one ever will, as someone who's never been through it I can talk about it impactfully without being emotionally distressed. One really interesting topic which got brought up in the discussion after my talk was how circumcision could be seen as the male equivalent which isn't talked about as much but is more accepted in society, I'd love to hear your views on that. Love the video and I'm so glad to see this being a topic which is more widely discussed x

[@Tigrez1310]

Thank you for talking about such an important - and under-reported - issue on your platform! I admire your interview style, because you really let Bethel finish talking without interrupting her and the kind of questions you ask. Great job, Hannah!

[@LucyElizabethBleazard]

I start work as a doctor this summer (in the Northampton region actually!) and we didn’t get any teaching on FGM through medical school, so I found this video really helpful, thank you both 😊

[@ZaydaFleming]

I first heard of FGM a very long time ago. There was a model on ANTM who had undergone the process and talked about it briefly during the show, and then at some point around the same time an article in Reader's Digest came out written by another model who was a FGM survivor and she related her entire experience and how it shaped her life. I was young enough (and bad educated about my body enough) to not really understand what had physically been removed, but her period lasting 3 weeks because that is how long it took the blood to drain and peeing one drop at a time were things I could understand. I sincerely hope that this is a practice we can end in a generation. Like foot binding, this is a practice that needs to be found only in history books.

[@kristinejorgensen2717]

Good grief I don't really think I'd ever heard of this before. This made me cringe because it all sounds so awful, but you guys talked about it very eloquently. Agh. I see why you waited to talk about it!

[@howdyitsren]

Thanks for making this video! It’s a topic I know little about, and I work with children, both as a camp instructor and education student. Because we often help little ones get ready for pool time, we have to help them when they’re vulnerable and exposed. Being comfortable with us is the most important thing. I’ll definitely be more aware and in a position to do the most help possible now

[@steffeyxbabe]

I had no idea what fgm was until now and I’m so glad I watched this video! Would love if you could post more videos regarding your stoma/stoma care and after surgery appointments and things as I find them very useful and interesting to watch and learn from

[@MillieSouthworth1]

Thank you for doing this. I work in early years and it’s such a horrible thing but the reality is it actually happens. Thank you for bringing this to mainstream media - hopefully more people will become aware of this horrible act!! Xx

[@titeno19]

Wow such an interesting conversation. Can't believe that kind of things happen but thankful you and Bethel talked about it

[@joannaintawa]

This video was a hard watch, but a necessary one I think, because the more we talk about these issues the more we can do about them hopefully.

[@wpadktttjwmd]

I'm ashamed to say but I really didn't know what FGM is at all until watching this...

[@greensteve9307]

Horrible practice; thank you for making this vid.

[@juliea8925]

THANK YOU!! been trying to raise awareness about this topic ever since i learned about it three years ago. this is a subject that’s never talked about but so imperative to discuss because it will never end unless people are aware of exactly what is happening.

[@lizziewilson4522]

One of the things I love about your channel is that it encourages me to inform myself about things that I unconsciously shy away from. Thank you for shedding light on these heavy topics with grace. I am so here for this content x

[@yannlmp1728]

It is really a topic that is not discussed and a practice that is thought to happen only in Africa, as you said, "not in Occident". Thanks for taking the time to talk about this and teaching us a few more things!

[@PuddingCat101]

Thanks for putting this out there, I leant so so much. It's something I've heard about but never really understood.

[@laralavanya7676]

Very eye opening video

[@brycetheman3076]

Feminism is so dead!!!

[@rosieannie7323]

We were taught about this when I was at senior school and I remember feeling so sick and angry that I nearly walked out. It was the hardest thing to see because I felt so powerless. Thank you for making this slightly easier to swallow.

[@AndICanTalk2]

Incredibly important to get this information out. Thank you both.

[@notanniewarren]

This was extremely informative, thank you.

[@rahmatcaunhye3108]

Again a laudable initiative for a worthy cause! Keep it up young lady!

[@lizzieb3816]

Thank you for this video Hannah, I didn't even know this existed until now

[@helenjames6982]

Really interesting and meaningful video. I didn't know much about fgm before this video

[@mimikamukherjee5544]

This is such an informative video. Thank you, Hannah for sharing this with us.

[@emmaginative]

Really important video. Thank you both!

[@ireallyreallyhategoogle]

I recently saw an article on the problems women who have been victims of FGM face when dealing with medical professionals here in Canada. One of the problems was the reactions of the medical professionals. The shock and horror can be traumatizing for the women. On a side note, what about MGM a.k.a. circumcision. Just because it is practised in western culture and the health issues are less severe, doesn't make it any less wrong.

[@electricvanessa1986]

Hannah you make such important and vital videos, this taught me so much

[@rfldss89]

did you change your editor for this video? there seem to be a few editing mishaps

[@boredomsentmehere]

This is so horrible to think about. Thanks for educating us about this

[@fokyoursocks]

So informative!! Thanks xx

[@babyucandrivemycarr]

Can u talk abt vulvodynia ?

[@gregorythomas333]

Excellent suggestion! There is not much out there on the subject. And Hannah is very good at bring light to these subjects!

[@babyucandrivemycarr]

Yes she is.

[@martinramos8036]

I want to know how circumcision is still legal

[@robertjackson3552]

partly because we allow people call it by a nice name instead of mutilation

[@willwilton2686]

The first person to be convicted for it was found guilty recently. A relevant video and really interesting for females and males

[@hannahwitton]

yeah I saw that in the news, this video was filmed before that though so obviously couldn't mention it

[@gregorythomas333]

She is due to be sentenced on March 8th.

[@someguy7567]

Yes. Yes we do.

[@sanjaynirwan1192]

👌👌👌👌

[@Fluteperson01]

So is labiapasty considered FGM?

[@hannahwitton]

I think it's up for debate

[@TurningPages90]

Fluteperson01 I would take a guess at no, if it is a procedure that you have chosen to undergo as an adult. Obviously if someone performed that surgery on you as a child then it would be FGM?

[@mscheurk]

When the labia are really long and cause discomfort, during certain activities like cycling for instance, I think it's not considered FGM when they undergo surgery to reduce the size of the labia.

[@hanzib31]

It depends OK how you're looking at it. Labiaplasty is usually consented for either cosmetic or medical reasons... So whether you consider it "mutilation" comes down to your understanding of the word. But the concept of FGM in the context that most are talking about, voluntary Labiaplasty is not included.

[@rjfaber1991]

I don't think it's legally possible to classify something as _mutilation_ when its done with the full knowledge and consent of the person it's happening to.