Cornell doc performing horrific genital surgery on young girls

Words cannot describe how angry this makes me. I'm angry at the doctor for doing this, the medical boards allowing him to do it, and the stupid parents who think that taking a scalpel to their kid's crotch is even remotely acceptable, much less necessary.

What makes me even angrier, though? Some of the comments there:

1. Asshat men who are hijacking this (as they hijack every discussion of FGM) with anti-circumcision ranting. Yes, circumcision is generally unnecessary*, and should be performed only when medically indicated, or as an adult if one so chooses. But removing the foreskin is not the same thing as hacking into a clitoris. STFU and stop complaining that the Poor Menz aren't getting enough attention.

2. A few people arguing that these surgeries are somehow medically necessary. Um. No. Even though the condition (CAH) that causes enlarged clitorises is itself a problem, those clits? Are not a problem. They function perfectly normally. At least until they're hacked at. The argument that they're "deformed" and that this is a deformity that needs cosmetic surgery is utter bullshit. What someone's bits look like when they're older and sexually active may be an issue of concern for them, but that's something for them to decide on when they're old enough to do so. Parents and doctors ought not to be making irreversible decisions on these things for little kids.

Some genital formation issues that result from CAH do need surgical correcting--separating fused labia, making sure the inside bits are on the inside, making sure that urethral function works correctly--but there's nothing about a large clit that is in any way whatsoever medically problematic. I really, really don't give a shit if you think your kid's crotch "looks weird." You shouldn't be looking at it in the first place, so STFU. The only people who should care about such things are the owner of said crotch and any partners she chooses to be with when she's older.**

3. Some people arguing that there's nothing wrong with the followup "testing" this guy is doing. Um. No. If the testing actually is necessary (which it wouldn't be if the guy didn't hack into them in the first place), the proper way to get that data would be self reporting from the patients themselves: Explain what they're supposed to do to test it, let them touch themselves and then get the data. There's absolutely no need for another person to be touching these girls (and especially not on a yearly followup! WTF?)

( A personal note somewhat related to this )

* Yes, I'm aware of the studies about HIV transmission and circumcision. They're bollocks. 1. Because the samples involved didn't control for religion--most circumcised men in Africa are Muslim, and have less-risky sex lives for that reason. 2. Because they didn't control for hygiene. Uncircumcised men who don't wash properly are going to have skin irritation issues that yes, will allow the virus to get in easier. Circumcision won't correct poor washing habits.

**Also, some idjit went off about "well, would you sleep with a woman whose clit looked like a small dick?" Um... Yeah, I would. As would most people who are actually worth having sex with. People who give a shit about stupid things like that don't deserve to get anywhere near someone else's crotch, big clit or no. Same goes for people with ridiculous demands about penis or breast size.

( ETA on the circumcision issue )

Status symbolism

One of the most difficult things about being in a hated minority is that it doesn't even matter if you like yourself, or if other people in the same group like you. Because you're in that hated minority, your opinions--especially of yourself--just don't matter. The only people whose opinions matter are the ones in the dominant group. So unless you have a lot of people in the dominant group who like you, you're screwed.

This is not to say that it's OK for people in the dominant group to come riding in like white knights trying to feel noble about saving the poor downtrodden. We don't need pity or charity. What we do need is people who honestly give a shit about us as human beings standing up to our oppressors when we're not able to do so, or when our efforts fall short because we're accorded so little worth in the first place that our fight for our own rights is rendered toothless.

It's great when people in the dominant group choose not to be a part of our oppression. It's even better when they choose to turn and fight back against it.