Mothering Magazine Sponsored Chat with Candace Walsh -- Candace, Mothering's Articles Editor is just back from Africa after attending Equality Now's Fifth Annual Meeting of the Fund for Grassroots Activism to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She discussed the outcome of the meeting and the current state of FGM.

www.mothering.com
2/14/07

12 mothers in attendance

Webmama_Tina: today i'm happy to have candace walsh with us from mothering magazine!
Webmama_Tina: Candace, Mothering's Articles Editor, is just back from Africa after attending Equality Now's Fifth Annual Meeting of the Fund for Grassroots Activism to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She will be discussing the outcome of the meeting and the current state of FGM.
Webmama_Tina: candace would you like to add anything to that intro?
Webmama_Tina: like how many kiddos, any other background, info on you that you'd like to share?
Candace_Walsh: That was a great intro. I have two kiddos: 5 year old girlie Honoree, and almost 3 year old blond dandelion fuzz head Nathaniel. I have been a magazine writer and editor for about 12 years but was only radicalized on the topic
Candace_Walsh: of FGM in the last year and a half. What a wild ride it's been, and continues to be. There is so much positive change happening. It's the realest thing I've ever encountered.
Candace_Walsh: Taking the big African FGM Topic down to a personal level--getting to know women and girls who risk life and limb to avoid FGM or save other girls from their tragic fate--wow.
Webmama_Tina: ok anyone have a question for candace? we're slow starting here...
Webmama_Tina: but it will probably pick up as time goes on, usually does
Webmama_Tina: wow candace, maybe you can start by sharing how you got involved in this project and where you are with it now? the latest info?
Candace_Walsh: For instance, when the American attendees were on a site visit to Narok, Kenya, where Agnes Pareyio's rescue center is located, they actually witnessed a little girl, who had traveled for three days without food or water, on foot, to get to the rescue 
Candace_Walsh: center. She was just shaking like a leaf, and everyone surrounded her and tended to her and gave her so much love and support. 
Candace_Walsh: This was just 2 weeks ago.
kimberella: Is there a 'typicaL' age for FGM?
Webmama_Tina: wow
Candace_Walsh: No--it varies from infancy all the way up to late teens, as it can sometimes be a pre-wedding or pre-birthing ritual.
kimberella: so girls can spend their entire childhoods in fear that today might be the day they are to be cut?
Candace_Walsh: Mothering was approached by the Pond Foundation 2 conferences ago, and Peggy O'Mara, our editor-in-chief, decided to focus on the issue by sending two of us staffers over. 
Candace_Walsh: Well, to answer K's question, it's usually shrouded in secrecy. And they don't know what they're in for, even if they have a foggy concept of what is coming up. 
Candace_Walsh: If they are old enough to grasp certain concepts, they think they are going to become women. 
kimberella: I would imagine though that hte efforts of activists are demystifying things somewhat? 
kimberella: I would hope....
Webmama_Tina: one would hope
Candace_Walsh: Yes, many of the activists just bring it down to a health issue level--they explain that all of the horrible health problems girls and women have (death in childbirth, UTIs, terrible time menstruating, fistulas, are connected to FGM. 
Candace_Walsh: That's a great first step.
Candace_Walsh: Before, girls who say, scream in pain during urination are thought to be plagued by evil spirits.
Candace_Walsh: were...
kimberella: the "becoming a woman" thing is huge. I imagine there will have to be "replacements" for this in a "ritual" sense."
Candace_Walsh: yes, there are already "alternative rites of passage" going on to replace this. And they are working!
lodgemama: like what?
Candace_Walsh: The communities are accepting the girls as long as they go through the rites of passage and learn all of the women's wisdom, but without FGM
Candace_Walsh: I'm sorry? 
Candace_Walsh: Do you mean, what alternative rites of passage?
lodgemama: what sorts of "rites of passage"
Candace_Walsh: Basically, everything that a usual 2 week FGM seclusion ceremony would have, but without the genital mutilation. Singing, passing down of womens wisdom thru generations, dancing, presents, attention, bonding.
Candace_Walsh: Recently, during the sort of "graduation" ceremony of a group of girls who had gone through this AROP, some older women came to yell at them that they needed to be cut and they were a source of shame to their communities. The girls chased them off with
Candace_Walsh: sticks!
Candace_Walsh: I love that. 
Candace_Walsh: Spirit!
pyxiwulf: :D 
Quirky1: Can you tell us more about the topics at the conference?
Webmama_Tina: oh wow cool!
kimberella: It sounds like a true paradigm shift is happening in places where FGM has been an embedded practice for eons
Candace_Walsh: It truly is. Yes, Q, I will.
heather1969: ?
Webmama_Tina: Welcome to this week's Mothering Sponsored chat! This is a moderated chat. Please make sure you read and fully understand the Moderated Chat Instructions before participating in this chat. Instructions can be found here: http://www.mommychats.com/modrules.htm  ...A Friendly Reminder: Please do not post unless it is your turn to ask a question. If you have a question, please post a single "?" and you'll be added to the queue. Have your question ready when your name is called.
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: Quirky1 ...upcoming chatters: heather1969 
Candace_Walsh: One of the topics was releasing trauma from the women and girls' bodies. Elaine Miller-Karas, a Somatic Experiencing Psychotherapist who has aided trauma victims of the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, taught the activists and attendees simple ways to heal 
Candace_Walsh: themselves and others by finding emotional resources in their consciousnesses and working with that positive energy to impact other frozen and traumatized parts of themselves. Check out www.traumaresourceinstitute.com . 
Candace_Walsh: I also want to give you the Africa blog address that has day-to-day updates from the conference: 
Candace_Walsh: ug, it's not cutting and pasting, hang on.
Candace_Walsh: www.mothering.com/africablog/taking-on-fgm07.html
Candace_Walsh: but to answer your question further
Candace_Walsh: the activists shared methods that worked for them--a lot of amazing cross-pollination. They talked about fundraising, one activist talked about how calling it FGM is better than Female Genital Cutting, because it firmly anchors it in a human rights 
Candace_Walsh: violation context. 
kimberella: and isn't mutilation far more apt a term than cutting anyway? 
Candace_Walsh: another great thing was sustainability day: Wendy Flick gave a presentation on briquetting, which is a source of fuel and income for Haitian women of formerly impoverished circumstances. 
Candace_Walsh: YEP! 
Candace_Walsh: is that cool? Should we move on to the next question?
Quirky1: Was the whole circumcision/HIV prevention discussed at all?
Webmama_Tina: we can get quirky's question and then move on to heather's :)
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: Quirky1 ...upcoming chatters: heather1969 
Candace_Walsh: Do you mean in terms of HIV being spread when female genital mutilation is taking place, when a circumciser uses the same tools on everyone without cleaning them in between?
Quirky1: i meant in context of male circumcision. i am wondering whether anyone sees a danger in promoting male genital mutilation at the same time as trying to discourage female genital mutilation
Candace_Walsh: The conference was on FGM, not MGM. No one at the conference was promoting MGM. Next question?
amberharness83: hello
Candace_Walsh: hi! Welcome, Amber
amberharness83: thank you
kimberella: heather, you're up...
heather1969: I read of a book addressing African womens' criticism of how women from the US and elsewhere, including Alice Walker,  have addressed FGM.  It's called Genital Cutting and Transnational Sisterhood.  Was that discussed?  Have you read it?
Webmama_Tina: sorry multitasking, yet again, thanks for the help kimber :)
Candace_Walsh: There has been a lot of wrong-footed, top-down criticism of FGM in the past. The Pond Foundation and Equality Now is very sensitive about that, and they only work with African grassroots activists who have approached them for help rooting out the
Candace_Walsh: practice in their own communities. We are in solidarity with them--assisting them in their own sovereignty as they do what works best in their own communities. Thanks for the book rec.
Candace_Walsh: I think that FGM is such a horrible topic, and when I was in college and I first learned about it, I was completely galvanized until I read one article that was by an African woman who was criticizing Western liberal types who were \prying\" into their "
Candace_Walsh: private stuff. It made the issue more complex for me, and it also gave me an \out.\" I didn't want to be politically incorrect. But it goes way beyond that when baby girls' clitorises and labia are being cut off by tin can lids. That's a human rights "
Candace_Walsh: violation. 
Webmama_Tina: mamas remember if you have a question, just post a single question mark and i'll put you in the queue to ask a question
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: heather1969  ...upcoming chatters: none currently
Quirky1: ?
Webmama_Tina: ok quirky, go for it
heather1969: What I understand is that FGM is an important issue for African women also given that they are the ones affected, but it is THEIR right to choose to define how to address the issue
Webmama_Tina: woops, sorry heather, didn't realize you weren't finished
amberharness83: ?
Candace_Walsh: And we're so happy to be supporting them in their decisions. 
heather1969: How do you think your approach differs from Alice Walker's?
lexi1706: ?
Webmama_Tina: current chatter:  heather1969  ...upcoming chatters: Quirky1 , amberharness83, lexi1706 
Candace_Walsh: I'd love to answer your question, but as I thanked you for the book rec, I haven't read it. Please read my blogs from the two conferences and I'm sure your questions will be answered. I want to give equal time to others. Next?
Quirky1: Candace, I've enjoyed your blog and I thought your article/call to action was awesome. My only critique is, I don't think you should have minimized the harms of MGM. It is just as much a human rights violation when boys are held down and forcibly circed.
Quirky1: Whether in the US or in other parts of the world. Hundreds of boys die every year from circ and their sexuality is permanently harmed. I thought you fell into the trap of emphasizing how horrible FGM by understating the harms of MGM. It's not either-or.
Quirky1: I think we all have to fight all forms of circumcision here and around the world.
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: Quirky1 ...upcoming chatters: amberharness83, lexi1706 
Candace_Walsh: Gosh, I would never have wanted to give that impression. I do want to point out that the equivalent of 1st degree fgm is cutting off the tip of the penis, the equivalent of 2nd degree is cutting off the testes and the tip of the penis, and third degree is 
Candace_Walsh: cutting off the entire penis, and the testes. Next question?
Quirky1: The foreskin contains half the nerve endings of the penis. cutting it off is like removing the clitoral hood and half the clitoris.
amberharness83: So are the African women in agreement with this? Are they able to decide ? What exactly is your part in this matter? Do you agree with this FMG and MGM? Thank you being here also!
Candace_Walsh: Absolutely. And that's FGM 1st degree. The vast majority of FGM that takes place is 3rd degree.
Candace_Walsh: 1. The African anti-FGM activists are in agreement about being anti-FGM. They are able to decide to be anti-FGM but it's very brave of them to be activists.
Candace_Walsh: Many girls and young children are not able to decide not to undergo FGM because they would be killed or thrown out of their communities. That's what the activists are trying to change.
Candace_Walsh: My part is just doing what I can to raise awareness, shed light on their brilliant and brave efforts, and direct funds their way via Equality Now. www.equalitynow.org . 
Candace_Walsh: I am absolutely against female genital mutilation and male genital mutilation. My little boy's penis is completely intact.
kimberella: Just to interject and backtrack for a sec, for 30 years, Mothering has covered MGM and we are proud to note that in this time, rates in the west have declined to about 50%. It is simply time for us to bring FGM coverage to the table too....not instead of. 
Candace_Walsh: I like to think of life in terms of abundance, not scrambling after limited resources when they're not limited at all :) 
Quirky1: ?
kimberella: Here's to an abundancece of intact kiddoes around the world! Growing up unharmed and untraumatized! 
kimberella: Boys AND girls! 
Candace_Walsh: high five!
Webmama_Tina: lexi has our next question
lexi1706: Does your organization bring awareness about other things that go against civil rights issues in Africa/anywhere or just FGM?     
lexi1706: and MGM, 
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: lexi1706 ...upcoming chatters: Quirky1 
Candace_Walsh: I believe you are referring to Equality Now, which I work with, but is not my org. per se. Yes! They are fighting a vast assortment of human rights violations that affect girls and women. Sex slavery, child marriage, lack of education, etc.
Candace_Walsh: All over the world.
heather1969: ?
Webmama_Tina: current chatter: lexi1706 ...upcoming chatters: Quirky1, heather1969 
Webmama_Tina: that will about do it for today i think...we are nearly out of time
Webmama_Tina: do you have time to get the last 2 questions candace?
Candace_Walsh: of course. I find this to be so stimulating and rewarding! 
Webmama_Tina: ok quirky, you're up if lexi is done?
Quirky1: It's small, but have you tried promoting fundraising for Equality Now through www.goodsearch.com  and shopping portals like igive.com -- normal searching and shopping can really add up and fundraise for free.
Candace_Walsh: Oh, wow, excellent suggestions. I will forward those websites on to Taina Bien-Aime, the executive director of Equality Now.
Candace_Walsh: Thank you so much.
Quirky1: I do totally support what you're doing-- don't want to leave the wrong impression! I just think we can't forget that both boys and girls are vulnerable to abuse all over the world.
Candace_Walsh: Word.
heather1969: Do you think there is any difference in calling this \mutilation\" or \"cutting\" and if so, why?"
Candace_Walsh: Well, we get our hair cut. Cutting is a word that can have neutral, good or bad connotations. Mutilation is...not unclear. :) 
Candace_Walsh: I can email you a presentation text that Dr. Morrissanda Kouyate did with the World Health Organization on this topic if you like
Candace_Walsh: Brilliant work! He's amazing. 
heather1969: Read the book--it will explain why African women use the term \cutting\" and dislike the use of \"multation,\""
Candace_Walsh: Yes, I'd love to see those particular women's point of view, as opposed to the women I just spent a week with. What year was it published?
Webmama_Tina: well i think that about wraps it up then!
Webmama_Tina: thank you so much candace...a difficult topic, for sure...but very interesting and wonderful to see how things are slowly changing
heather1969: 2005
Webmama_Tina: i have a quick question..is oprah at all involved in the organizations you are talking about?
Webmama_Tina: because i know she's taken up the cause as well
lodgemama: thank you for doing your work candace
Webmama_Tina: i've seen several shows on it 
Candace_Walsh: No--but we are hoping she will come on board. She has supported women's right to be intact in the past.
Webmama_Tina: and i know africa is near and dear to her heart
Webmama_Tina: perhaps she's spread too thin...she does sooooo much for the women of the world
Webmama_Tina: particularly african women and girls
Candace_Walsh: It will happen. I'm sure of it. 
Webmama_Tina: i hope she does too!
Webmama_Tina: have y'all contacted her?
Webmama_Tina: i'm guessing yes
Candace_Walsh: VDAY supports anti-FGM activism with many of its fundraisers
Quirky1: yah well oprah could care less about boys genital integrity. she promotes skin cream made with foreskins. :(
Webmama_Tina: well i thank you all for taking the time to chat with us today!
Candace_Walsh: EW! That's sick! 
Quirky1: yep, the foreskin biotech industry is huge. talk about a corporate conspiracy
Candace_Walsh: Thank you so much for engaging in this chat, and with this issue.