Articles Reflection and Analysis: Female Genital Cutting

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Articles Reflection and Analysis: Female Genital Cutting (FGC)
Summary
This paper offers an analysis of two distinctive articles about Female circumcision in an African context. "Representing Africa in the Kasinga Asylum Case", by Charles Piot, tells of the infamous story of Fauziya Kasinga, a Tchamba Togolese woman, who fights to run away from the nightmare of forced marriage and going through the cut commonly known as Female Genital Cutting (FGC). On the other hand, McKinley Michelle, in her article "Cultural Culprits" also offers deep insight into the same topic as she depicts the severity of the subject matter using a number of cases in the African setting- Kenya in particular. The author focuses on initiatives by British imperialist women to fight the practice of FGC
The young Kasinga decided to seek refuge in a country far miles away from her native home since as a young girl growing up in Africa, she was a victim of customs and culture that made her bound to be married off at a young age (to an elderly man with three wives) and undergo the cut in the process. All the same, her father had strived to provide her with a desirable life by empowerment through education. However, upon his demise and the banishment of her mother, Kasinga, who was left as a dependant on her aunt, became openly vulnerable (Piot, 226). It is likely that her aunt saw an opportunity for personal gain by forcing Kasinga into a polygamous marriage with an elderly man. McKinley states "Kasinga was in an internal family struggle for control over her father’s property…" (p. 160).
Analysis
Seeking asylum in the United States proved to be difficult since FGC is not something that is practiced therein in addition to the fact that racial and ethnic segregation was still existent at stumpy levels. Even so, what followed was a landmark legal case finally decided in June 1996, When Kasinga was granted Asylum in the United States away from forced marriage and gender-based maltreatment. This case is different though, it does not fit the description of the ordinary instances of political asylum. One may argue that it draws from modernist imaginaries, as a social theory. The whole concept of Kasinga’s case strives to assume the existence of a cultural difference between her Muslim community in Togo and the post-modern United States.
Kasinga’s appeal case revolved around some concerns, which included the query of whether the "harm of mutilation" was carried out with malignant intent. INS attorney Martin suggested that not only was it difficult to define the nature of a person’s subjective beliefs, but also, it was probable that those responsible for the practice of genital cutting had benign motives of upholding culture and or tradition. The judges consequently raised the question as to why genital cutting was practiced in the first place, to which INS attorney Martin responded by indicating that it was part of a cultural practice. Furthermore, there arose concerns that gender, contrasted to social groups like race, political affiliations or religion, does not form a recognized group under Asylum law (p. 227). In the end, however, the board chose to consider the plight of the teenage girl, over and above the other concerns. This represents a clear application of Modernization Theory, a case of trying to bridge cultural differences of different communities of the world. One can correctly argue that Kasinga opted to fight for her gender rights (a western ideology) and do away with the traditions and culture of her community owing to formal education, which she had received in Ghana.
An analysis of the aforementioned occurrences however reveals an unusual relationship between culture and asylum. The nexus herein is however not open to the naked eye. Without doubt, the board in Kasinga’s case found itself questioning the validity of other people’s culture and traditions. On the other hand, Kasinga’s arrival in the United States is associated with gross mistreatment by the United States government. This represents a form of irony whereby, the asylum, she thought would save her was harming her, both physically and emotionally. One is left to wonder what her destiny would have been were it not for the intervention and contribution of Layli Bashir and Karen Musau, and that of the appeal court board.
McKinley concurrently places special emphasis on campaigns against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). She looks into the subject matter from times of colonial governance using the case of maternal imperialists’ campaign in Kenya from 1928-1931. She specifically notes that their actions were based on preserving moral superiority associated with civilization, Christianity and medical hygiene. She mentions key women that were at the forefront of fighting to ensure that the British mandate at the time was keen to respect and uphold women’s welfare (McKinley, 119). The ...