Take a Stand Against Female Genital Mutilation

Equality Now needs you to take action. Female genital mutilation (FGM), acknowledged internationally as a human rights violation and an extreme form of discrimination against women and girls, might be coming to the United States. The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a policy statement that essentially promotes changes in US federal and state laws to “enable … pediatricians to reach out to families by offering a ritual nick” such as “pricking or incising the clitoral skin to satisfy cultural requirements.”

Human rights groups around the globe have been working for decades to put an end to female genital mutilation, and the World Health Organization recognizes that female genital mutilation, even if it is “only” a pricking or incising of the clitoral skin, has no health benefits and only harmful consequences. It is disturbing that an American medical group would try to promote or legalize FGM in any way. Take action and tell the American Academy of Pediatrics to retract the portions of the AAP statement that, in effect, promote changes in US federal and state laws to enable physicians to “nick” girls’ genitalia.