Female circumcision/genital mutilation is described as a ritualistic “surgery” done on young girls in parts of Africa and Asia. During these “surgeries”, a girl’s genitally is pricked, prodded, sewn, or cut to preserve a women’s virginity, sexuality, and to “increase male sexual pleasure”. Millions of people a year have this procedure preformed on them because it is said to be a cultural tradition or religious belief. Places like Somalia, Kenya, Mali, to even the Philippines and Malaysia all practice forms of Female genital mutilation.

In Loretta Kopelman’s article titled “Female Circumcision/Genital Mutilation and Ethical Relativism”, she discusses different types of relativism. She describe descriptive relativism as how cultures have distinct norms and do behave differently. Ethical relativism, that has been previously talked about, is the idea that right and wrong is approved by the majority of a culture. Lastly, cultural relativism is the view that beliefs, practices, and values of cultures cannot be judged, or assessed, by other cultures.

Many traditions believe that this practice is right and that it is their duty to complete it. But, there are many objections and disputes around the world. In our society, for example, this would be considered abuse and absolutely wrong. Kopelman asks, do other societies and cultures even have a say or authority to say that the practice of female genital mutilation is wrong? She continues, saying “The right action is the one that is approved by the person’s society or culture, and the wrong action is the one that is disapproved by the person’s society or culture; there are moral truths, but they are determined by the norms of the society” (Kopelman 56). This is along the lines of the stance that Ruth Benedict believes in “A defense of ethical relativism”, that whatever is the most excepted by a society or culture is right. Kopelman challenges this idea, saying that female genital mutilation has absolutely no logical benefits, and because it involves torture, oppression and very young girls and women, that other societies have a moral authority to decide if it is right or wrong.

I think I believe more in the favor of cultural relativism. I personally think that this a more rare case, where a society can’t necessarily intervene and expect another society to change their traditions. Though, I do not think genital mutilation, in any form, is right. We will always judge and differ from other cultures, simply because we are from different cultures. This can even roll onto the idea of nurture. We can apply this on a small scale and ask, if a friend, or stranger we meet has a differing idea, opinion, or behavior than we do, yet they are in the same community, society, and country as us, do we have the right to tell that person that they’re wrong? Everyone is raised differently, with different background, cultures, traditions and religions. I just don’t think a person, society, or country has the moral authority to tell another person, society, or country, that what they believe or do is wrong. As long as it’s not effecting or hurting someone else.

word count: 475