The Other McCain

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Progressive Feminist Amanda Marcotte Is OK With Female Genital Mutilation

Posted on | May 7, 2010 | 24 Comments

You can’t make this stuff up:

Wow, I rarely find myself disagreeing with PZ, Melissa, and Samhita, but I have to say that I don’t really see the problem with the American Academy of Pediatrics advising doctors to offer a “ritual nick” in lieu of the more serious forms of female circumcision that are often on offer in some other parts of the world. The practice is something that is done in modern places that want to have a link to tradition without actually doing any real harm to little girls, from what I understand. All they do is prick your genitals, or make a small cut that heals over, but nothing is removed. You’re basically scratching the girl. It’s not awesome . . . but comparing it to more severe forms of female circumcision troubles me.

In guessing why Marcotte doesn’t object to the “ritual nick,” I postulate either:

  • A. She’s got that whole blame-America/white-guilt mindset going on, where she can’t object to even the most barbaric practice, so long as it is practiced by America’s enemies;

OR . . .

  • B. She has enough gential piercings herself that she sets off metal detectors at the airport.

Quite possibly both. Anyway, hat-tip to Dennis the Peasant.

Category: Feminism, National Offend a Feminist Week

Comments

24 Responses to “Progressive Feminist Amanda Marcotte Is OK With Female Genital Mutilation”

  1. Americaneocon
    May 8th, 2010 @ 3:42 am

    Great analysis at the post as well. A helluva pickup!

  2. Americaneocon
    May 7th, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

    Great analysis at the post as well. A helluva pickup!

  3. TAS
    May 8th, 2010 @ 3:48 am

    “B. She has enough gential piercings herself that she sets off metal detectors at the airport.”

    That is not an image I need floating around in my head.

    I can think of an alternative that Amanda did not mention: maybe instead of celebrating “diversity” we should prevent people from cultures that do this from entering America.

  4. TAS
    May 7th, 2010 @ 10:48 pm

    “B. She has enough gential piercings herself that she sets off metal detectors at the airport.”

    That is not an image I need floating around in my head.

    I can think of an alternative that Amanda did not mention: maybe instead of celebrating “diversity” we should prevent people from cultures that do this from entering America.

  5. Amy P.
    May 8th, 2010 @ 4:22 am

    Gee, that’s funny, because I distinctly remember Marcotte having pretty liberal views on sexuality; doesn’t she realize that the point of FGM is to render intercourse unpleasurable (and even painful) for women?

    Or, as you said, I suppose that little fact is lost amid her rabid desire to be “diverse”…

  6. Amy P.
    May 7th, 2010 @ 11:22 pm

    Gee, that’s funny, because I distinctly remember Marcotte having pretty liberal views on sexuality; doesn’t she realize that the point of FGM is to render intercourse unpleasurable (and even painful) for women?

    Or, as you said, I suppose that little fact is lost amid her rabid desire to be “diverse”…

  7. Moe Lane
    May 8th, 2010 @ 4:56 am

    Wait, what?

  8. Moe Lane
    May 7th, 2010 @ 11:56 pm

    Wait, what?

  9. nicholas
    May 8th, 2010 @ 5:32 am

    Well, it is the acceptance of the intrinsic value of “culture” other than our distinct American one that leads her to this bizarre compromise position. “A little nick ain’t nothing.” It is a symbolic salute to the culture from whence the practice was brought to its full fruition, and the thinking that went behind it, hardly much different than the Jewish ceremony for males, right?

    And what was the thinking that birthed this cultural ceremony? The thinking was that if women experience sexual pleasure they are likely to be out committing sexual acts with whoever comes along, so lets fix em early and take that concern off our brains, such as they are.

    Yeah. It stems from the male portion of that culture being culturally insecure in their sexuality and having an ownership attitude toward the women in their lives. That is why they go about running down their daughters for wearing in jeans in school. Or decapitating the head of their estranged wife for filing for divorce.

    That is an inferior culture, Ms. Marcotte, and if you are unwilling to say so than you are willing to have your daughters grow up in it.

    Time to grow a set.

  10. nicholas
    May 8th, 2010 @ 12:32 am

    Well, it is the acceptance of the intrinsic value of “culture” other than our distinct American one that leads her to this bizarre compromise position. “A little nick ain’t nothing.” It is a symbolic salute to the culture from whence the practice was brought to its full fruition, and the thinking that went behind it, hardly much different than the Jewish ceremony for males, right?

    And what was the thinking that birthed this cultural ceremony? The thinking was that if women experience sexual pleasure they are likely to be out committing sexual acts with whoever comes along, so lets fix em early and take that concern off our brains, such as they are.

    Yeah. It stems from the male portion of that culture being culturally insecure in their sexuality and having an ownership attitude toward the women in their lives. That is why they go about running down their daughters for wearing in jeans in school. Or decapitating the head of their estranged wife for filing for divorce.

    That is an inferior culture, Ms. Marcotte, and if you are unwilling to say so than you are willing to have your daughters grow up in it.

    Time to grow a set.

  11. Estragon
    May 8th, 2010 @ 6:47 am

    This is not some “differing religious cultural custom which may seem strange to Americans but should be accepted in the spirit of tolerance blah blah blah.” This is a barbaric tradition of cruel, violent, and uncivilized people. In those places where the practice IS “traditional,” the “tradition” is also that the “procedure” is performed without sanitary conditions or anesthesia and in the years just before sexual maturity, maximizing the suffering. Infections are common and deaths are not unheard of.

    Also, as Amy P. notes @ #3, the sole purpose is to diminish sexual pleasure in the victim. In the view of these primitive “societies,” women cannot possibly control themselves, without strict repression the wanton sluts would be out every night like cats in heat, yowling and writhing provocatively on the ground to attract sex partners (no offense to Ms. Marcotte intended). These are the same “cultures” which react to a woman being raped by stoning her to death for adultery.

    This is a despicable, barbaric, and sadistic practice. Those who cherish such perverse traditions deserve no consideration whatsover from civilized human beings.

  12. Estragon
    May 8th, 2010 @ 1:47 am

    This is not some “differing religious cultural custom which may seem strange to Americans but should be accepted in the spirit of tolerance blah blah blah.” This is a barbaric tradition of cruel, violent, and uncivilized people. In those places where the practice IS “traditional,” the “tradition” is also that the “procedure” is performed without sanitary conditions or anesthesia and in the years just before sexual maturity, maximizing the suffering. Infections are common and deaths are not unheard of.

    Also, as Amy P. notes @ #3, the sole purpose is to diminish sexual pleasure in the victim. In the view of these primitive “societies,” women cannot possibly control themselves, without strict repression the wanton sluts would be out every night like cats in heat, yowling and writhing provocatively on the ground to attract sex partners (no offense to Ms. Marcotte intended). These are the same “cultures” which react to a woman being raped by stoning her to death for adultery.

    This is a despicable, barbaric, and sadistic practice. Those who cherish such perverse traditions deserve no consideration whatsover from civilized human beings.

  13. Estragon
    May 8th, 2010 @ 6:56 am

    And furthermore: I believe that under the laws of every State in the Union, the only lawful and ethical response of a medical professional to a request to perform such a procedure would be to discretely call the police.

  14. Estragon
    May 8th, 2010 @ 1:56 am

    And furthermore: I believe that under the laws of every State in the Union, the only lawful and ethical response of a medical professional to a request to perform such a procedure would be to discretely call the police.

  15. Mick
    May 8th, 2010 @ 5:19 pm

    I don’t see anything wrong with this statement. A prick is nothing compared with foresin amputation, which is legal.

  16. Mick
    May 8th, 2010 @ 12:19 pm

    I don’t see anything wrong with this statement. A prick is nothing compared with foresin amputation, which is legal.

  17. Roxeanne de Luca
    May 8th, 2010 @ 5:27 pm

    Amanda Marcotte is no feminist, at least not in the rational sense of the word. She doesn’t care about women’s achievement, whether they are coerced into abortions, or about women who are actually harmed and oppressed by non-Christian cultures. Rather, she wears the mantle of feminism as a reaction against American and Christian cultures and the conservative movement.

    If you want to see whether or not a modern liberal feminist actually deserves the moniker, see how she reacts to Sarah Palin and it will tell you everything you need to know about how much she cares for actual women.

  18. Roxeanne de Luca
    May 8th, 2010 @ 12:27 pm

    Amanda Marcotte is no feminist, at least not in the rational sense of the word. She doesn’t care about women’s achievement, whether they are coerced into abortions, or about women who are actually harmed and oppressed by non-Christian cultures. Rather, she wears the mantle of feminism as a reaction against American and Christian cultures and the conservative movement.

    If you want to see whether or not a modern liberal feminist actually deserves the moniker, see how she reacts to Sarah Palin and it will tell you everything you need to know about how much she cares for actual women.

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  20. Joe
    May 8th, 2010 @ 9:34 pm

    Amanda is okay with female genital mutilation. That is what you call nuance! Is she okay with male circumsion too? It’s the gender crime of the century according to Andrew Sullivan (with hints that we should blame the Jews for that).

    I would propose making honor killings allowed here too, because if you don’t people might leave the country to do it. It is much better doing it here and doing it right.

  21. Joe
    May 8th, 2010 @ 4:34 pm

    Amanda is okay with female genital mutilation. That is what you call nuance! Is she okay with male circumsion too? It’s the gender crime of the century according to Andrew Sullivan (with hints that we should blame the Jews for that).

    I would propose making honor killings allowed here too, because if you don’t people might leave the country to do it. It is much better doing it here and doing it right.

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