People (sorry, I don't remember who) have been discussing the dangers of ethnocentrism regarding FGM (female genital mutilation), assuming that this is a practice confined to Africa. Yes, I oppose this ritualized violence against women, and no, I don't worry that I'm imposing my Eurocentric, middle- class values on anyone. As with most political issues, I think the integrity is at the grassroots level, and there IS, in Africa, a grassroots, women-lead movement against FMG, so my opposition to the practice takes its lead from these women. But more importantly, I would point out that FGM, in some form, was a very popular early 20th C "treatment" for middle-class White women in the US. FGM is more IN KEEPING with Eurocentric, middle-class values than we would perhaps like to acknowledge! Yes, I'm sure there are African women who are proud to have "cut" their daughters and who prattle about being "foolish" women, just as we in the US have Miss America pageants and Republican wives stupid enough to vote for George W (sorry, I'm in Houston and still having a hard time accepting the election results:)). FGM is mutilation; if you're tempted to grudgingly grant it status as a cultural ritual, read Mary Daly's description of it in _Gyn/Ecology_ or Alice Walker's in _Possessing the Secret of Joy_. Or read about the "rest cure" that inspired Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper." There was also an excellent article about a year ago in _Ms_ about the African movement against FGM. In peace, Sara
