This book comprises a collection of narratives by people whose lives have been touched by female genital mutilation (FMG), across five continents.

3 What are the issues?

1. Background and history

"This book discusses the definition and types of FGM and explores the common justifications for the practice, along with the incidence in Africa, global laws, legal issues, rights and religion. Ethical considerations are examined, as are progress and the role of culture. The book concludes with thoughts on the movement from tradition to cultural evolution."--Provided by publisher.

This book describes essential operative techniques that can be used to anatomically reconstruct the outer female genital in acquired deformities derived from ritual genital mutilation/cutting, and diseases causing similar deforming defects. Following an introduction with general insights on the topic, the main chapters deal with basic considerations and special anatomical information. With the help of high-quality videos and images, the reader receives detailed instructions on clitoral and vulvar reconstruction with techniques invented by the author, named the NMCS-procedure, the OD-flap and the aOAP-flap procedures. The book is rounded out with chapters describing postoperative care and how to manage complications. The integrity of their outer genitals is important for patients’ physical and psychological wellbeing. As such, the vulva is now receiving increasing attention and will likely continue to grow in importance in plastic surgery. The author, who has developed outstanding procedures for vulvar and clitoral reconstruction over the years, shares his considerable experience and hopes to highlight the importance of these methods to overcome the burden of female genital mutilation/cutting.

Billet examines the debate between the uniform application of universal human rights and cultural relativism. Billet outlines the foundations and evolution of both schools of thought. The book also examines case studies that involve either women or children and are typically viewed by the West as violations of fundamental human rights.

Female "circumcision" or, more precisely, female genital cutting (FGC), remains an important cultural practice in many African countries, often serving as a coming-of-age ritual. It is also a practice that has generated international dispute and continues to be at the center of debates over women's rights, the limits of cultural pluralism, the balance of power between local cultures, international human rights, and feminist activism. In our increasingly globalized world, these practices have also begun immigrating to other nations, where transnational complexities vex debates about how to resolve the issue. Bringing together thirteen essays, Transcultural Bodies provides an ethnographically rich exploration of FGC among African diasporas in the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. Contributors analyze changes in ideologies of gender and sexuality in immigrant communities, the frequent marginalization of African women's voices in debates over FGC, and controversies over legislation restricting the practice in immigrant populations.