Luxor4u

It is not about 'us and them', it is about protecting children from a practice that can cause permanent, often serious physical and psychological issues. I don't know if anyone saw that recent documentary presented by a brave young women of Somalian origin 'Leyla Hussein' who is campaigning within her community to end fgm despite death threats. I am sure there are many others individuals whose communities traditionally practice it that are against it also.

I think education needs to extend to all levels of practicing communities. It is all very well teaching teenage girls the dangers of fgm but it is often older women that insist on it being done to their granddaughters. I know of a couple of cases where new mothers have been against having it done to their daughters but granny and aunty have put the pressure on until she caves in and gets her daughter done. Also men need educating, they may not be aware of the full horrors and if it was done sensitively by someone they respect such as a religious leader this may go a long way to protecting their daughters and granddaughters.

As for your question dsaxelby. I can't speak for every family but I am in an intercultural marriage, we have 2 children age 9 and 7 and it will be over my dead body that anyone does this to my daughter.

I have a gf who had this done to her a young girl. She is from a village in Sudan. It has caused her all sorts of health problems, infections etc. She isn't sure of the 'why' this was done to her and can only state it was done to her just cause it is done to all girls so when they marry they are presentable to their husbands. She has only sons, is now past childbearing age but will never answer and does skirt the question if she would have had her own daughters done.