Decolonising FGM/C Advocacy: Respecting Local Expertise

Although the commenter praised their achievements, they added, “But what about FGM? Is there the will and movement to stop this?” This remark transformed the compliment into a back-handed one. Despite numerous posts I shared on LinkedIn about FGM/C that garnered little response, this particular post drew unexpected attention. But why? The original author who saw the comment was not impressed at all; I don’t think I need to repeat what she said! (Because you folks cannot handle it when it is reversed to you).

Viewing Malaysian Muslim women merely as sexually oppressed individuals with cut clitorises is a reductionist perspective that disregards our humanity and individuality.  Cultural and religious practices are complex and must be approached with sensitivity and respect, not sensationalism. Harmful practices against women are not exclusive to so-called “uncivilised” cultures; they can arise from any culture. Having lived in both the UK and Malaysia, I do not believe one culture is superior to the other. There are many aspects of Malaysian culture that I am proud of, and areas where I believe Malaysia could learn from the UK. Similarly, there are many aspects of the UK that I admire, and areas where I think Malaysia surpasses the UK.

I recall seeing a patient who had undergone FGM/C as a young girl, attending an antenatal appointment. She was in tears, fearing being seen as a woman from a “barbaric” culture and lamented how others had treated her like a “poor little thing,” as if she lacked the intellect to make her own decisions. She despised being treated that way, and I despised it for her. She wanted to be treated like any other woman, and not make FGM/C the sole focus of her antenatal care. When treating survivors of any gender-based violence, it is essential not to infantilise them, which could lead to secondary psychological trauma.

In Malaysia, not all Muslim women identify as survivors of FGM/C, and many would find this term offensive if applied to them. Which brings us to the question – are we, Malaysian Muslim women, oppressed? Is it right for other people to tell us that we are oppressed? Is it true that the oppressed do not realise that they are being oppressed?”

I do not want to go into detail why FGM/C is practised in Malaysia (you can read all about it here.) The reasons for this practice range from a lack of understanding about religious requirements to wanting to control a woman’s sexual libido. The idea behind the practice is oppressive. But Malaysian women are probably not oppressed solely because of this practice. It is overly simplistic to say that Malaysian Muslim women are sexually oppressed. Moreover, societies worldwide, and not just the Malaysian society often perceive women through the medical gaze² , reducing them to mere vessels for reproduction (eg. The overturning of Roe v Wade, which overturned the constitutional right for women access to safe abortion in the USA). This underscores the importance of understanding the forces that shape societal views of oppression and developing a nuanced analysis of oppression that does not regard women of colour outside the Western world as “easy victims.” When I highlight the differences between the FGM/C practices in Malaysia and those in Africa, I am not downplaying its impact on Malaysian women, nor am I implying cultural superiority over others. There is no cultural superiority in any form of gender-based violence, no matter how minimal it is. The differences include a lack of long-term physical complications, though immediate complications can occur due to an infant’s clitoral anatomy, and there is a scarcity of studies on psychosexual dysfunction following the Malaysian practice. My intention of writing this article is to emphasise the importance of educating oneself on the specific nuances of the practice before proposing solutions. It is likely that local perspectives have already been considered in addressing this issue.

Having said that, by no means we are not open to ideas to end this practice. Please remember that Malaysian women are not empty vessels walking around to be filled in with “education” from the West. Rather, we are open to collaborative efforts that respect our agency and expertise in finding solutions to end FGM/C in Malaysia.