female genital mutilation
nounDefinition of female genital mutilation
: a procedure performed especially as a cultural rite that typically includes the total or partial excision of the female external genitalia and especially the clitoris and labia minora and that is now outlawed in many nations including the U.S.
—abbreviation FGM
— called also female circumcision
— compare infibulationExamples of female genital mutilation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Jaha was recognized for her cause, Safe Hands for Girls, which does life-saving work to protect young girls from female genital mutilation in Gambia, Africa. — Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, "Anne Marie Nelson-Bogle Climbed the Ladder at L’Oréal. Now She’s Calling the Shots," 13 Aug. 2019 Moreover, Kenyatta has vowed to end the abhorrent practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) by 2022, which will mark the end of his second and final term in office. — Fox News, "Kenya's president blunt on scourge of al-Shabab: 'I would be lying to you if I said that we had dealt with the problem'," 4 July 2019 But escaping female genital mutilation is a valid reason for granting protection, according to social workers who assist the migrants. — Griff Witte, Washington Post, "Migrants say these mass shelters are like prisons. Germany wants to build more.," 18 May 2018 Prince Charles’s wife, Camilla, for instance, is president of the Women of the World Festival and is active on such issues as domestic violence and female genital mutilation. — Karla Adam, Washington Post, "Meghan Markle declares herself a feminist on the British monarchy’s website," 21 May 2018 Rozin’s case study for examining clashing cultural perspectives is the practice variously referred to as female circumcision or female genital mutilation (the more loaded term). — Julia M. Klein, Philly.com, "'Human Rites' at InterAct Theatre: Invigorating, crackling, provocative," 29 Mar. 2018 First to note is that one of the motives for male circumcision was the same as for female genital mutilation from the get-go. — Andrew Sullivan, Daily Intelligencer, "The World Is Better Than Ever. Why Are We Miserable?," 9 Mar. 2018 The women, meanwhile, were tackling even weightier subjects under a nearby acacia tree, including birth control, the role of women in the village, and female genital mutilation. — John Gurda, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "East Africa proves rich in culture and wildlife on trip of a lifetime," 26 Jan. 2018 Most countries where female genital mutilation is common have laws against it. — The Economist, "The year of Hurricane HarveyAccusations of harassment have felled some powerful men," 19 Dec. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'female genital mutilation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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