This year marks the 15th anniversary of the FGM Bill (female genital mutilation). However, genital integrity laws only protect half our children.
Unless there is a compelling medical reason to do so, no one has the right to cut off the working body part of a child.
Next weekend, there will be peaceful demonstrations and marches across the country to raise awareness of this issue.
Take Action NOW
Circumcision is perpetuated by silence.
If you are wondering what YOU can do, right now, to help end male genital mutilation see below:
(clickable links will take you directly to an easy search for your representative and their email contact)
(1) Write your local House (find your rep by entering your zip code in the top right hand corner of website) and Senate congressional members along with President Obama and ask them to sponsor the MGM Bill proposal. (Below is an example of what you can write in your email contact – simply copy and paste!)
I am writing to ask you to sponsor a proposed bill that would protect boys from the harmful practice of male genital mutilation, also known as circumcision. As you may already know, circumcision removes the most sexually sensitive parts of a boy’s penis, including the foreskin, the frenulum, and the ridged band of nerves. Although girls have been legally protected from all forms of genital cutting since 1997, nearly 60% of boys in the U.S.
No national medical association in the world recommends that boys be forcefully circumcised for preventive health reasons. In addition, the Fourteenth Amendment to our U.S. Constitution guarantees every citizen equal protection of the laws. If we care enough to protect our girls from circumcision, shouldn’t we care enough to protect our boys as well?
The proposed legislation that would end this discrimination is called the MGM Bill. It was submitted to every member of Congress and 9 state legislatures on January 14, 2013 , and I have enclosed a copy with this letter in case you have not yet seen it. You can also learn more about the harmful effects of circumcision on the group’s website, at www.mgmbill.org.
For the sake of men’s sexual health, human rights, and citizen equality, I urge you to take a stand against male genital mutilation. Please sponsor the MGM Bill!
Sincerely,
It is also helpful to become aware and read the MGM Bill proposal for yourself.
Genital Mutilation Prohibition Act
IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Submitted to Congress on January 14, 2013
A Bill
Entitled the "Federal Prohibition of Genital Mutilation Act of 2013"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, to amend the Female Genital Mutilation Act of 1996 (a) so that boys, intersex individuals, and nonconsenting adults may also be protected from genital mutilation; (b) to increase the maximum punishment of offense to 14 years imprisonment, (c) to include assistance or facilitation of genital mutilation of children or nonconsenting adults as an offense, and (d) to prohibit persons in the U.S. from arranging or facilitating genital mutilation of children and nonconsenting adults in foreign countries.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act may be cited as the "Federal Prohibition of Genital Mutilation Act of 2013".
SECTION 2. TITLE 18 AMENDMENT
(A) IN GENE RAL .--Title 18, Part I, Chapter 7, Section 116 of the United States Code is amended by revising the text to read as follows:
"116. GENITAL MUTILATION
"(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), whoever knowingly circumcises, excises, cuts, or mutilates the whole or any part of the labia majora, labia minora, clitoris, vulva, breasts, nipples, foreskin, glans, testicles, penis, ambiguous genitalia, hermaphroditic genitalia, or genital organs of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years or on any nonconsenting adult; whoever prematurely and forcibly retracts the penile or clitoral prepuce of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years or on any nonconsenting adult, except to the extent that the prepuce has already separated from the glans; whoever knowingly assists with or facilitates any of these acts; or whoever arranges, plans, aids, abets, counsels, facilitates, or procures a genital mutilation operation on another person outside the United States who has not attained the age of 18 years or on any nonconsenting adult outside the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 14 years, or both.
"(b) A surgical operation is not a violation of this section if the operation is (1) performed on a person who has not attained the age of 18 years and is necessary to the physical health of the person on whom it is performed because of a clear, compelling, and immediate medical need with no less-destructive alternative treatment available, and is performed by a person licensed in the place of its performance as a medical practitioner; (2) performed on an adult who is physically unable to give consent and there is a clear, compelling, and immediate medical need with no less-destructive alternative treatment available, and is performed by a person licensed in the place of its performance as a medical practitioner; or (3) performed on a person in labor or who has just given birth and is performed for medical purposes connected with that labor or birth because of a clear, compelling, and immediate medical need with no less-destructive alternative treatment available, and is performed by a person licensed in the place it is performed as a medical practitioner, midwife, or person in training to become such a practitioner or midwife.
"(c) In applying subsection (b), no account shall be taken of the effect on the person on whom the operation is to be performed of any belief on the part of that or any other person that the operation is required as a matter of custom or ritual.
(B) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.--The table of sections at the beginning of Chapter 7 of Title 18, Part I, of the United States Code, is amended by revising Section 116 to read "116. Genital mutilation."
SECTION 3. INFORMATION AND EDUCATION REGARDING GENITAL MUTILATION
(A) IN GENE RAL . -- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall carry out the following activities:
(1) Compile data on the number of persons of all sexes living in the United States who have been subjected to genital mutilation (whether in the United States or in their countries of origin), including a specification of the number of children under the age of 18 who have been subjected to such mutilation.
(2) Identify communities in the United States
(3) Develop recommendations for the education of students of schools of medicine and osteopathic medicine regarding genital mutilation and complications arising from such mutilation, as well as complications arising from premature forcible retraction of the prepuce. Such recommendations shall be disseminated to such schools.
(B) IN GENE RAL . -- The President shall carry out the following activities:
(1) Seek to end the practice of genital mutilation worldwide through the active cooperation and participation of governments in countries where genital mutilation takes place.
(2) Steps to end the practice of genital mutilation should include--
(a) encouraging nations to establish clear policies against genital mutilation and enforcing existing laws which prohibit it;
(b) assisting nations in creating culturally appropriate outreach programs that include education and counseling about the dangers of genital mutilation to people of all ages; and
(c) ensuring that all appropriate programs in which the United States
(C) DEFINITIONS. -- For purpose of this Act, the term "genital mutilation" means the removal or cutting (or both) of the whole or part of the clitoris, labia minora, labia majora, vulva, breasts, nipples, foreskin, glans, testicles, penis, ambiguous genitalia, hermaphroditic genitalia, or genital organs. The term "premature forcible retraction of the penile or clitoral prepuce" means forced retraction of the prepuce from the glans, except to the extent that the prepuce has already separated from the glans. The term "prepuce" means foreskin. The term "adult" means a person who has attained the age of 18 years. The term "nonconsenting" means not wishing to undergo genital mutilation.
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATES
Section 2 of this Act shall take effect immediately after the date of the enactment of this Act. Section 3 of this Act shall take effect immediately after the date of the enactment of this Act, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the President shall commence carrying it out not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(2) You can also seek support from your local state legislators and governor.
(3) Show your support by joining the group on Facebook.
Genital Integrity Awareness 20th Annual Demonstration
March from the US
The march will begin at 2:00pm
More information online:
Male Circumcision and HIV - http://www.circumcisionandhiv.com
NOHARMM (National Organization to Halt the Abuse and Routine Mutilation of Males) - http://www.noharmm.org
Law Office of David J. Llewellyn (wrongful circumcision attorney) - http://thecircumcisionlawyer.com
Circumcision Quotes - http://www.circumcisionquotes.com
BoysToo - http://www.boystoo.com
Not Just Skin - http://www.notjustskin.org/en/index.html
Canadian Foreskin Awareness Project - http://www.can-fap.net
Thank you for spreading the word!
ReplyDelete-Becky, co-director; Intact Ohio
https://www.facebook.com/IntactOH
Thank you for all your helpful information! We CAN do this!!
ReplyDelete-Danielle co-director; Intact Tidewater
https://www.facebook.com/IntactTidewater
Some other great resources are
https://www.drmomma.org
https://www.SavingSons.org
Germany:
ReplyDeleteActivists File Complaint Against § 1631d BGB
December 2013 – German intactivist movement tries to tackle circumcision law
Since december 2012 a circumcision law (§ 1631d BGB) principally allows parents to circumcize their son as desired. Now activists against HGM or any ritual mutilation (i. e. FGM and MGM) have written a petition to the German Supreme Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) demanding § 1631d BGB is declared as not being in accordance with the German constitution. Instead they call for an end to all circumcisions done without medical necessity.
27. Dezember 2013
an das
Bundesverfassungsgericht
Karlsruhe
Beschwerde gegen das Bundesgesetz über den Umfang der Personensorge bei einer Beschneidung des männlichen Kindes
Die Beschwerdeführer legen daher gegen dieses Gesetz Beschwerde ein und beantragen durch eine einstweilige Anordnung nach § 32 Abs. 1 BVerfGG diese Vorschrift sofort außer Kraft zu setzen, um alle medizinisch nicht erforderlichen Beschneidungen, insbesondere Rituale wie Metzitzah B’Peh, pria und Praktiken wie im folgenden Link beschrieben, die sicherlich mit einer Zirkumzision lege artis nicht zu vereinbaren sind, trotzdem aber durchgeführt werden, zu verbieten bis das hohe Gericht über die Verfassungsbeschwerde entschieden hat.
Die Beschwerdeführer beantragen zudem, die nicht medizinisch indizierte MGM an nicht einwilligungs- und urteilsfähigen Jungen auf die Liste der Auslandsstraftaten zu setzen, um sowohl Beschneidungstourismus zu verhindern als auch die gegebenenfalls erforderliche Strafverfolgung ortsunabhängig zu gewährleisten.