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Once upon a time, lived a woman who used to celebrate Thanksgiving by cooking a turkey, however her tradition was always to remove the wings and rear-end of the turkey. When she was asked why she did so, she replied “it is our family tradition, my mother and her mother did it so I am doing it too”. Being curious people sought to find out why she did it. Further Investigation soon found out that the tradition was started by her great grandmother, and luckily enough she was still alive so they asked her the same question, she replied “I never had a big enough pot so it was only sensible for me to cut of the wings and rear-end, so it could fit!”.
What is culture? Culture is simply a society/group of people who believe (and uphold) certain traditions, morals, values, viewpoints and common ways of life. Culture has become an essential tool, which separates different societies. Culture is deceptively simple, in the sense that culture is practiced because it gives societies a unique form of identity—whether it is good or bad. Although people may argue that culture should not be tampered with, I strongly believe that there are some objections to cultural practices. People may argue that humans are subjective and are (very) opinion biased in their reasoning, and therefore do not have the authority as an outsider to scrutinize another human beings traditions. However I truly believe that there is a point on the continuum where humans have common grounds also considering the fact that exposure to different cultures has somewhat given us an edge in understanding most cultures –Cultural Competence-- . Despite the importance and prestige of (sexual) cultural traditions and practices around the world, some practices still going on today have be...
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..., both good and flawed, and a fine line needs to be drawn that defines what is culturally acceptable.
Works Cited
BBC News - When circumcision can mean death in South Africa [Video]. (2013, July 19). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23378694
Kassindja, F., & Bashir, L. M. (1999). Do they hear you when you cry? New York, N.Y: Delta.
Mabuse, N. (2011, October 28). Horror of South Africa's 'corrective rape' - CNN.com [Video]. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/27/world/wus-sa-rapes/
Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2010). The right thing to do: Basic readings in moral philosophy. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Smith, D. (2012, July 27). South Africa urged to end silence on dangerous circumcision rituals. The Guardian [Eastern Cape]. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/jul/27/south-africa-circumscision-danger
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How does one define what culture is? Culture is defined as the system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the members of society use to cope with, their world and with one another - transmitted from generation through learning. This is particularly meaning a pattern of behavior shared by a society or group of people; with many things making up a society’s ‘way of life’ such as language, foods etc. Culture is something that molds people into who they are today. It influences how people handle a variety of situations, process information and how they interact with others. However, there are events when one’s own culture does not play a significant role in the decisions that they make or how they see the world. Despite
When parents first discover they are having a baby, there are so many aspects to consider. Who is going to be their doctor, which hospital are they going to deliver at, what are they going to name the baby, and what color should they paint the nursery. Parents that are expecting a male newborn have to decide if they want their baby to be circumcised. For many families, this is an easy decision based on their cultural or religious beliefs. However, for others the right option is not as clear. Over the years, the topic of circumcision has been debated and views have swayed for and against the procedure. Ultimately, the parents must evaluate all the pros and cons and make the decision that aligns best with their thoughts and beliefs. The parent’s decision about the procedure will be influenced by various factors. It is vital that they are educated on the accurate information surrounding the advantages and disadvantages of the circumcision. This paper will evaluate both sides of this controversial issue.
"I remember the blade. How it shone! There was a woman kneeling over me with the knife. I bit her; it was all I could do. Then three women came to hold me down. One of them sat on my chest. I bit her with all my might." These words reflect Banassiri Sylla’s account of her experience undergoing female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), at the young age of eight in the Ivory Coast. This disturbing description of her struggle makes it hard to understand why any culture could support such a practice. Yet, it is estimated that about 132 million women and girls in about thirty African countries have undergone the same, or at least similar, cultural procedure as Banassiri. According to the World Health Organization, about two million girls undergo female genital mutilation every year and the percentage of women circumcised is as high as ninety-eight percent in countries such as Djibouti .
Freedom of choice is a desire for most, but as we are young we depend on the decision of our parents. With this dependent nature of a child the freedom of choice is limited, for males this can lead to a life long consequence. Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin; the skin covering the head of the penis. Circumcision is practiced for religious purposes in Jewish and Muslim communities. Normally, the boy’s age varies from 4 to 11 years old. In the United States, this procedure is also done but without a religious purpose. The boys in this case are commonly newborn. This practice became popular after medical groups claimed that there were many health benefits that came with circumcision. Though it has been proven otherwise, it is still a common practice in the U.S. fueled by ignorance. Circumcision is an unnecessary surgery that leads to psychological problems, issues with sexual activities and lasting physical damage.
Certainly, in the United States (and much of the Western world), female circumcision is illegal; however, male circumcision is utterly legal. In fact, in 2007, the Center for Disease Control reported that almost eighty percent of men in the United States were circumcised (Morris): legally, zero percent were females. Yet, several nations, where the culture is absolutely polar from the West, have prohibited male circumcision (Evans). The predominant factor, of course. The ideologies of culture make the laws, including morals; thus, these laws represent each region’s civilization, morals, and culture. Again, doctors must conform—this time to the law, not the parent. So, any decision doctors make, regarding circumcision, is due to cultural restrictions and their own
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is also known as female circumcision. There is this passivity and social acceptance that implied when using female circumcision versus FGM because, circumcision of males in western cultures is a norm and therefore, not viewed as a violation of one’s rights. However, if female genital cutting is referred to as female circumcision then it equating the severity of FGM with that of a male which is not the case. FGM is more harmful to the health of the woman at question and in no means beneficial to...
Many feminists in the Western Culture have this ethnocentric idea that female circumcision is “female mutilation” portraying it as a “barbaric tradition” and “violence against women” (“Yes to Female Circumcision?”). According to Fuambai Ahmadu, a Sierra Leonean-American anthropologist, female circumcision is an initiation that symbolizes matriarchal power. The practice is “synonymous with women’s power, their political, economic, reproductive, and ritual spheres of influence” (Ahmadu, pg. 14). By having no regards to the cultures and traditions of these small-scale societies, we are invalidating their beliefs and presenting ethnocentric
Culture by definition is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices, as well as customary beliefs, social forms and material traits that characterize a racial, religious or ...
What is culture? Culture is the idea of what is wrong or right, the concept of what is acceptable within our society. Culture serves us as a guide, taking us to the "right way" and helping us to make sense of things that surrounds us. There are many different cultures around the world. A lot of them are similar in specific ways and others are just completely different, this difference explains why we think that people from different backgrounds are "weird".
Culture is a difficult concept to put into words. “Traditionally anthropologists have used the term culture to refer to a way of life - traditions and customs - transmitted through learning” (Kottak, et al. 2008: p.11). Children inherit their culture, as well as social norms and ethics, through a process called enculturation. Enculturation, in essence, determines who a person will become, because culture defines who a person is. More specifically, “Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities or habits acquired by man as a member of society” (Taylor, 1971/1951: p. 1). In modern society, our traditions and customs come from a variety of different sources. Television,
Many question whether female circumcision (FGM, genital cutting, etc.) is a form of abuse, is it a humane and morally acceptable practice and how can we fix this horrendous practice? These assumptive thoughts are typically made through the eyes of outsiders, female circumcision is many things and must be looked at through such a lens. Despite, all of this female circumcision is still framed very commonly between these three views, female circumcision is abuse, is a result of patriarchal societies, and is a cultural and religious practice.
Caldwell (2000) states that in nearly all the present areas of the female circumcision have been performed either on both sexes or on neither. FGM, or female genital mutilation, is a practice that is carried out to mutilate a woman’s genitals. Some women are ok with it, some are not, and some just do not care about FGM. But this is not a point of willingness, but more so about the health of the women of Egypt. “The report 's insights represent an important step towards ending this and other practices that are damaging to women 's health (“Female genital…” 2010).” A women’s health is a serious issue, especially in a growing society. With the problem of women dying, it is only a matter of time before death rates start to increase new diseases start up. FGM is also something the women of Egypt want to end. According to the article Female Genital Mutilation and Social Change (2010), although the national prevalence of genital mutilation remains high in Egypt (91%) and Sudan (89%), as a result of community-driven change all five countries have reported a decrease in the percentage of women who think the practice should continue. Some women have decided to make a change, and that includes stopping the practice of FGM. Stopping FGM can lead to a better health for the women and make them happier overall. “Since 1995, the press has reported many deaths from female genital mutilation.. (Hadi 1997).” With the
Imagine an innocent five year old girl told to wake up in the early morning under the pretext we will go to a market and we will buy you a new dress but instead blind folded and held down by strong adult hands and your genitals mutilated without any anesthesia or pain killer. This is the horrific practice a large number of girls going through. According to the World Health report “More than 125 million girls and women alive today have been cut 29 countries in Africa and Middle East where FGM is concentrated and if there is no reduction in the practice between now and 2050, the number of girls cut each year will grow from 3.6 million in 2013 to 6.6 million in 2050(UNICEF, 2013 PP 2).” As you read this paper you can imagine how many innocent little girls go through unbearable pain everyday and forced to live with the consequences of female genital mutilation for the rest of their life. In this paper I will discuss Why Female genital Mutilation is a public health issue and show the interdependence of the five public health dimensions to the topic.
Although some indigenous tribes of Africa and cultures across Asia may believe that female genital mutilation (FGM) is an essential procedure that all women must undergo in order to have healthy growth and a social lifestyle, FGM is one of the most harmful practices conducted on young women because it deprives them of their rights to health, secu...
Culture is the totality of learned, socially transmitted customs, knowledge, material objects and behavior. It includes the ideas, value, customs and artifacts of a group of people (Schaefer, 2002). Culture is a pattern of human activities and the symbols that give these activities significance. It is what people eat, how they dress, beliefs they hold and activities they engage in. It is the totality of the way of life evolved by a people in their attempts to meet the challenges of living in their environment, which gives order and meaning to their social, political, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and modes of organization thus distinguishing people from their neighbors.