Final answer:
Feminists critique female circumcision (FGM) as a harmful practice that infringes on women's rights. Despite cultural defenses of FGM, feminists align with global organizations in condemning it and recommend justice above cultural relativism. Education and legal actions are advocated to end FGM and support womens' health and equality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Feminists often view female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation (FGM), as a harmful cultural practice that perpetuates gender inequity and infringes upon women's rights and bodily autonomy. While some nations defend it as part of cultural heritage, feminists and human rights activists argue for a universal standard of justice to address these gender inequality issues. The World Health Organization and the United Nations classify FGM as a form of violence and discrimination against women, promoting various actions to eradicate it. Nussbaum, for instance, advocates for 'reasonable pluralism' as a means to acknowledge cultural differences while promoting a global notion of justice.
FGM has different perceived purposes in various societies, ranging from gender identity construction to supposed hygiene or fidelity promotion. Anthropologists like Shell-Duncan suggest understanding the practice in its sociocultural context to find alternative paths for change. Nevertheless, feminists maintain that such practices cannot be justified, regardless of cultural significance, when they violate fundamental human rights.
Global efforts to end FGM include educational initiatives to inform about the medical harms and push for legal measures to criminalize it. Overall, feminist perspectives on FGC are critical and support actions that challenge gender inequity and champion women's health and freedom.