The full belly quotient: Renegotiating a rite of passage

Abstract

A decade or so ago, graphic depictions of female circumcision came to define the heart of a campaign presumably aimed at sensitizing the world about the tragic consequences of the practice. At the height of the campaign, it was easy to assume that the prospect for meaningful change was dim. Evolving knowledge about the practice illuminates the bottom-line of issues and demonstrates the centrality of empowerment as an elimination strategy. Interrogating an acclaimed initiative that has successfully helped bring about the abandonment of female circumccision in several places, this article analyzes the definitive role of attending to the full belly for anti-circumcision purposes.