Genital modification

Genital modification and genital mutilation both can refer to permanent or temporary changes to the humangenitals.

When genital alterations are used for punishment, typically for rape, adulteryor other socially forbidden sexual practices, such mutilations have included castration(actual or chemical) or penectomy.

Circumcision

Issues surrounding female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation or FGM, became prominent in the English-speaking world in the latter quarter of the 20th century. Opponents of the practice became aware of female circumcision existing in some Africancountries. It is also practiced by some groups in the Arabian peninsula.

In most cases, female circumcision is a social practice, not a religiousone. Male circumcisionis performed for religious or social reasons or as medical treatment (for phimosis, for example). Some cultures initiate both boys and girls around the age of puberty. In the United States, circumcision is performed on a majority of male infants, according to the wishes of the parents.

Opposition to the routine, non-medical circumcision of infant males has grown over several decades. The World Health Organization, a United Nationsagency, currently campaigns against FGM (female genital mutilation) but not against male circumcision.

In 1996 the United States passed a federal law criminalizing circumcision of female minors unless there is a legitimate medical reason.

Elective genital alteration

In some cases, people elect to have their genitals pierced, tattooedor otherwise altered for aesthetic or other reasons.

Such modifications run the gamut from single to multiple piercings, small decorative marks to complete tattooing, urethral relocation, and, in males, subincisionor even complete bisection.

Types of genital alteration

The alterations listed below may be undertaken voluntarily by some individuals; they may also be performed for medical reasons or performed on infants or adults against their will. Any of these changes may be considered modifications or mutilations.

Removal of tissue

Male

• Circumcision
  • Posthectomy
  • Frenectomy
• Castration
  • Orchidectomy
• Penectomy

Female

• circumcision
  • Clitoridotomy
  • Clitoridectomy
  • Infibulation
• Labiaplasty

Sex Reassignment

• Penile inversion

Alteration of tissue

Male

• Dorsal slit [1]
• Preputial infibulation
• Preputioplasty [2]
• Genital piercing
• Genital bisection
• Subincision
• Meatotomy
• Autocircumcision [3]
• Surgical foreskin restoration

Female

• Genital piercing
• Episiotomy

Sex Reassignment

• Colovaginoplasty
• Metoidioplasty

Addition to tissue

Male

• Foreskin restoration
• Pearling
• Genital tattooing
• Siliconeinjection (between the skin of the penis shaft and the tissues that engorge with blood during an erection)

Female

• Genital tattooing
• Labia elongation [4]

Sex Reassignment

• Phalloplasty

See also

• Bioethics of neonatal circumcision
• sterilization
• Docking
• Designer vagina

External links

• "US also practices genital mutilation"- editorial by opponent of male circumcision
• Genital Mutilationat the Open Directory Project.
• "Genital Mutilation American Style"- opinion article by opponent of male circumcision.
• Episiotomy: Ritual Genital Mutilation in Western Obstetrics- Information on routine episiotomies
• On Line Body Modification Magazine/Site.Photos, details, history, everything. WARNING - adults only. Very graphic.pt:Mutilação sexual

sv:Könsstympning fi:Naisten sukupuolielinten silpominen

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genital+modification Wikipedia article Genital modification.