Positive Masculinity; A Critical Tool in the Movement to End FGM/C
By Brad Mazon, PhD. Brad is a Bhaiyo volunteer, nonprofit consultant, husband, father, and an advocate against female genital mutilation/cutting worldwide. I had the opportunity to attend two webinars sponsored by the Men End FGM Foundation entitled “Power of Prevention: Harnessing Positive Masculinity to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls.” The title of the webinar itself indicates that masculinity, and its implementation, can be negative or toxic. During the webinar, I almost came to think of “masculinity” as a verb, given its ability to exert either a positive or negative influence on the lives of others. The term “toxic masculinity” was mentioned throughout the webinar, as folks chimed in about the need to redefine masculinity. Toxic masculinity is the idea that to be masculine is to be inherently oppressive and controlling. “Positive masculinity” was another frequently invoked term, defined as being empathic, emotionally intelligent, and honest with one’s feelings. Toxic masculinity not only affects women but men as well. Think of all of the ways that men suffer from toxic masculinity, including how it defines their life choices, decisions about a mate, how they interact with all genders, how they dress, the music they listen to or not, whether they cry or not, and even how they perceive themselves. As a gay man, I’ve recognized how American society’s notion of masculinity has influenced my path. The webinar reinforced, yet again, how masculinity is defined directly impacts all people, no matter what your gender is. Dr. Jacqueline Chesang spoke of how it takes years to change social and gender norms. She emphasized that a whole community approach is needed so that the perspectives of men and boys are included because men can also be barriers to change if you don’t engage with them. Dr. Chesang continued by saying that men can advocate and act as role models for anti-GBV efforts and that they can share stories of standing up to norms that harm women. Dr. Chesang also emphasized that we must not exclude men in the work to end gender-based violence. If we do, the existing discriminatory power structure will be reinforced. It made me reflect upon my Midwest fraternity days, when “little sister” parties were held with nearby sororities, but had nothing to do with being “big brothers,” and everything to do with consuming alcohol and hooking up. I’ve seen positive shifts in gender norms over time, but I also know that patriarchy continues to influence women and girls in ways that even they have assumed are “normal” or “acceptable.” Dr. Patrick Muia Ndavi, the Coordinator for Abandonment of FGM for the Africa Center in the Department of Obstetrics at the University of Nairobi, talked about how important it is to understand power dynamics when discussing FGC. He said that a charismatic village elder is needed to help to promote gender equality. Dr. Ndavi addressed various types of power, including skill or expert power, charismatic power, coercive power, and informational power, asking the following questions for us to reflect upon: What is the broader context of power dynamics in the community? Whose opinion matters to everyone in the community? Where does violence manifest itself in the community? Data is needed, he said, to develop and implement strategies to harness male decision-makers to become champions for women and girls. I asked myself where positive masculinity begins. Does it start at home, as one speaker advocated for, at school, or in the media? We are inundated with examples of toxic masculinity, even to the point of admiring the most toxic behaviors in our celebrities, business leaders, tribal elders, and politicians. How can we as societies see beyond gender stereotypes so we can build communities that respect everyone’s contributions, regardless of gender? As the speakers indicated, we have to adopt a multisectoral approach to tackle gender-based violence. The media needs to be engaged to help shape perceptions of masculinity. We can start by teaching boys and girls about gender equality and modeling respectful power dynamics at home. Thinking outside of accepted gender norms takes creativity, the willingness to change, and courage, particularly at the most personal level. Sometimes for change to occur, it also takes an external agent (i.e. legal mechanisms), as we saw recently in The Gambia. To me, positive masculinity is about recognizing and acting on gender equality and respecting the human rights of all in a way that leaves the old, tired, and toxic ways in the dust. Men and women should be equally engaged in this journey. When that happens, there is nothing that we can’t do together to end FGM/C and stop gender-based violence.
Donor Spotlight: Brad Mazon
Brad Mazon, PhD, is a Bhaiyo volunteer, nonprofit consultant, husband, father, and an advocate against female genital mutilation/cutting worldwide. When and how did your involvement with Sahiyo first begin? My involvement first began I would say two or so years ago when I found Sahiyo on social media. I became actively engaged when I donated to the annual International Women’s Day fundraiser and Comedy Show. But I’ve been involved with the issue of FGM since 1988 when I was an intern at the U.S. State Department in Somalia. I have come in and out of working on the issue, through various organizations, so when Sahiyo and the Bhaiyo program came onto my radar about two years ago, I became a donor and have remained involved ever since. Why did you decide to donate to Bhaiyo, Sahiyo’s male engagement program? My time working in Somalia and my upbringing really influenced my decision to donate. I attended a conference in Mogadishu, Somalia. It was all women who had been impacted by FGM. This event made a huge impression on me because a lot of the women I met with reminded me of my mother. I was raised by a single mother and I have always been in awe of her strength and resilience. It was the same strength and resilience that I saw in women I met at the conference. I realized very quickly that had my mother been in a situation where she was cut, she likely would have never been able to provide for me and for my family the way she did. I began to understand how FGM impacts women not just physically but also psychologically and socially. It wasn’t that these women weren’t as smart or as motivated as my mother was – it was that the opportunities to thrive had been taken from them by the patriarchy that surrounded them. I also understand that the impacts of FGM are different in different contexts. Being cut in Somalia may be different from being cut in the American Midwest, but…being cut anywhere is a violation of women’s autonomy and an act of patriarchy. Why do you feel it’s so important to support male engagement and voices within the movement to end FGM/C? There’s no sex that’s greater than the other. I believe that I am an anti-patriarchy and feminist man. At the end of the day, as I have gotten older and have become a father and now a grandfather to a little girl, I have realized – and certainly living in America right now – how strong the patriarchy is on so many things. I resent in my heart, mind, and soul that men think that they have some sort of power over women. I wanted to do something as a man, coming from a male perspective that could combat that false narrative. That’s why Bhaiyo was so exciting to me. On my first call with the group, it was with men from around the world who were doing the frontline work of going into villages and speaking to people about the dangers of FGM [and] of what it could do to their little girls. I was thrilled to be a part of that work through donating. But at the same time, I was very mindful, and still am, of my white privilege and also my Western privilege in the same sense. And when I say privilege, I mean it in a structural and economic way, because I know there is beauty, wisdom, and knowledge in Africa and Asia. I wanted to be mindful of that as I engaged in conversations with these male activists who I have great respect for. But I also wanted them to be mindful that while it’s important for men to be in the conversation, women still need to be supported to speak out at an equal level. We can do that in many ways, big and small. I’ve started changing the hashtag I use in posts from #menendFGM to #menandwomenendFGM. What I’m trying to say here is that while it’s great that we’ve got men involved, let’s not do it in a way that pushes women out. How would you like to see Bhaiyo and Sahiyo grow? I think in terms of Bhaiyo, the main thing we need is more men involved. I’ve tried to do this in my circles by sharing the survey on my Linkedin and with various people in my life. I’m always shocked at how many men aren’t involved. I also feel like we need to make FGM more well-known in the U.S. through any means necessary. We need some celebrity to get men fired up about this. Or even more high-level people in our government talking about FGM. But I’m also under no illusions that I’m doing the hard work. I know those gentlemen on the frontlines going from village to village spreading this message who are the ones pushing this work, and they have my full support and respect. I also know that getting this issue into the rooms of power in the U.S. and the world beyond is key to this movement, and we can do that by talking about FGM loudly. Why do you think others should donate to Sahiyo? I think more people should donate to Sahiyo because people don’t realize that FGM is an issue that has a tremendous impact on the world. It’s shocking to me how FGM is such a quiet menace not only to survivors but also to men who are affected by it – with their wives and sexual pleasure – or the ability to have children. I’m just surprised how it’s a form of violence, yet it’s one that seemingly the world is not comfortable talking about publicly. I also want people to understand that FGM is a form of domestic violence. In the same way that we talk about abuse and other harms against women, FGM needs to be included in those conversations. And we
Male Engagement within the Movement to End FGM/C: From Conversation to Connection: Creating a dialogue between men and women on FGM/C
By: Bakahn Jamal Talking about FGC with others is not always easy, especially when speaking to men about the subject. Over the month of June, Sahiyo held an awareness campaign in honor of Fathers day, highlighting the importance of engaging in conversations with men about FGC. In connection with that campaign, Sahiyo reached out to Bakahn Jamal, a Project Supervisor for Wadi, an organization promoting self-help programs in the Middle East. A large part of her work is going to rural communities and creating dialogues with local leaders about the dangers of FGC. Below, Bakahn shared her experiences and advice for engaging in conversations with men about FGC, and why those conversations are critical to the movement to end FGC. 1. How did you start initiating dialogue with men about FGM/C? When working with women regarding the topic of FGM and [its consequences] – such as intimacy and sexual issues – women will tell us that we should also speak with their husbands about the implications of FGM because “he does not understand why I might act or feel in certain ways.” Through these conversations, we realized the importance of involving men in a dialogue about these issues. That is how we started working with men — by asking them what their knowledge of FGM was and also asking them how they felt about the practice. From there, we were able to ask them to help advocate to end the practice in their own communities. 2. What has been your experience engaging with men about the practice in their communities? The subject of FGM with men is always tricky because one will not know what to expect. Traditionally, FGM is considered “woman’s territory,” meaning men will avoid talking or associating themselves with such conversations about the practice. Most men will immediately shut down such conversations, and some will even get embarrassed or aggressive, but one thing for sure is that they have little to no knowledge about the practice itself. This is why including education within our advocacy work with men is so important because it leads to more productive conversations. 3. Has this experience been positive or negative? I get both positive and negative reactions. Some men get really upset and shame us for talking about such “embarrassing and shameful” topics. However, there are also men who welcome the topic and tell us that they have many issues within their marriage related to FGC. We also had men who we’ve worked with start advocating for ending the practice in their communities once they fully understood the negative effects FGM has on women and girls. One very good example of this is a man who we worked with called Kak Sarhad. He was a mayor in a village by the name of Tutaqal. His leadership and willingness to speak on the practice was one of the reasons the village became FGM-free. He helped [save] many girls from being cut in his community. 4. Has speaking to men about FGM/C changed the way you approach your work to end FGM/C and if so, how? I’ve realized that men can be a very big help in ending the practice. There are many influential male figures in our society who can make a huge positive change in our communities, from clerics to mayors, to tribal leaders or even the head of family. When men understand that FGM endangers their daughters, wives, and close female relatives and friends, they start to understand how their indifference toward the practice only makes the matter worse. We especially try to engage with fathers on the topic because they are often the decision-makers in a household in our society. So, if they say “my daughters are not to be mutilated,” I doubt that anyone in the family would go against that. If you have the support of a well-respected male figure no one will question your motive, even when you are advocating for ending a very deep-rooted tradition. 5. What message would you like to give men about the importance of ending FGC? What I want to say to every male figure regarding FGM is that FGM is not only a female issue — this practice also impacts men and the well-being and future of their families. FGM can be very destructive. Without men realizing it, it can impact very small details of their lives and it can also become deadly to their loved ones. So please educate yourself and know ignorance might cost your daughter, your sister, or your wife the future they deserve. Related: Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C The practice of khatna on girls must stop / છોકરીઓ પર ખત્નાની પ્રથા બંધ થવી જોઈએ Starting the Dialogue: Sharing Your Experiences on Initiating Conversations with Men about Female Genital Cutting Ending FGM – Fight the Mansplaining, Toxic Masculinity, and Patriarchy
Reflecting on Our Father’s Day Bhaiyo Campaign
We would like to thank all of those who participated in our public awareness campaign surrounding male engagement in the movement against FGC. In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, launched a campaign to help survivors and activists have productive conversations with the men in their lives about FGC. Throughout June and into July, we shared videos, quotes and articles on our social media platforms and blog, highlighting how men can raise awareness about FGC and voicing their support for ending the practice. We encourage you to take a look at the inspiring blogs and posts that were published throughout this campaign: Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C The practice of khatna on girls must stop / છોકરીઓ પર ખત્નાની પ્રથા બંધ થવી જોઈએ Starting the Dialogue: Sharing Your Experiences on Initiating Conversations with Men about Female Genital Cutting Ending FGM – Fight the Mansplaining, Toxic Masculinity, and Patriarchy To view the social media posts from this campaign please visit our Instagram page @sahiyovoices. Once again we would like to thank all of those who participated in the campaign, your efforts to engage in difficult, thought provoking, and important conversations with the men in your lives is crucial in the movement to end FGC. To learn more about Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, click here. /images/bhaiyofathersday.png
Ending FGM – Fight the Mansplaining, Toxic Masculinity, and Patriarchy
By: Brad Mazon (originally published on Brad’s blog and reshared with his permission) I’ve been involved with, and have worked against, the torture of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) since I worked with the U.S. Department of State in Somalia as a graduate school intern. The #EndFGM movement has experienced many successes over the years in terms of anti-FGM legislation and engaging men and boys in learning about this human rights violation. As I sat in on a webinar last week designed to discuss strategies to bring men aboard as partners in this fight, I realized how steeped in the patriarchy some of my male colleagues were. Their solutions to ending the practice, while well-meaning, seemed to value mens’ perspectives and approaches over those of women and girls. So I simply wrote in a Zoom comment: “I’m concerned that some of you believe that only men can end FGM. Men and women are equal, so if you are continually returning to the men in a community for their approval and participation to end FGM, then you are perpetuating the very men-oriented approaches that got girls and women into this mess in the first place.’ Seemingly the only white Western male on the call, I waited with baited breath for responses. I understood that men need to be involved in ending FGM, and wanted only to question my well-meaning male colleagues to question their own, and indeed their own cultures’, male privilege. Phew! Some lovely heart emojis appeared, and some thumbs up too. I was relieved, even if my comment might have ruffled some male feathers. I had to leave the Zoom call, but hope that my comment meaningfully added to the discussion of ending this scourge. These men are on the front lines, working to end FGM. I merely encouraged them to keep male privilege, mansplaining, and toxic masculinity in check. In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email sheena@sahiyo.org. Related: The practice of khatna on girls must stop Starting the Dialogue: Sharing Your Experiences on Initiating Conversations with Men about Female Genital Cutting Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C How to have effective conversations about FGC Why men too must speak out against Khatna
Starting the Dialogue: Sharing Your Experiences on Initiating Conversations with Men about Female Genital Cutting
By: Noor Mohamed Initiating conversations about female genital cutting (FGC) can potentially pose significant challenges, particularly when engaging with men. Yet, these discussions can play a vital role in fostering an understanding of and helping to drive positive change toward abandonment of FGC within communities. Exploring this sensitive topic with men opens avenues for uncovering deeply held beliefs, cultural nuances, and personal experiences that can shed light on the complexities surrounding FGC. It is through these conversations that we gain deeper insights into the underlying factors influencing attitudes toward FGC and pave the way for meaningful dialogue and collaboration toward addressing this issue. Navigating Sensitive Conversations: Unveiling Perspectives on Female Genital Cutting For my master’s thesis on the cultural acceptance or condemnation of female genital cutting in the USA, engaging with fathers turned out to be pivotal in my research success and was central to my learning. Here’s how I approached it. A Respectful Approach As a Sudanese researcher (EM), it was important for me to conduct interviews with respect and politeness, because respecting men is a big part of my culture. In our community, a woman’s reputation can be easily damaged if sensitive topics are discussed too openly. So, I made sure to meet each person respectfully, making them feel valued and comfortable. I initiated discussions by focusing on women’s roles in society and the family to create a formal yet inviting atmosphere for fathers to share their thoughts openly. Navigating Sensitive Topics: Sensitive topics, including intimate matters, were avoided, such as: how does a wife with cut genitals experience sex? Is sexual intercourse a source of joy for both partners or does it involve pain? Did they seek the help of a midwife to dilate the vaginal orifice in their early sexual life, if sexual intercourse was not possible due to the small vaginal orifice size? Additionally, questions regarding men’s enjoyment during sex were avoided, and women’s health issues, such as irregular menstrual cycles, were not discussed. Avoiding these types of questions allowed fathers to feel more comfortable and less stressed during the interviews. In many cultures, discussing intimate life can be a sensitive issue that might hinder the continuation of the interview. Therefore, I ensured these topics were avoided to maintain a conducive environment for dialogue. Unveiling Perspectives on FGC Once the initial trust was established and we were discussing women as the center of the project, the conversations moved to opinions on FGC, religious perspectives, and whether they would consider FGC for their daughters. I emphasized that my aim was not to make them oppose FGC but to understand their perspectives. Insights and Reflections These conversations revealed the underlying factors influencing men’s support for FGC and helped identify potential advocates for future anti-FGC educational initiatives. Men who supported the practice often justified it by citing religious reasons, while those against it stressed the importance of education against the practice and expressed their willingness to be part of educational communities. Some fathers felt so comfortable in the discussion that they shared personal stories about their childhood female friends who underwent the practice, describing how these friends were bedridden and unable to play with them. Catalyst for Change Treating participants with genuine courtesy facilitated candid discussions about the complexities of FGC and the challenges of addressing it within communities. In Sudanese culture, men have a significant influence, as their words are highly respected. They have the authority to prevent the practice of female genital cutting (FGC) from being imposed on their daughters or younger sisters, overriding the influence of grandmothers and wives who might support the tradition. Additionally, men can freely discuss with other men why FGC is a harmful practice without fear of being judged. This cultural dynamic underscores the importance of engaging men in discussions and decisions regarding FGC Concluding thoughts Discussing FGC with fathers has its challenges, but the rewards for understanding and potentially intervening to change social norms come from talking to all concerned with respect, dignity, and an eye to learning diverse perspectives on a very important issue. Even when interviewing women, respect was paramount. This respect is a way to show that I, as an interviewer, am still following our cultural norms when it comes to talking about sensitive topics like FGC, which matters greatly to participants. It is important not to stress that FGC is a wrong practice. The interview or discussion should show that you are someone seeking others’ opinions about the practice. This approach helps avoid arguments and enables the collection of adequate information that can help in building future research or educational plans. In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email sheena@sahiyo.org. Related: Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C How to have effective conversations about FGC Why men too must speak out against Khatna The practice of khatna on girls must stop
The practice of khatna on girls must stop / છોકરીઓ પર ખત્નાની પ્રથા બંધ થવી જોઈએ
By Hakim Rangwala Even in today’s modern age, when Mukesh Ambani entrusted his daughter Isha with the management of a multi-crore retail business, there exists a very repulsive and harmful practice among the Dawoodi Bohra, a Shia sub-sect that generally looks modern and reformist on the surface. When a girl is young, the Bohras cut her clitoris. They believe this to be a religious rite, and even today, well-educated Bohras and those with big businesses strictly practice it. Among Bohras all over the world, this practice of khatna is done by women themselves, and in cities and towns where there is no such woman, girls are taken abroad for it. This organ given by nature [the clitoris], which gives women the maximum sexual pleasure, is called ‘bhrugankur’ in Gujarati. Taking it away from a woman is a harm like no other. This is the only one. A few years ago, a case was filed against three Bohras in Australia for carrying out this practice of khatna on two young girls. This practice is illegal in Australia and other Western countries. Because of this case, the Bohra jamaats in Sydney and other such Western cities issued notices to the local communities not to perform khatna on girls. Now, some humanitarians have filed a legal appeal in court to demand that this practice is banned in India. I think it is not too much to expect that the good people reading this should also join in making this demand to abolish this harmful practice. Hakim’s blog post was originally written in Gujarati. Here is the untranslated version: મુકેશ અંબાણીએ દીકરી ઈશાને લાખો-કરોડો રૂપિયાના વહીવટનો રિટેઇલ વેપાર સોંપીને સ્ત્રી પ્રત્યે સન્માન અને વિશ્વાસ દાખવ્યો એવા આજના આધુનિક યુગમાં પણ ઈસ્લામના શિયા સંપ્રદાયનો પેટા સંપ્રદાય દાઉદી વ્હોરા, જે સામાન્ય રીતે ઉપરથી આધુનિક અને સુધારાવાદી દેખાય છે, એ વ્હોરાઓમાં એક અતિ ધૃણાજનક અને ક્રૂર પ્રક્રિયા અસ્તિત્વમાં છે. સ્ત્રી જ્યારે નાની બાળકી હોય છે ત્યારે આ વ્હોરાઓ એ બાળકીના ક્લાઈટોરીસ નું છેદન કરાવે છે. આ ક્રિયાને તેઓ ધાર્મિકતા સમજે છે અને મોટા કહેવાતા ઉદ્યોગપતિઓ, ભણેલા- ગણેલા દાઉદી વ્હોરાઓ પણ આ ક્રિયાનું ચુસ્ત પાલન કરે છે આજના યુગમાં પણ. દુનિયા આખીમાં સ્ત્રી ખતના કરવાનું કામ ખુદ વ્હોરા સ્ત્રીઓ જ કરતી હોય છે અને જ્યા એવી સ્ત્રી ન રહેતી હોય એ ગામ-શહેરના લોકો પોતાની બાળકીઓને બહારગામ લઈ જઈને પણ આ ખતના કરાવે છે. સ્ત્રીને સેક્સમાં મહત્તમ આનંદ આપતું કુદરતે એને આપેલું અંગ જેને ગુજરાતીમાં ભૃગાંકુર કહે છે. આ અંગ સ્ત્રી પાસેથી આંચકી લેવું એના જેવી ક્રૂર ક્રિયા બીજી એકેય નથી. આ એક અને અજોડ ક્રૂરતા છે. અમુક વર્ષો પહેલા ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયામાં બે યુવતીઓ પર ખત્ના કરવા બદલ ત્રણ વ્હોરા સામે કેસ દાખલ કરવામાં આવ્યો હતો. ઓસ્ટ્રેલિયા અને પશ્ચિમના અન્ય ઘણા દેશોમાં છોકરીઓ પર ખટના ગેરકાયદેસર છે. આ કેસને કારણે, સિડનીમાં અને આમાંના ઘણા પશ્ચિમી શહેરોમાં વ્હોરા જમાતે સ્થાનિક સમુદાયને હવે છોકરીઓ પર ખત્ના ન કરવા સૂચના આપી છે. હવે ભારતમાં આવી ક્રૂર પ્રથા ન હોવી જોઈએ કાયદાથી એવી માંગ અમુક માનવતાવાદી લોકોએ ઉપાડીને કોર્ટમાં અપીલ કરી છે. આ વાંચનાર ભલા લોકોએ પણ આ માંગ માં જોડાવું જોઈએ અને આ ક્રૂર પ્રથા નાબૂદ થવી જોઈએ એવી અપેક્ષા વધુ પડતી નથી જ એવું મને લાગે છે, હો સાહેબ….. In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. If you would like to contribute, please email sheena@sahiyo.org. Related: Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C How to have effective conversations about FGC Why men too must speak out against Khatna
Breaking the Silence: A Conversation with My Father About FGM/C
By: Sharlon Bolos My father, a Filipino immigrant, was raised in a world where survival was paramount. He never had the opportunity to delve into the complexities of gender inequality. However, I believed it was essential to break the silence and initiate a conversation with him about a topic that is often shrouded in taboo: female genital cutting (FGC). Approaching my father about FGM/C was not an easy task. Growing up, discussions about sensitive topics like this were scarce in our household. Yet, I knew that in order to foster understanding and promote change, I needed to create a space where we could comfortably engage in an open conversation. The opportunity finally presented itself one evening as we sat down to watch TV as we always do. I mustered up the courage to broach the subject, fully aware of the discomfort it might bring. Taking a deep breath, I gently introduced the topic, highlighting its prevalence in certain communities and the harmful effects it has on women and girls. At first, my father seemed taken aback by the sudden shift in conversation. His brows furrowed, indicating his apprehension. However, as I continued, he showed the willingness to engage in conversation and deepen his understanding. To my surprise, he expressed genuine concern for the well-being of women and girls affected by FGC, acknowledging the need for collective action to end this form of gender-based violence. This, in a sense, marked the beginning of a journey towards greater awareness and empathy. My father may not have fully grasped the complexities of gender inequality overnight, but our dialogue opened the door to ongoing discussions and reflection that we may want to explore in the future. In breaking the silence surrounding FGM/C, we pave the way for meaningful change and create a more inclusive and equitable society for future generations. I hope that through continued conversations and advocacy, my father and I in our own ways can work toward ending this harmful practice once and for all. In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, has launched a month-long public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending FGC. Throughout the month of June, we’ll be asking community members to share how they have raised the topic of FGC in conversation with men in their lives. If you would like to contribute, please email sheena@sahiyo.org. Related: How to have effective conversations about FGC This Father’s Day, join our campaign
How to have effective conversations about FGC
In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo, is launching a public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending female genital cutting or FGC. Recognizing that FGC is a community health issue – not just a woman’s issue – the movement to end FGC needs additional male voices and allies to bring this issue to the forefront. This June, we’ll be holding a month-long campaign asking community members to share how they have raised the topic of FGC in conversation with men in their lives. In order to help create safe, insightful, and positive conversations, we have provided a list of tools, questions, guidelines that can help you facilitate these conversations. Keep in mind you an apply many of these tips to conversations with others in your life as well, not just men. 1) Listening: The simple act of genuinely listening to another person is powerful. Listen with your full attention, without judgment or assumptions. Instead of giving advice or telling a person what to feel or do, be a sounding board and brainstorm options. However, setting appropriate limits is important for effective communication. If someone is being hateful towards you, it is okay to not continue the conversation. 2) Sharing stories during conversations: Storytelling can be intimidating for people who find it hard to believe they have any story worth sharing, especially if it’s about something personal, taboo, or hidden. Yet it’s also empowering, supporting an individual’s ability to think through what it is she wants to say, whom she wants to say it to, and what she hopes will happen as a result, while retaining significant control over the use and distribution of her narrative. As healing as it can be, though, it also comes with its own personal risks: a person may feel more vulnerable and alone after sharing, or might be shamed by others. Create the right conditions for somebody to feel safe to share their story with you and encourage them, but don’t pressure them if they’re not ready. 3) Continued conversations: Social change takes time, and often we may experience that we don’t get the results that we want in one conversation. Therefore, it is important to take stock of what has occurred during the course of the conversation, and allow all parties involved some time and space to reflect on it. However, do not let it be your last conversation. Change can only happen if we are constantly in dialogue with each other. 4) If you’re talking to a man, consider initiating conversations with these questions: When did you first come to know about FGC? What is the role men can play in educating communities about FGC? How can brothers/fathers make an impact in these conversations about ending FGC? What message would you like to give to all the fathers and brothers out there about ending FGC? We hope that this guide and list of questions will help you to have stimulating conversations that are enlightening and constructive. For comments and inquiries about the campaign, please reach out to Samman Masud at samman@sahiyo.org. PS: Sahiyo will soon be launching a survey around male engagement on FGC during our June Father’s Day campaign. We’ll be sharing more information in the future about how to participate! Related: This Father’s Day, join our campaign
This Father’s Day, join our campaign
In honor of Father’s Day 2024, Sahiyo’s male engagement program, Bhaiyo is launching a public awareness campaign to uplift the importance of male voices and allies in ending female genital cutting or FGC. Recognizing that FGM/C is a community health issue – not just a woman’s issue – the movement to end FGC needs additional male voices and allies to bring this issue to the forefront. This June, we’ll be holding a month-long campaign asking community members to share how they have raised the topic of FGC in conversation with the men in their lives – their brothers, fathers, husbands, friends, and more. To participate in the campaign: Send us a video, quote, write-up, or photo about your experience engaging with men on the topic of FGC Alternatively, you can send us a video, quote, write-up, or photo that uplifts how men can engage, educate, and build awareness about ending FGC Submit your items to info@sahiyo.org by June 16th, 2024. The materials will be gathered together and shared on Sahiyo’s social media platforms throughout the month of June. Below are some questions you can consider asking someone in your life while trying to initiate a conversation about FGC: When did you first come to know about FGC? What is the role men can play in educating communities about FGC? How can brothers/fathers make an impact in these conversations about ending FGC? What message would you like to give to all the fathers and brothers out there about ending FGC? You can ask for your experience to be shared anonymously, if you prefer. For comments and inquiries about the campaign, please reach out to Samman Masud at samman@sahiyo.org. PS: Sahiyo will soon be launching a survey around male engagement on FGC during our June Father’s Day campaign. We’ll be sharing more information in the future about how to participate! Related links: How I took part in the Each One, Reach Bhaiyo Campaign: My experience with different Bhaiyos