Female genital mutilation is something that is usually taken place in Africa. Genital mutilation in most cases consists of cutting off the clitoris or labia minora. The custom is one that is highly controversial. Side effects consist of pain, shock, hemorrhage, and damaged organs. People do this in their cultures for different reasons. Some do it to join the group as a sort of initiation. Some believe it increases fertility. Some believe it in unhygienic to have unmutilated genitals. It has just become a tradition in most places. I believe this tradition is just outdated. Its probably been passed down so long that everyone just got used to it as the way things are suppose to be. It sad those young women have to go through so much pain just to be excepted. Not only is it painful during the procedure and weeks after it has long term effects as well. For their whole lives these woman have to be opened and closed and opened closed. I can't even imagine the pain nor do I want to. Also the tools in which they remove the genitals are highly unsafe and unsanitary. Broken glass, Tin cans, dull pens. Since this has been going on for so long I would think that they would have more sufficient tools then they do. It is unfair for a child so young to have to go through this. They have no choice in the matter. They are held down and cut with no say or warning. At least if they a little bit older they could make the decision not to. Even if it meant not being excepted or even having to run away. At least they could make the choice. Although an eight-year-old won't even understand what's happening, she probably won't even know why it happened after it is over. These mutilators should not subject them selves to the disease and deaths caused by something to be excepted socially. It's just crazy. I would think that in a culture, which lives so much off of nature that, they would prefer to be natural. I would think they would appreciate what was given to them by nature.