Female Circumcision and Clitoridectomy in the United States: A History of a Medical Treatment

Rochester Studies in Medical History

by Sarah B. Rodriguez

An engaging and surprising history of surgeries on the clitoris, revealing what the therapeutic use of female circumcision and clitoridectomy tells us about American medical ideas concerning the female body and female sexuality.

Genres: History

280 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[DW Rowlands]

This was a very detailed and academic book on the history of female genital cutting as medicalized surgery in the United States: a practice that persisted for much longer than I had thought. I had known that it was used by some Victorian doctors as a way to prevent masturbation, alongside male circumcision, which was medicalized for the same purpose at the same time. What I hadn't realized was that it also continued after "preventing masturbation" was no longer seen as a valid medical goal: apparently, for much of the 20th Century, American doctors performed female circumcision--though usually consensually on adults--in the hope of making it easier for them to orgasm from penis-in-vagina sex, which was seen as the only normative way for adult women to orgasm.

[Brian]

The penultimate chapter seemed unnecessary so it loses a star, but otherwise this was a phenomenal book from a variety of view points. I could see it be a joint philosophy of science/women's studies course.

[Debbie]

Received via NetGalley from the University of Rochester Press in exchange for an honest and completely unbiased review.

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Female Circumcision provokes imagery in many of women and children from far off countries who are abused and forced into situations we find offensive to our feminist principles. Clitoridectomy sounds like something from a horror movie starring the female genitalia. Unfortunately, as this book shows its readers, this is not the case for female circumcision. The act of circumcision of females and clitoridectomy has a long history in the United States that spans from female sexual oppression, perceived cure of ailments that are caused by irritation of the clitoris and even finally the desire women have to obtain the perfect body no matter the cost (even genital perfection).

Rodriguez writes a largely academic publication of the history of the female genital surgeries over centuries in an attempt to highlight that the practices in the United States are embedded in the historical practices of its people and was not an abnormality as previously believed. Rodriguez states: "without the historical context, the search for difference is superficial and thus meaningless. The question, then, should not be what are the differences, but rather, as I have explored in this book, how are they apart of America's own cultural and medical history?"

The sometimes dry narrative highlights not only the role of clioridectomy throughout history, but also accidentally illuminates the changing social acceptance of the female orgasm types, female roles in society and the evolution of modern day depiction of love as a partnership filled with respect and mutual reception of sexual pleasure.

This book is a lovely read for anyone interested in the change in social understanding of the female body, sexuality and male/female relationships. Although not entirely feminist this book could be useful for many students of feminist thought in terms of changing ideals of female roles in the sexual relationship. The author states, the only complete book on female circumcision and it is entirely believable with even the most obscure information presented along side the most mundane. A book largely written for the academic audience and not the lay person; this isn't something picked up for a light and fun read, but worth the effort as it is a treasure trove of well researched information.

Rodriguez Americanizes the far off and exotic with historical information which proves our own cultural behaviors can be just as strange and "savage". We are not so different.

[Melissa]

For me, the term "female circumcision" conjures images of girls in Africa being held down in tents and cut by old razors. I have never ever thought of it as a way to increase sexual pleasure, in fact quite the opposite. That's why this book is so interesting. The author begins by discussing female circumcision and clitoridectomy as ways doctors used to curb masturbation in girls. The stories referenced made me think of how lobotomies were once performed to cure other mental disorders. Then there is an interesting section of the book detailing how women would choose to be circumcised (popular in the 1970s) to increase sexual pleasure. While there isn't much talk about what is commonly referred to as FGM (female genital mutilation), the author does sum up the book with the idea that FGM and cosmetic enhancements aren't that dissimilar. Overall a thoroughly interesting (but not one for the squeamish) book.