ssociated with it should be enough to have it terminated. However, the reasons women have forgoing through with the operation is the custom of female genital mutilation is so engrained in their sociocultural system. The importance of family honor, virginity, chastity, purity, marriageability, and childbearing in these societies cannot be overstressed. Therefore in the minds of the people who adhere to this belief, the benefits gained from this operation for the girl and her family far outweigh any potential danger. Bibliography Works Cited Female Genital Mutilation. See: http://www.religioustolerance.org/fem_cirm.htm Female Genital Mutilation Research Homepage. See: http://www.hollyfield.org/fgm/ Kouba, Leonard and Judith Muasher 1985 Female Circumcision in Africa: an Overview. African Studies Review 28:95-110. Van Der Kwaak, Anke 1992 Female Circumcision and Gender Identity: A Questionable Alliance? Social Science and Medicine 35(6):777-787. Word Count: 1582 ...