LibraryGeek

Yikes. Thank you so much for expanding upon your background :)

I'm glad the tribe is modernizing some of their views. I think that traditions that deal with body modification (see scarification and other things) are difficult to change because people want their kids to be like themselves.

Even in the US, where there is a large number of non religious circumcisions, there is a lot of "we had it done because dad had it done".

Do you have experience with the Masai? I'm curious how you know girls are also circumcised? The description is describing the transition of boy to warrior (man) in their culture.

Educating girls will broaden their views as to what is possible. Forced marriage doesn't just mean kicking and screaming forced. It can be forced within the context that the girl thinks that this is acceptable and inevitable. Education allows them to think otherwise and hopefully reach out for help. Without education, girls are raised to expect forced marriage (ie. you will marry this person on this date and you have no say in the matter). They don't have a context to think that their life can be different. Education also brings them into contact with the wider community that can provide external help.

I think she must, there is something called the tenodesis grasp. She is talking about grasping. The word she used comes up connected to a surger for a type of bicep tendonitis.

Emily states in her introduction that she developed a vagina because her body doesn't respond to testosterone. All fetuses actually start out more "female" and then testosterone changes the gender in utero. At that time is when penis develops, gonads become testes (rather than ovaries) and descend, etc. Human development is fascinating! When you realize how much has to happen in a certain sequence and how much changing and moving of physical features takes place (ie, development of sex characteristics, development of the face, development of the GI system), it really is a wonder that the majority of infants are born without any problems.