From the “maturity” of a woman to surgery: Conditions for clitoris repair

In France, at the beginning of 2000, a new surgical technique made it possible to reverse the physical damage caused by female genital mutilation, and it is possible to reconstruct an excised clitoris. Surgery offers women the possibility of having their clitoris repaired.

Objective

This article argues that surgery is just one stage of a “rehabilitation journey”. Alone, it is not sufficient to restore a so-called “normal” sexuality. The “rehabilitation journey” is oriented on the idea of “maturity” that the woman must acquire. Maturity can be declined in many different ways, revealing different typologies of the “mature woman”. Investigating the “rehabilitation journey” for cases of women who have been subjected to excision implies an understanding of the medical logic and the meaning of “normal sexuality”.

Method

The study is based on a first analysis of case reports on operated women (55 cases); the womens’ motivations as described by themselves, and the reports by the various specialists involved show that the concept of “maturity” comes back repeatedly as an argument in the medical discussion.

Results

“Maturity” is often a key factor in the discussions between the physicians, who consider this to be a central condition in assessing the “rehabilitation journey” for each woman and is used to ensure a certain efficacy of the surgery, which otherwise “does not change much” (quote from discussions). The team considers that it is not enough for woman to be “repaired” on an anatomical level alone; the repair has to take place also symbolically, esthetically and culturally.