These elective surgeries have no relation to what is typically referred to as FGM, but perhaps I should have been more clear. I was referring to Types I-III as

These elective surgeries have no relation to what is typically referred to as FGM, but perhaps I should have been more clear. I was referring to Types I-III as described here: http://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/what-is-fgm/ http://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/what-is-fgm/ Those are very clearly wrong, with no redeeming value and cause a great deal of harm to the woman, beyond any subjectivity. Nobody is signing up to have this done to them for aesthetic reasons. Compared to this, circumcision is only low-moderately invasive and damaging. If you are going to argue against circumcision, do so on its own merits, not by comparing it to something far worse.