Sahiyo Communication Guide
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Specific language choices make a difference here, too. Think of the<br />
association between ‘frames’ and language mentioned earlier in this guide.<br />
Those who practice and support FGC prefer using colloquial terms like<br />
‘khatna’ or ‘female circumcision’. They perceive it as a completely different<br />
frame from ‘Female Genital Mutilation’. On the other hand, many activists<br />
working to end FGC choose to use the term Female Genital Mutilation,<br />
believing that this term correctly identifies the harm being done to a girl<br />
child’s genitalia.<br />
But it is important to remember that terms like ‘female circumcision’ or<br />
‘cutting’ are a relatively objective way of referring to the practice. ‘FGM’, on<br />
the other hand, shows a strong opposition to FGC and may cause someone<br />
to immediately shut down a discussion or become defensive.<br />
Guilt and Denial<br />
FGC is a topic that many community members are especially uncomfortable<br />
to talk about - even to think about. Sometimes, activists underestimate<br />
people’s ability to deny a truth that seems to implicate them or their way<br />
of life in a serious way. Guilt and denial are natural triggers for Rhetorical<br />
Mode, as people look for ways of arguing away their discomfort:<br />
18
Change language