Date: March 9, 2026
Time: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Type: In-person
Location: Salvation Army – 221 E. 52nd St. (Lower Level) New York, NY 10022
Register: http://bit.ly/3OCMtAr
Co-hosted by Equality Now, U.S. End FGM/C Network, and Sahiyo
A moderated panel discussion and Q&A examining the growing conflation of female genital mutilation / cutting (FGM/C) with gender affirming care in discourse, law and policy. The panel will analyze how FGM/C, recognized internationally as a human rights violation and a severe form of gender-based violence, differs fundamentally from gender-affirming care, which is a form of medically necessary, consent-based healthcare. Using developments in the United States as a case study, the discussion will also highlight how this narrative is spreading globally, threatening to erode rights protections for both women and girls and LGBTQI+ individuals. The event will feature women’s and LGBTQI+ rights experts in the US and globally.
The discussion may explore themes, such as:
- How misinformation conflating FGM/C with gender-affirming care has emerged in political rhetoric and legislation;
- The legal and human rights distinctions between FGM/C and gender affirming care under international law, policy, and practice;
- The potential ripple effects and global implications of this conflation for access to healthcare and protection from gender-based violence for both populations;
- How inclusive and rights-based approaches in legal systems advance access to justice and bodily autonomy for all.