Intern Spotlight: Karishma Patel
Karishma is a recent graduate from UC Berkeley with a B.A. in Sociology and Public Policy. Later this fall, she plans to pursue a J.D. focused on the intersection of health advocacy, law, and policy. Karishma is passionate about improving access to health care and has previously worked in the health nonprofit sector related to […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Foundational Conversations
By Anonymous Between May 13th and 17th, Sahiyo, Equality Now, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network hosted a convening of FGM/C survivors, advocates, policy experts, and LGBTQIA+ allies at a retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains. Participants gathered to hold conversations centered on building shared understanding and strategic messaging around bodily autonomy, female genital mutilation/cutting […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Intersex and FGM/C activists in conversation
By: Sean Saifa Wall Between May 13th and 17th, Sahiyo, Equality Now, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network hosted a convening of FGM/C survivors, advocates, policy experts, and LGBTQIA+ allies at a retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains. Participants gathered to hold conversations centered on building shared understanding and strategic messaging around bodily autonomy, female […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Confronting Leopold’s Ghost and The Fight for Autonomy and Democracy
Between May 13th and 17th, Sahiyo, Equality Now, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network hosted a convening of FGM/C survivors, advocates, policy experts, and LGBTQIA+ allies at a retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains Participants gathered to hold conversations centered on building shared understanding and strategic messaging around bodily autonomy, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), gender-affirming […]
Have questions about healing after FGM/C? Ask psychotherapist Farzana Doctor
Many survivors carry questions they’ve never felt able to ask. Will I ever enjoy intimacy? Why do painful memories suddenly resurface? Why do families continue harmful practices? Should I confront the person responsible for my cutting? If you’ve ever wondered something similar, you are not alone, and we welcome you to submit your questions to […]
Reflections from a Retreat in The Adirondacks: Beyond Statistics
Between May 13th and 17th, Sahiyo, Equality Now, and The U.S. End FGM/C Network hosted a convening of FGM/C survivors, advocates, policy experts, and LGBTQIA+ allies at a retreat center in the Adirondack Mountains Participants gathered to hold conversations centered on building shared understanding and strategic messaging around bodily autonomy, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), gender-affirming […]
Why New York’s Laws on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Still Leave a Major Gap
By Harshita Dasot Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is a global issue; however, in the United States, it is often incorrectly recognized and associated with only occurring in immigrant communities. In fact, in the United States, over 500,000 women and girls are at risk, with New York having one of the highest populations at over 48,000. […]
Stepping into Advocacy: Reflecting on Maryland’s New FGM/C Law as a Policy Intern
By Harshita Dasot Maryland signed SB907/HB1389 into law on April 14, 2026, strengthening state protections against the human rights violation that is female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). As someone who started as a Policy Intern with Sahiyo in April of this year, my first few days were an incredible introduction to how policy change actually happens. […]
The Data Problem: Why the United States Still Struggles to Measure the Risk of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting
By Harshita Dasot Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) is often discussed as a global issue, occurring elsewhere, but in recent years, within the United States, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and advocacy organizations have increasingly recognized that it is also a domestic concern. Despite growing public awareness and stronger legislation, one major challenge shapes nearly every conversation around […]
Harmful Conflations: Why Updated Legislation is Critical to Ending Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and Protecting Survivors in California
By Karishma Patel On January 28, 2025, President Trump’s executive order titled “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutiliation” claimed that gender affirming care for transgender youth is the same thing as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). A Joint Statement by Sahiyo, The U.S. End FGM/C Network, Equality Now, and The World Professional Association for Transgender […]