Using purity as a means to control women through Christianity and female genital cutting
By Nicole Mitchell Many communities struggle to accept female sexuality even in today’s modern world. While it is common to see female sexuality in pop-culture, this doesn’t necessarily reflect a universal acceptance. Frequently, a woman’s value is tied to her “purity” or virginity. This prejudice manifests in obvious ways, such as female genital cutting (FGC), […]
What I learned from survivors and advocates on my podcast about female genital cutting
By Aubrey Bailey I graduated this April 2021 from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design. For my senior capstone project I was instructed to choose a topic that I would stick with for a year and then conduct in-depth research, write a research paper, and display […]
Bhaiyo engages male allies to empower communities to end female genital cutting during June campaign
Launched in 2020, Bhaiyo is Sahiyo’s male allyship program whose aim is to create a space where male allies can come together to collaborate, spark dialogue, and spread information about female genital cutting (FGC) and its harmful impacts. Bhaiyo has been involved in engaging male allies in a multitude of ways, including a webinar on male allyship earlier this […]
Dear Maasi: “How do I move past the shame of being cut?”
Dear Maasi is a column about everything you wanted to know about sex and relationships but were afraid to ask! It’s a partnership between Sahiyo and WeSpeakOut, and is for all of us who have questions about khatna (female genital mutilation/cutting or FGM/C) and how it impacts our bodies, minds, sexualities and relationships. We welcome you […]
A reflection on Sahiyo’s Activists Retreat: A sense of belonging
By Amena I attended Sahiyo’s Activists Retreat because it stands for a cause I believe in to end female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) for future generations of girls. This was the first time I was able to connect with people who have a similar stance on this cause and meet allies and people who have been […]
Introducing Nala Feminist Collective: African Women and The 10 Demands, including ending female genital cutting
African women continue to struggle to find the right spaces to speak and share the realities of our generation. We do not lack bravery or confidence, but advocacy spaces that would engage our stories with kindness and actual solutions. Our feminist ancestors have taught us that what brings us together is our Pan-African solidarity. As […]
A reflection on Sahiyo’s Activists Retreat: Creating an impact to end female genital cutting
By Anonymous I had the opportunity to attend Sahiyo’s second virtual Activists Retreat (my first one) last month and absolutely loved every second of it. I had been feeling extreme Zoom fatigue leading up to the weekend, and wasn’t exactly looking forward to spending an entire weekend on Zoom. But as soon as the weekend […]
Webinar: Female genital cutting is an under-recognized form of gender-based violence in the U.S.
By Cate Cox On April 15th, Sahiyo partnered with the U.S. End FGM/C Network and the Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence (APIGBV) for our webinar: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C): An Under-Recognized Form of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the Unites States. This webinar was the second in a series that explored the intersection of FGM/C and GBV; how COVID-19 […]
Women should not be harmed because of societal norms
By Sakshi Rajani Age: 17 Country: India Female genital cutting (FGC): the term sounded ruthless the first time I heard it. It was not long ago that I was introduced to this term. While going through my Instagram feed, I read a story about a law student who was spreading awareness about FGC, and I […]
Sahiyo stands with AAPI communities experiencing racist violence
Sahiyo stands in solidarity with Asian communities and individuals who have been experiencing racism and hate crimes. We are an organization born from working with and supporting Asian communities. This violence concerns everyone and is of utmost importance to us, due to our proximity and connection to these communities. Sahiyo condemns the recent violence and […]