Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

(a) Male pattern
(b) Female patterns
Time 
Orgasm 
Plateau 
Plateau 
Resolution Resolution 
Resolution 
Resolution 
Refractory 
period 
Orgasm 
Time 
A (A) 
B (B) 
C (C)
Study Alert
Use Figure 2 to help remem-
ber the diff erent patterns of 
sexual response and how 
they diff er between men 
and women.
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360 Chapter 
11 
Sexuality and Gender
Waris Dirie was just an innocent, unknowing child of 5 when 
she begged her mother to let her be circumcised like virtually 
all females in Somalia. “When you’ve been told over and over 
that, until this happens, you’re fi lthy and no man would ever 
marry you, you believe what everybody says,” Dirie explains. 
“I just wanted to be like the other girls.” 
Months later her awful wish came true. As her mother held 
down the crying, blindfolded Diri, a gypsy performed the circumcision using a dirty, 
dull razor and no anesthetic. She sewed the ragged wound with thorns and thread. 
“It’s not a pain you forget,” says Dirie, in a whisper. She was left with only a tiny 
opening, and urinating became torture. Later, menstruation was so unbearable that 
Dirie routinely fainted. (Cheakalos & Heyn, 1998, p. 149) 
The operation in question—female circumcision—represents one of the most con-
troversial procedures relating to sex throughout the world. In such an operation, the 
clitoris is removed, resulting in permanent inability to experience sexual pleasure. 
Some 80 million women living mostly in Africa and Asia have undergone female 
circumcision. More than 90% of Nigerian women have been circumcised during 
childhood, and more than 90% intend to circumcise their daughters. Furthermore, in 
some cases, more extensive surgery is carried out in which additional parts of the 
female genitals are removed or are sewn together with catgut or thorns (Lacey, 2002; 
Renshaw, 2006; Odeku, Rembe, & Anwo, 2009). 
Those who practice female circumcision say it upholds an ancient societal tradition 
and is no different from other cultural customs. Its purpose, they say, is to preserve 
virginity before marriage, keep women faithful to their husbands after marriage, and 
enhance a woman’s beauty. Furthermore, proponents believe that it differs little from 
the common Western practice of male circumcision in which the foreskin of the penis 
is surgically removed soon after birth. 
In contrast, critics argue that female circumcision is nothing less than female muti-
lation. Not only does the practice permanently eliminate sexual pleasure, but it can 
also lead to constant pain, infection, and, in some cases, death. Furthermore, because 
the procedure is traditionally conducted in a ritualistic fashion using a razor blade, 
sawtooth knife, or glass and without an anesthetic, the circumcision itself can be 
physically traumatic (Dugger, 1996; Renshaw, 2006). 
The procedure raises some diffi cult issues that have been brought to light in var-
ious court cases. For instance, a Nigerian immigrant, living temporarily in the United 
States, went to court to argue that she should be allowed to remain permanently. Her 
plea: If she and her young daughters were sent back to Nigeria, her daughters would 
face circumcision upon their return. The court agreed and permitted her to stay 
indefi nitely (Gregory, 1994; Dugger, 1996). 
In reaction to the controversy about female circumcision, Congress made the prac-
tice illegal in the United States. Still, some critics argue that female circumcision is a 
valued cultural custom, and that no one, particularly someone judging from the 
perspective of another culture, should prevent people from carrying out the customs 
they think are important. In addition, they point out that the practice of male circum-
cision, in which the foreskin of the penis is surgically removed, is an accepted prac-
tice in the United States, based largely on religious, social, and cultural traditions 
(Boyle et al. 2002; Johnsdotter & Essén, 2005; Renshaw, 2006).
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