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Paper short abstract:

This research project explores six genital cutting practices: Girl circumcision, boy circumcision, intersex infants, intimate cosmetic surgery, gender confirming surgery, and for aesthetics or as part of erotic activity. The presentation will present preliminary analysis of fieldwork.

Paper long abstract:

The research literature highlight several dilemmas around the above mentioned six genital cutting practices: Does the benefits outweigh the risks? Is the cutting an attempt to align social and anatomical understandings of gender and sex? Can consent separate between childhood and adulthood genital cutting practices? Who makes decisions and how are decisions made in regard to the right to genital integrity and autonomy? The research literature is, however, at theoretical level with lack of empirical study. This research project therefore seeks to gain a better understanding of actors and experiences before, during and after each cutting by using a qualitative multiple case study methodology where each genital cutting practice is defined as a case. We have interviewed or observed 3-5 persons who has experienced each genital cutting practice and actors that influence or are influenced by this person (health workers, parents, religious leaders, romantic partner, legal rulings, health guidelines etc), a total of 52 persons have participated in one or more interview(s), and informal conversation and non-participants observation has also been done. The aim is to gain a better insight into experiences, reflections, motivations and characteristics of the involved actors for each of the six practices. During data analysis we will first analyse the content of each separate genital cutting practice before analysing differences and similarities between the practice. The aim of the analysis is to gain a better understanding of the dilemmas that the current theoretical research literature emphasises.