Female circumcision: Muslim identities and zero tolerance policies in rural West Java

SynopsisIn the current parlance of the United Nations, female circumcision is often referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM), an act of harm or violence instigated against women's sexuality. Strategically, this labelling has provided an emotional force for universal zero tolerance policies. Yet, in rural West Java, female circumcision is practiced with no intention of harming girls and with no known effect on sexual pleasure. Instead, female circumcision is one of a range of practices that situates the child within the Muslim community as a moral person. In this article, I explore the nature and context of female circumcision as a Muslim practice in rural West Java and argue that the position of zero tolerance may complicate and aggravate socio-political relationships with unintended consequences.