female circumcision Essay -- essays research papers

Female Circumcision Kadi is a four-year-old girl who will never be the same because of her disturbing cultural rituals. Kali wakes up and pleads to play with the other children but her mother does not allow her. Kadi grandmother holds her down to the bare earth as her mother begins to cut her clitoris with a razor. After the very unsafe procedure Kadi cries almost five hours with a dirty rag between her legs as an attempt to stop the bleeding and possible hemorrhaging. Most frequently the operations are performed by an old woman of the village sometimes know as the Gedda. Usually a woman performs the surgery but rarely does the mother do it. Before the surgery in certain communities there is a huge tribal dance and celebration. The music proceeds through the surgery in an attempt to bury the cries and screams of the victim. The operation is performed in diverse communities by different people and with a variety of tools. In more sophisticated communities, a qualified doctor performs the operation with sterilized tools. In the more uninformed societies, a traditional birth mother performs the operation using an assortment of tools ranging from knives and razors to jagged stones taken straight from the ground. Female circumcision is the fractional or complete removal of the external genitalia, varying from removal of the prepuce (hood) of the clitoris only, to full excision of the clitoris, labia minora and labia majora. There are three forms of female circumcision; the first is Clitoridectomy which is the removal of the prepuce of the clitoris; the second is Excision which is the removal of the prepuce, the clitoris and the labia minora ; the third Infibulations is the removal of the prepuce, the whole labiae minora and majora and stitching together the two sides of the vulva leaving a small orifice to permit the flow of urine and menstrual discharge. (p17 Koso) Because of poverty and lack of medical facilities, the procedure is frequently done under less than hygienic conditions, and often without anesthetic by other than medically trained personnel. Anesthesia is rarely used. Razor blades, knives or scissors are the most common instruments used. There are several problems that arise from circumcision immediately after the surgery there is immense pain then hemorrhaging, shock, urinary retention, infection, fever and even death. After a couple of wee... ...sadvantage them in finding husbands. If a woman is not desirable or marriage worthy then social and economic consequences will negatively affect the woman and her entire family. Since the practice holds such cultural and marital significance, it is increasingly recognized that to end the practice it is necessary to work strongly with local communities to educate and bring about awareness to the situation. In conclusion, the abolishment of female circumcision would be hard for the cultures that practice this procedure to comprehend as to why it should be abolished. I agree with the measure that some cultures that once practiced female circumcision are now taking in order stop the mutilation without taking away the belief that a woman should be a virgin when wedded. References Dorkenoo, Elsworth. Tradition Tradition. 1992 Forward Ltd. Report of the First Study Conference of Genital Mutilation of Girls in Europe/Western World. 1993. Koso-Thomas. O. The Circumcision of Women: A Strategy for Eradication. 1992. Scilla, E. Female Genital Mutilation: Proposal for Change. 1992. Toubia. N. Female Genital Mutilation. A Call for Global Action. 1993.

The Great Gatsby Argument Essay

Viren Kumar Mrs. Parato AP Language and Composition March 2, 2013 Society’s Shadow Goals, objectives, targets, and ambitions are incentives that drive one to emerge from their comfort zone. Each individual, rich or poor, isolated or active, normal or abnormal, has a way to communicate with others and act in society based on personality. Most people want to be accepted by others to fit into society and be â€Å"normal†. There is always one person who has a different perspective than everyone else's and is uniquely considered an â€Å"outcast†.In the novel, The Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays Jay Gatsby as an isolationist that is compelled to play ambiguous roles in society to obtain the green light across the channel, which in effect causes Gatsby to be placed in a nerve-racking situation. Society is a big influence on Gatsby and his actions. He is first introduced by Miss Baker. â€Å"[Nick] decided to call to him. Miss Baker had mentioned him at dinner, and that would do for an introduction† (Fitzgerald 20).Nick Caraway is a parallel with society because he is influenced by the thoughts and ideas of others that structure society. Since Miss Baker mentions Gatsby over dinner, Gatsby is seen as an interesting topic that needs to be explored. Jay, being an isolationist that he is, tries to hide himself from society by displaying motions hinting to people like Nick: â€Å"But [Nick] didn’t call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone† (20).Gatsby makes a â€Å"sudden intimation†, and it seems that Gatsby knows there is someone watching him and observing his every action, and in attempts to isolate himself and avoid being â€Å"[called] out to†, he makes a subtle allusion to the fact he wants to be left to himself (20). Thus society forces Gatsby to make the movement he makes by gossip and communication. Society’s observations in this passage will show t o define many of Gatsby’s actions as the novel progresses. People have secrets in their life that can determine who they truly are; Gatsby has his own that are the power that compels him to act the way he does.Gatsby is carefully observed, and as he involuntarily â€Å"glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock†(Fitzgerald 21). Gatsby stares at a distant green light, which implies a special connection between the two. Considering â€Å"he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way† and that Gatsby â€Å"was trembling† his secret relation with the green light must be special because one does not tremble for any reason (Fitzgerald 21).There is an emotional bonding that may date back a long time. His yearning for the light—†stretched out his arms†Ã¢â‚¬â€is foreshadowing for the rest of the story where he struggles to obtain t his light (21). An obvious tension between the relationship of Gatsby and the mysterious light is visible from the â€Å"trembling†, and this tension creates the ambiguousness in Gatsby’s role in the novel (21). Fitzgerald uses figurative language to introduce the protagonist, which exemplifies Gatsby’s mysterious appearance to emphasize his perplexing personality.As Nick is outside his home after a night with the Buchanan’s, a strange yet familiar silhouette appears just on the other side of his yard, in his neighbor’s yard. â€Å"The silhouette of a moving cat wavered across the moonlight† (Fitzgerald 20). This cat, in turn, is actually Jay Gatsby. Although, the comparison that Fitzgerald makes with Gatsby and the cat does serve as a tool to analyze his characteristics. Felines tend to walk in a stealthy manner at night, and they are very cautious about being watched. The comparison indicates that Gatsby was trying to be wary of his surrou ndings.Gatsby may be the figure, but noticing that there is no adjective on the noun, â€Å"figure†, whereas throughout the rest of the passage there are many adjectives to describe his surroundings, this anomaly provides Gatsby as a figure the appearance of an inexplicable figure (20). With his â€Å"hands in his pockets†, this signifies a sign of secrecy to illustrate his complex personality (20). Gatsby may have wanted to protect some secrets about the green light. Gatsby’s method of an introduction is an explanation of the ambiguous role he is going to play and the uncomfortable nature of his future situation.The Great Gatsby is a novel that depicts the role of Gatsby as one of an isolationist that is forced into an ambiguous role in society. Through misinterpretations of his actions, he is thought to have a misleading identity. As society observes the fascinating movements of Gatsby in his yard, the motions that Gatsby performs communicate thoughts of isola tion to society, but later on in the passage, motions such as the stretching out of the trembling arms, represent predictions of society pulling Gatsby into societal problems and issues.

Taking a Look at Breast Cancer - 718 Words

In the Fall of 2011, Tina noticed that Elaine’s blouse was damp so she asked her sister what was wrong. Elaine tried to ignore it and changed the subject. But Tina was worried and took her to the emergency room where the E.R. doctor diagnosed her with Stage 4 breast cancer. Since Elaine rarely went to doctors or got any checkups, she suffered from a late detection of breast cancer due to her fear of doctors. While visiting my family in New York for winter vacation 2011, I noticed that Elaine’s weight was dropping and her clothes were not as secure as they once were. Elaine was having trouble performing simple tasks, such as walking. Seeing her like this put a lot of stress on her and my family. My family stressed and worried so long as we slowly witnessed her health deteriorate. The link to stress, The Stages of Breast Cancer, and the causes and ways to prevent Breast Cancer will be explained in this paper. Stress is a factor that may be associated with cancer. By measuring the amount of cortisol in blood or saliva. Cortisol is a steroid hormone released from the adrenal gland in response to signals from the brain. Normally the level is highest early in the morning and falls during the day, but is increased by food, fasting, exercise, or stress. Studies of breast cancer patients have shown that about two-thirds may have abnormal cortisol profiles and this group survive for significantly shorter times (3.2 versus 4.5 years) than those with normal cortisol profiles. The reasonShow MoreRelatedTaking a Look at Breast Cancer1760 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to the Cancer Facts and Figures 2014 by the American Cancer Society, an estimated number of 232,670 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and about 2,360 new cases are expected in men. Breast cancer will possibly cause death to more than 40,000 female patients and 400 male patients in 2014. Excluding skin can cer, breast cancer is the most common cancer that American women are diagnosed with. Additionally, breast cancer ranks second in the most deadly cancers among womenRead MoreTaking a Look at Breast Cancer1758 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death among females in the world. It is known for â€Å"have both a genetic and non-genetic etiology† (Milne et al., 2010). It involves a combination of several factors- such as â€Å"genetic, environmental and behavioral risk factors†- that are unique to each individual (Nickels et al., 2013). This type of cancer is represented by a malignant tumor manifested in breast cells such as the line duct and line lobules cells, just to name a fewRead MoreTaking a Look at Breast Cancer955 Words   |  4 PagesBreast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women in the United States, after lung cancer. Every year, millions of women over the age of 40 go in for a routine mammogram to help prevent terminal breast cancer by early prognosis. While some very fortunate women will never actually be diagnosed with this cancer, they still undergo this medical test routinely. However, for every eight women there is one th at will be diagnosed with some form of breast cancer in their life. It seems as thoughRead MoreTaking a Look at Breast Cancer1052 Words   |  4 PagesNearly one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer at some point in her or his life (Breast Cancer Health Center, 2014). I am sure that almost everyone has been affected by breast cancer in one way or another, whether they had it or know someone who has had it. My mom’s aunt had breast cancer, as did my dad’s mother. My great-aunt luckily caught it early on and had it taken care of. Unfortunately, my grandmother caught it too late; it had spread all over her body and eventuallyRead MoreTaking a Look for Breast Cancer1083 Words   |  4 Pagesdiagnose for breast cancer is a regular self-check for changes in the chest or breast area. On finding a lump or cyst under the skin, it is ideal to visit a GP for confirmation although; most lumps or cysts are normal or non-cancerous. On confirmation of the presence of breast cancer, a patient would be further examined to find out the stage of cancer and what treatments would be ideal for them. This further testing includes a variety of techniques used to scan a suspected breast cancer such as MammogramRead MoreBreast Cancer : A Serious Condition1553 Words   |  7 PagesDestiny Myers BBH 411W.004 Prof. Gyekis 2/18/16 Breast Cancer Breast cancer is a serious condition and takes many people s lives each and every year. It accounts for at least 18.2% of cancer deaths worldwide.1 In society today, women are more focused on what appeals to men, rather than worrying about their own health. â€Å"If only women paid as much attention to their breast as men do† is promoted by National Breast Cancer Foundation. 2 The message that I took from this PSA is the notion that womenRead MoreBreast Cancer; Saving the Girls 959 Words   |  4 PagesBreast cancer is the second most prominent cause of cancer deaths in women. About 1 in 8 American women living in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer sometime during the course of their life. About 39,620 of those women will die from it. â€Å"Breast cancer occurs when cells in the breast divide and grow without their normal control† (Komen). There are two main types of breast cancer. Ductal carcinoma, the most common type which starts in the tubes that transport milk from the breastRead MoreBreast Cancer Prevention and Education Essay1695 Words   |  7 PagesAccording to the American Cancer Society, â€Å"Breast cancer is the common disease of women in the United States, other than skin cancer.† After lung cancer, it is the leading secondary cause of cancer death in women. It helps to have some basic facts about the normal makeup of the breasts to understand breast cancer. In the past, this disease was one of the most feared forms of cancer due to its fatality rate and because complete recovery often required breast removal. The best way to fight this diseaseRead MoreThe Significance Of Breast Cancer1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Importance of Breast Cancer Breast cancer is a serious disease that takes place in the cells of the breast. It is detected in many things, such as finding a lump or a change in how the breast looks. It is important to know how breast cancer works and the many parts that contribute to the knowledge of the disease. Famous actress Angelina Jolie brought breast cancer into the spotlight when she decided to get a double mastectomy. In the article â€Å"The Angelina Effect† that came from Times magazineRead MoreBreast Cancer That Develops From Breast Tissue Essay1049 Words   |  5 PagesBreast cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, fluid coming from the nipple, or a red scaly patch of skin. In those with distant spread of the disease, there may be bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, shortness of breath, or yellow skin. Risk factors for developing breast cancer include: female sex, obesity, lack of physical exercise, drinking alcohol, hormone replacement therapy during menopause