Quite agree Sandy. It's mutilation of a defenceless child, often performed without anaesthetic. The pain must be appalling. I watched a documentary of a Jewish circumcision, and the tiny baby screamed in agony, it was terible. But even with anaesthesia, it's unecessary and barbaric. I refuse to call 'female circumcision' by that name, as it's actually removal of the clitoris and labia, and includes infibulation (sewing up what's left to achieve a tiny aperture). It's Female Genital Mutilation. My African husband's sisters all underwent this atrocity at the age of eight or so. Their screams were heard all over the enclave, and the pain they endured for days was severe. Infection in both sexes can occur, and also deformity of the remaining genitalia. Even in USA. So yes, it should be totally banned.