"Wow, I rarely find myself disagreeing with PZ, Melissa, and Samhita, but I have to say that I don’t really see the problem with the American Academy of Pediatrics advising doctors to offer a “ritual nick” in lieu of the more serious forms of female circumcision that are often on offer in some other parts of the world.  The practice is something that is done in modern places that want to have a link to tradition without actually doing any real harm to little girls, from what I understand.  All they do is prick your genitals, or make a small cut that heals over, but nothing is removed.  You’re basically scratching the girl.  It’s not awesome—and from what I understand, in some places they just wave the razor over the girl’s genitals but don’t touch her at all—but comparing it to more severe forms of female circumcision troubles me," – Amanda Marcotte.

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