Saida Herzi’s “Against the Pleasure Principle” is a clarion call on behalf of all women who cannot relish their womanhood due to female circumcision, and many girls who are at risk of being circumcised, to terminate the practice. Female circumcision disallows women the ‘pleasure’ of giving birth; it complicates the process instead. Motherhood is a consequential stage for any first-time mother. However, for Somali women, the process of giving birth, is complicated due to the effect of female circumcision which with the size of the birth canal, making the process of giving birth unnecessarily long and torturous.
Female circumcision, according to confessions in “Against the pleasure Principle”, is a hindrance to gratifying sex. Even after healing, having an orgasm becomes a pipe dream for circumcised women. The sections of the genitalia that are severed during circumcision are similar to the engine of a vehicle; once the engine is obliterated the vehicle cannot function optimally.
Furthermore, after the circumcision, Rahma experienced discomfort each time she tried to urinate. The discomfort is long time as it affects her during adulthood. Urinating should be a simple biological process that relieves a human being; hence, it should not cause any pain whatsoever; however, female circumcision obstructs the austerity of urinating. Clearly, there is a dire need to put a damper on female circumcision as it is an anti-thesis of female gratification and contentedness.
