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Fatima, FGM, and a Firestorm of Statements
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Fatima is being called a younger Iman, and her sad story (female genital mutilation, living in a homeless shelter…just coming from Somalia) is enough to make you want to buy a box of Kleenex. The story about her female genital mutilation experience is sad but many are angry at what they perceive to be the exploitation of a serious subject for self-promotion. Some news articles have focused on her sad story and it seems to have helped keep her in the limelight.
Many people watching America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) have heard her story but readers on the Jamati Blog had this to say about her story:
“It’s weird that all Somalians trying to make it in the fashion industry use FGM, and the Somalian war, and forced marriage as a [way] for people to feel bad or empathize with and make it seem like they are survivors and they are but this happens to alot about 85% or more somali girls go through the same thing so when a somalian hears it , it’s not a big thing because we all go through it , but when americans (no offense, or non-somalians) hear it, its like this big thing. Well, just to let you know that she is no different than any Somalian girl here in America that came from Somalia we are the same so please don’t make it seem like she is the only one.” – Not Telling
“It is unfortunate that all Somali girls use FGM as their way through their goals. Iman, Ayan Ali hrisi and now Fatima. They all want to create something ( a controversial issue like forced marriage & FGM) new that has never been there before so that they get favored. Not for their personality and skills but for what they have undergone. She isn’t good lookin. She is in there coz she has something “interesting” to tell the judges.” – Ismahan Somali
“Excellent Comments!! I like them…that’s how I was feeling myself..And tonight was the first show I watched of this cycle (been away) but I really hated that…I am Ugandan, and hate it so much when we Africans seem to use our culture as the evil that pushed us to the struggle and made us “a unique case”. I hated all she was saying.. I know Somalis have it rough in Boston-when kids pick on them in school…trust me, Boston ain’t the most black-friendly place..went to school there..but why use genital culture, war, lack of food to market oneself, always. (White) Americans don’t use binge drinking, marijuana, lose of connection with their homeland to publicly seek approval. Shame” -Dlwanga
“I absolutely agree with Dlwanga. Fatima’s talk about female mutilation, the somali war, and starvation has brought her nothing but hatred from the Somali community. A good majority of us Somalis do not despise Fatima because of her average looks, it’s mostly because of the way she presents Somalia to the public. She talks as if Somalia is a chaotic war zone. FYI, it’s not even considered a war, the relations between tribes are just a little tense in the South but things have settled down. And the violence is only prominent in Mogadisho, where Fatima was raised. Just because Fatima’s city is screwed up doesn’t mean the rest of Somalia is in constant war. So someone has got to tell Fatima to quit the generalizations. ” – Iky
The question now becomes: Will she win based on her looks alone, or will her story help push her into the finals, and, ultimately, the winning spot. She is considered one of the top 5 by the media so let’s watch and see (assuming she and Marvita don’t come to blows).
17 Responses to “Fatima, FGM, and a Firestorm of Statements”
Nadinamour says:
February 29th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
I wonder if, Shirlene, the person writing this article has endured the atrocity of having her clitoris and labia being sliced off with a razor blade or broken glass while members of the community where holding her down and then had her vagina sown closed except for a small opening for the flow of menstrual blood. Of course, none of this is done with anesthesia. For this atrocity to hold in place, the little girl’s legs are tied together for 7 weeks until the scaring occurs.
Now you may brush this to the side and say, does Fatima have it to win only on her looks… Shirlene, in the name of the 135 millions women who have endured this practice, even if Fatima does not win on her beautiful looks alone and is able to use her fame to stop this horror… wouldn’t it be worth it?
Nadine
Director of Operations
http://www.clitoraid.org (a non profit organization who surgically restores the clitoris of FGM victims and is building a hospital in West Africa to allow all FGM women to be repaired if they wish, free of charge.)
Jamati.com: User-Generated Content Prompts Cover Story On Fatima Siad/ANTM/FGM « Africa’s Premiere Entertainment Portal Blogspot says:
March 1st, 2008 at 9:12 am
[...] Check out the full story on Jamati.com to see what readers had to say….. [...]
karan says:
March 8th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
I’m sorry but as soon as i knew she was from africa and she said she had issues i just knew she was going to talk about FGM and as soon as i said it talking with my sister she said it! i was like i knew it. I think some people are exploiting this issue and its not fair to those who really need the awareness and intervention.
yans says:
March 26th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Non of you know fatima personally so stop judging her based on what she said about FGM, she also said black Americans hated her in high school that is also an issue for her….an issue i can relate to….i don’t think she’s faking some people bury their emotions and some can’t like me and like fatima leave the girl alone.
Robbie says:
April 2nd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
It doesn’t REALLY matter whether she wins or not. The matter of female genital mutilation is one that everyone should be made aware of. This procedure is not to be taken lightly; thousands of little girls die from this barbaric, unsanitary mutilation not to mention they then have to suffer thoughout the rest of their lives with menstral and bladder problems. The end result to having sex (forgoing pleasure that they cannot experience) is they have to be cut and sewn back together each time. Women should not have to suffer their entire lives just because they are women. How about holding down a man and cutting off his anatomy and then sewing it back on? Do you think he would be silent??
Who’s that Girl? Fatima Rocks America’s Next Top Model « Africa’s Premiere Entertainment Portal Blogspot says:
April 20th, 2008 at 7:01 am
[...] For more on Fatima, check out Fatima, FGM and a Firestorm of comments on Jamati.com or [...]
mie says:
April 29th, 2008 at 6:08 pm
this article is ridiculously biased! i can pretty much tell where you stand. what about the comments left on the blog that showed support for fatima and disappointment at some of the more ignorant and slandering comments? guess you haven’t gotten around to reading those yet. if fatima wins it will be because of her strong porfolio and presence not because of her personal narrative given during the first episode. We’re all focusing on this 1 episode. she has yet to use sympathy to gain extra attention or praise in any of the latter episodes. and yes i agree that she had every right to talk about FGM. we are allowed to give voice to our struggles. in the words of another comment taken from the blog “who are we to censor the truth?”
a heart nibbler comic: the princess fatima. « hearts for dinner says:
May 8th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
[...] story aside, i think this girl is so awesome, and i may be among a handful of people (antm fans or not) who believe so. as i mentioned before, i like the fact that the girl is/was a scholar and i [...]
Jaja says:
June 7th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Why was Fatima exploited? Because America loves a good sob story.
Lovely says:
June 7th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
MIE you seem like the only logical mind here!
Ana says:
July 5th, 2008 at 1:10 pm
It is very sad that some Black folks have no solidarity with one another.As a Black person of the Americas I am glad that some African women are no longer afraid and ashamed to talk about female genital mutilation.
Every forum and medium should be used to address this primitive and barbaric practice.
Fatima is a beautiful. She has everything to be a fashion model.
Saludos,
Ana
Angry at the world. says:
October 30th, 2008 at 10:47 am
Do any of you ignorant morons know what you are saying? Do you even know what FGM is? she had her sexual organs RIPPED apart and out by force as a little girl. then stitched back together–shut. FGM increases infertility, infection, DEATH and many other horrific side effects substantially. keep in mind the operation is done with no anesthesia, making it the most excruciating pain you could ever imagine to go through. All because some moronic, ignorant sexist culture thinks its wrong for woman to feel any pleasure. Only men.
so let her achieve a few accomplishments from it, and maybe be great full that when you have sex, it’s not a form of torture, unlike girls who have undergone FGM.
Rada says:
January 8th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I know Fatima personally and she is a loving sweet respectfull and reliable person. I have never watched an episode of Americas Next Top Model, and did not even know who she was until I met Fatima through my work, and I can assure you that she is an Angel! Neither do I ever write “comments” on blogs, but this hatefull rage that I see in almost every comment posted simply comes from other’s jelousy! FGM is a serious topic and unless we are constantly reminded of the fact that it still goes on – it will not be addressed. All of you trashing Fatima should ask yourselves if you would behave diferently in her case and if you had a child that was a girl would you want the same painfull experience for her?
adriana says:
January 26th, 2009 at 9:08 am
I personally think that Fatima desrved to be in ANTM, she worked hard and it takes a lot of guts to actually talk about her story. I admire women that speak up.
Noura says:
March 7th, 2009 at 9:15 am
FGM is barbaric whether u like it or not.
KP says:
March 21st, 2009 at 9:27 pm
The comments printed in this article are horrifying. Comparing genital mutilation, starvation, and war to marijuana and binge drinking? Minimizing the violence because “it’s just her city that’s screwed up”? All of this sounds like bitterness for bringing attention towards some serious issues. You’re tired of your culture being associated with horrible things, okay, that makes sense. But this is just petty and sad. The “We don’t hate her for her average looks”, oh lord, that’s just embarrassing. She’s not asking for special treatment. She just wanted to bring awareness.
I was never a fan of hers, FYI.
aviva says:
March 27th, 2009 at 9:58 am
I can’t believe the comments that have been printed on this site. These models are not using the fact that they have went through FGM and all of these other things to make people feel bad for them, they are just trying to get their story out there! Maybe if people actually listened and did not criticize them for telling their story then this world would be a better place! These girls were exploited! Maybe they are just trying to use their life story in order to make positive change in the world.
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