Cut:Exposing FGM, Film Festival

THIS PROGRAM CONTAINS GRAPHIC MATERIAL WHICH MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL [♪♪] >> HELLO I'M BONNIE ERBE WELCOME TO THE CONTRARY'S YEARLY FILM FESTIVAL.

AS A PLATFORM FOR FIRST TIME FILMMAKERS WE HIGHLIGHT THE BEST WORK IN FOUR CATEGORIES.

THEY ARE: CURRENT EVENTS ABOUT ADVANCING THE RIGHTS OF GIRLS WOMEN OR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE U.S., CHANGING CULTURAL ATTITUDES ON GENDER >>> FROM A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, U.S. WOMEN'S HISTORY AND THE STUDENT ENTRY CATEGORY.

THIS ENTRY WON THE U.S. WOMEN'S ISSUES AWARD.

IT IS ABOUT A DISTURBING PRACTICE CALLED FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AND IT CONTAINS GRAPHIC MATERIAL WHICH MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES.

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

FILMMAKER Dr. JOHN CHUA SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE INVESTIGATING THIS ISSUE ALL OVER THE GLOBE.

AND IN THIS DOCUMENTARY, THE CUT, HE LOOKS AT FGM IN THE UNITED STATES.

[♪♪] >> MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO A DOCTOR WHO SAID WELL, I CAN FIX THAT.

AND CUTOFF MY CLITORIS.

[♪♪] >> THEY CUT OUR CLITORIS OFF AND THEY SEWED US SO WE HAVE A SMALL HOLE.

>> AND TYPE 4 IS ALL OTHER CATEGORIES WHICH CAN BE PULLING OR TUGGING OR IT COULD BE CUTTING THE LACERATIONS AS I HAVE SEEN DONE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA.

>> WHAT IF THE MEDIA'S COVERAGE OF FGM AS AN AFRICAN OR MUSLIM PROBLEM OBSCURED THE TRUE EXTENT AND NATURE?

FOR GOOD PART OF A DECADE, I TRAVELED THE WORLD RESEARCHING FGM PRACTICES.

INTERVIEWING CUTTERS, SURVIVORS, SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF FGM.

MY NAME IS JOHN CHUA I AM A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR TEACHING CULTURAL STUDIES AND WITH INTERESTS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR ACROSS NATIONALITIES, RELIGIONS AND CONTINENTS.

SMALL AND BIG COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD HAVE THEIR OWN NATIVE CUTTING TRADITIONS.

I FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE IS OFTEN SECRETLY PERFORMED BUT WITHOUT A DOUBT HUMANS ON EVERY CONTINENT EXCEPT ANT AR KA TO CONTROL FEARS OF FEMALE SEXUALITY.

BUT WHAT ABOUT IN THE UNITED STATES?

COULD THE OBSESSION TO CONTROL SEXUALITY FEMALE SEXUALITY HAVE A TRADITION THERE?

AS MY RESEARCH REACHED ITS FINAL STAGE I REALIZED IT DID A NAME WELL-KNOWN TO ALL OF US FROM OUR BREAKFAST TABLE.

FGM HAS A LONG AND FORGOTTEN HISTORY IN THE U.S. FROM THE 1860s, TO THE 1960s, SOME CHRISTIAN DOCTORS AND PARENTS RECOMMENDED FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING TO PREVENT GIRLS FROM MASTURBATING.

IT IS A PIECE OF HISTORY THAT MANY AMERICANS WOULD NOW PREFER TO FORGET.

A LEADING PROPONENT OF REMOVING THE CLITORIS TO PREVENT MASTURBATION WAS Dr. JOHN KELLOGG, THE INVENTOR OF CORN FLAKES IN HIS BOOK HE ADVOCATED BURNING THE CLITORIS WITH ACID OR REMOVING IT AS A CURE FOR MASTURBATION.

>> WHEN I WAS THREE YEARS OLD, MY MOTHER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WAS MASTURBATING.

SINCE SHE HAD READ SOMEPLACE IT WAS THE ULTIMATE SIN.

TOOK ME TO A DOCTOR IN A CLINK IN NORTH DAKOTA WHO TOOK ME TO A HOSPITAL IN MINNESOTA AND REMOVED BY CLITORIS.

>> THAT WAS 22 YEARS AGO.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT WAS VIDEOTAPED.

>> BACK IN 1994 RENE WANTED TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS SHE WAS NOT A SCHEDULED SPEAKER AND THE TALK WAS UNPLANNED.

THE ONLY CLUE TO FIND HER WAS THE NAME OF THE MEETING ITSELF.

I CONTACTED ANYONE I COULD FIND WHO WAS THERE AND AMAZINGLY, SOMEONE REMEMBERED HER NAME.

AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF SEARCHING I MANAGED TO MEET HER AND CONVINCE HER TO GO PUBLIC WITH HER FULL STORY.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW IT EXISTED.

THEN Dr. CHUA ALSO FOUND THIS VIDEO SO IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT IT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR 20 YEARS AND I DIDN'T -- AND THERE HAS BEEN NO RESPONSE TO IT UNTIL NOW.

>> IN MY RESEARCH I STARTED IN 1860s LOOKING AT WHEN FEMALE CIRCUMCISION TO TREAT MASTURBATION AND I STARTED BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN THE JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS START TO PROLIFERATE IN THE UNITED STATES SO YOU SEE PUBLISHED CASES OF THE USE OF FEMALE CIRCUMCISION OR CLITORIDECTOMY TO TREAT MASTURBATION DURING THE MID-19TH CENTURY PERIOD.

>> I WAS THREE YEARS OLD WHEN IT HAPPENED TO ME.

MY MOTHER WAS CONCERNED THAT I WAS MASTURBATING IN MY LITTLE FACE TURNED VERY RED.

SHE TOOK ME TO A DOCTOR.

WHO SAID WELL, I CAN FIX THAT.

AND CUTOFF MY CLITORIS.

I REMEMBER THE PAIN.

I REMEMBER SEEING MY MOTHER AT THE END OF THE TABLE.

SHE SAID THAT SHE HELD ME AND WALKED THE HOSPITAL FLOORS UNTIL I QUIT CRYING.

AS I WAS GROWING OLDER SHE TOLD ME SHE KNEW IT WAS A MISTAKE AND THAT I WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO EVER TALK ABOUT IT.

KELLOGG'S CORN FLAKES WAS CREATED AND SOMEHOW ADVERTISED AS BEING ABLE TO STOP MASTURBATION.

AND MY MOTHER IF SHE CAUGHT AS I WAS GROWING OLDER WOULD SAY STOP THAT IT WILL MAKE YOU INSANE.

>> A LOT OF AMERICANS DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF HISTORY.

THIS PRACTICE IN THE UNITED STATES HISTORICALLY, IS BECAUSE IT WAS A QUICK PROCEDURE AND IT WAS DONE IN A PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE AND BECAUSE PROBABLY IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT FAMILIES PROBABLY TALKED ABOUT AMONGST THEMSELVES, EITHER.

A LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE REASONS IT WAS DONE.

>> JOHN KELLOGG WAS NOT THE ONLY PHYSICIAN ADVOCATING THIS PRACTICE.

WELL INTO THE MID-20TH CENTURY, THE MINDSET CONTINUED TO LINGER.

Dr. SHACK WAS A MEMBER OF THE 7TH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH A WELL-KNOWN EDUCATION AND RESEARCH INSTITUTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE ADVENTIST CHURCH TODAY THE CHURCH PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE AGAINST FGM THAT IS EVIDENT IN THE CAMPAIGNS AND MEDICAL TREATMENTS FOR SURVIVORS.

BUT BACK IN 1951, THERE WAS A BOOK ON BECOMING A WOMAN STILL AVAILABLE AS AN E BOOK ON AMAZON ON THE WEBSITE.

THE TEXT RECOMMENDS FEMALE CIRCUMCISION AS A PREVENTION FOR MASTURBATION.

>> I HAD THIS UNCOMFORTABLE TUGGING IN MY GENITAL AREA.

AND WHEN I GOT MY DRIVER'S LICENSE AT AGE 15, I WENT UP TO THE CLINIC AND SAID SOME STUPID DOCTOR DID THIS TO ME AND NOW I'M REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE AND THIS WAS A SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CLINIC AND THE DOCTOR GAVE ME A BOOK ON THE SIN OF SELF PLEASURING.

>> ULTIMATELY, THE ADVENTISTS WERE NOT THE ONLY CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVED IN FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING BUT THERE IS A COLLECTIVE AMNESIA THAT PROMINENT AMERICAN DOCTORS SUCH AS KELLOGG HAVE ADVOCATED FOR FGM AT ONE TIME.

>> I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

>> THERE'S BOOKS.

>> IS THAT TRUE?

>> IT'S IN HIS BOOKS.

>> THERE IS A SUBJECT TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT.

>> WHEN MASTURBATION BECOMES A HABIT AND THE REMEDY CONSISTS OF A MINOR SURGICAL OPERATION SPOKEN OF AS CIRCUMCISION.

>> I'M SURPRISED BY THAT BUT I CAN TELL YOU THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THE CHURCH TODAY WOULD BE TOTALLY AGAINST THAT.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY READS THAT TODAY.

IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHO WE ARE TODAY.

>> IT WAS USED THROUGH THE MID-20TH CENTURY TO TREAT MASTURBATION AND IN THE 19TH CENTURY MASTURBATION WAS BELIEVED TO NECESSITATE TREATMENT BECAUSE IT WAS SEEN DEBILITATING TO THE BODY.

>> SO IN THE 1960s, WAS THE LAST PUBLISHED CASE OF A PHYSICIAN REFERRING TO THE USE OF CLITORIDECTOMY TO TREAT MASTURBATION.

>> I WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS OLD PROBABLY AT THE TIME.

I HAVE A VIVID MEMORY OF THE EXPERIENCE.

I WAS IN A BED WITH A CRIB BARS ON IT.

I REMEMBER STANDING AND BEING FRIGHTENED NOT KNOWING WHAT IS GOING ON BUT FEELING SOMETHING TERRIBLE WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

I REMEMBER BEING LAID DOWN IN A ROOM.

I CAN REMEMBER PEOPLE TALKING TO ME, COAXING ME THROUGH THE PROCEDURE AND THEN I REMEMBER THIS EXCRUCIATING PAIN AS MY CLITORIS WAS PULLED FROM MY BODY AND REMOVED.

>> I GET ASKED OFTEN HOW COMMON CLITORIDECTOMY WAS PRACTICED IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND I WOULD SAY TO PEOPLE IT'S NOT IT WAS NEVER RARE BUT IT ALSO WAS NOT COMMON.

THE FACT THAT IT WAS PERFORMED IN STATES ALL ACROSS THE UNITED STATES I KNOW THAT FROM WHERE THE PHYSICIANS WERE PUBLISHING ABOUT IT.

IT WAS NOT RARE BUT IT WAS NOT COMMON.

INBETWEEN THERE.

>> WHERE DID AMERICAN PHYSICIANS LEARN ABOUT FEMALE CIRCUMCISION, CLITORIDECTOMY, FROM WHAT I COULD TELL THEY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INFORMATION MOST LIKELY FROM BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNALS BECAUSE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNALS WERE PUBLISHING ABOUT THE PROCEDURE IN THE EARLIER 19TH CENTURY AND AMERICAN PHYSICIANS WOULD HAVE READ ABOUT THE PROCEDURES FROM THERE.

THAT IS AT LEAST THE ONE SOURCE THAT I CAN IDENTIFY THROUGH TEXT SAYING THERE IS A -- THIS IS HOW PHYSICIANS WOULD HAVE LEARNED ABOUT IT WOULD BE FROM THE BRITISH PUBLICATIONS ABOUT IT.

WHEN THE MOST NOTORIOUS PRACTITIONERS OF CLITORIDECTOMY HE PERFORMED CLITORIDECTOMY WAS ISAAC BAKER BROWN, A BRITISH PHYSICIAN WHO IN THE 1860s, THE BRITISH MEDICAL PRESS PUBLISHED A LOT ABOUT BECAUSE HE WAS CHARGED WITH PERFORMING THE OPERATION TOO COMMONLY.

Dr. BROWN WAS A PROMINENT GYNECOLOGIST WAS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

HE OPERATED AND PRACTICED IN CENTRAL LONDON.

THERE, HE ADVOCATED CUTTING OFF THE CLITORIS TO CURE INSANITY, EPILEPSY AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ILLNESSES.

>> THERE WAS AN IDEA PHYSICIANS HAD IN THE 19TH THROUGH THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY THAT THE CLIT RALE SIZE INDICATED COULD INDICATE TO THEM MASTURBATION OR WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DEEMED AS HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR THAT A LARGER CLITORIS WAS DEEMED WITH HYPER SEXUALITY.

PARTICULAR BODIES OF WOMEN OF COLOR WERE SEEN AS BEING INHERENTLY HYPER SEXUAL.

THE IDEA GOES BACK TO THEY COULD READ THE BODY BY LOOKING AT IT AND THE CLITORIS WOULD TELL THEM ONE OF THE WAYS IT WAS BELIEVED TO BE SEEN ON THE BODY THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE BODY WOULD MANIFEST ITSELF HYPER SEXUAL THROUGH THE LARGER CLITORIS.

>> MY JOURNEY TOOK ME FROM THE DESERTS TO THE MIDDLE EAST TO THE STREETS OF AMERICA.

BUT STILL I WONDERED IS FGM STILL OCCURRING IN THE U.S. TODAY?

>> 44-YEAR-OLD Dr. JUMANA NAGARWALA IS CHARGED WITH GENITAL MUTILATION AND LYING TO FEDERAL AGENTS FACING UP TO LIFE IN PRISON.

>> ONE GIRL SAID IT WAS DONE TO QUOTE GET THE GERMS OUT AND THE OTHER GIRL SCREAMED AND GOT A SHOT AND IT WAS SO BAD SHE FELT PAIN TO HER ANKLE ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS.

>> THERE ARE CASES THAT IT'S SAFER TO TAKE THEIR CHILD TO A CLINK TO GET CUT.

>> THERE IS A LARGE SOMALI COMMUNITY IN MINNESOTA.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN PARENTS ARE TAKING THEIR KIDS DURING [INAUDIBLE] EITHER BACK HOME TO SOMALIA OR DIFFERENT MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES LIKE DUBAI OR EGYPT AND TAKING THEIR KIDS TO GET CUT.

AND JUST THIS LAST WEEK THERE WAS A EGYPTIAN YOUNG LADY WHO PASSED AWAY DUE TO FEMALE GENITAL CUTTING.

>> IN THE UNITED STATES AS IN MANY WESTERN COUNTRIES IT IS ILLEGAL TO TAKE A DAUGHTER OVERSEAS FOR GENITAL CUTTING.

RECENTLY THERE WERE RUMORS ABOUT FAMILIES FROM THE WEST BRINGING GIRLS TO SINGAPORE CLINICS FOR CIRCUMCISION.

BUT WHEN WE CALLED THE CLINICS THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT CUT A FOREIGN CHILD.

BUT I HAD TO FIND OUT FOR MYSELF.

>> WANT TO GET A CONSULTATION ON OUR DAUGHTER.

>> WE BROUGHT HER FROM BRITAIN AND PEOPLE IN BRITAIN WARNED US AGAINST IT.

>> WHAT WE NORMALLY DO IS MAKE A KNICK.

>> IS THERE BLOOD?

>> A LITTLE BIT.

A LITTLE BIT.

>> ANESTHESIA?

>> NO.

SCISSORS.

THE CHILD WILL HEAL AFTER A FEW DAYS.

IT'S LIKE GIVE ME HER VACCINE AND INJECTION IS THE SAME THE PAIN IS THE SAME.

>> HOW MUCH DO YOU CHARGE?

>> I CANNOT REMEMBER BUT I THINK IT'S $30.

YOU DISCUSS AND YOU CAN REALLY [INAUDIBLE] >> BECAUSE THEY ARE OLDER THEY KICK MORE.

STRONG TO HOLD DOWN.

>> I BROUGHT HER BACK FROM AMERICA WE ARE LIVING IN AMERICA.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE?

>> NO YOU STILL HAVE TIME.

>> BUT SOME ACTIVISTS POINT OUT NOT ALL FGM IS ILLEGAL OR BEING CARRIED OUT IN SECRET LOCATIONS.

SHOCKING AS IT MAY SEEM SOME CRITICS ALLEGE THAT FGM EXISTS IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY BECAUSE BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION'S DEFINITION IT DOES.

BUT IS THAT REALLY FGM?

>> I AM A BOARD CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON AND A FELLOW OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

MY CONCERN IS THAT IN THE PRACTICE OF WHAT I PERFORM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHICH INCLUDES THE UNITED STATES, IS STATING THAT WHAT I PERFORM IS FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION AND IT'S NOT.

LET'S TALK ABOUT CLIT TORE RALE HOOD REDUCTION.

I AM REMOVING A PORTION OF THE SKIN FROM THE HOOD THE SKIN THAT COVERS THE CLITORIS AND REDUCING THAT.

THAT WOULD BE A ONE A.

ANY OF THOSE INCLUDING TYPE 2A WHERE I'M CUTTING, TRIM, REDUCING THE LABOR YEAH WOULD FALL INTO A 2A.

AND TYPE 4 THAT IS ANYBODY WHO GOES TO A TATTOO PARLOR AND GETS A HOOD PIERCING, TATTOOS, ORNAMENTTATION, DERMA BUSH ADMINISTRATION, LASER -- DERMABRASION, LASER HAIR REMOVAL.

>> SOCIAL ATTITUDES REGARDING FGM IS INTERESTING BECAUSE ON ONE HAND YOU CAN HAVE A FEMALE WHO GETS VAGINAL PIERCINGS OR TATTOOS AND THAT IS VIEWED AS COOL.

WHERE ON THE OTHER HAND YOU CAN HAVE A FEMALE WHO HAS BEEN CIRCUMCISED AND THERE IS A STIGMA THAT FOLLOWS IT.

IT'S REALLY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHY ONE IS ATTACHED TO A STIGMA AND THE OTHER IS VIEWED AS COOL.

>> PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS PROCEDURE BECAUSE THEY WANT TO LOOK PRETTIER AND WANT TO LOOK TIDIER AND THAT GOES WITH CULTURAL DESIRES WITH THE GROOMING THAT GOES WITH THAT WITH WEARING BATHING SUITS.

WITH WORKING OUT.

AND I THINK THAT AS THE STANDARDS GET HIGHER PEOPLE BECOME INCREASINGLY MORE SELF CRITICAL OF WHAT PERFECTION IS AND THEY ARE SEEKING THAT PERFECTION.

THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS NO STANDARD.

>> THE ONLY UNDERSTANDING OR EXPLANATION THAT COULD BE ATTACHED TO THIS IS CULTURAL PREJUDICE.

I'M SAYING THIS BECAUSE I AM AGAINST FGM.

I DO NOT ANYBODY TO THINK THAT I'M SUPPORTING FGM IN ANYWAY SHAPE OR FORM.

I'M JUST GIVING YOU PERSPECTIVE.

>> ONE EFFECT OF THE MUTILATION THAT CONTINUED FOR 50 YEARS, WAS THE SCAR TISSUE CAUSING A TUGGING SENSATION THAT DID NOT STOP UNTIL MENOPAUSE AND MY SCAR TORE APART.

IT WAS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE AND I THINK ABOUT WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHOSE SCARS WERE MUCH MORE INTENSE AND EXTENSIVE THAN MINE AND WONDER WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN WITH THE DISCOMFORT, THE ONGOING DISCOMFORT.

AND THIS MAKES ME VERY SAD.

>> THE MOST DANGEROUS RAMIFICATION OF GENITAL CUTTING IS DIFFICULTY GIVING BIRTH.

MY SCAR DID NOT STRETCH.

SO MY FIRST CHILD WAS IN DANGER OF BECOMING STUCK IN THE BIRTH CANAL.

>> I HAVE HAD AN EXTENSIVE EPEAS OTMY, AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AFTER THE BIRTH, I CAME BACK TO MY DOCTOR SAYING I AM NOT HEALING.

>> NOW, THIS IS A CHALLENGE FOR DOCTORS WHO ARE NOT EXPECTING THIS COMPLICATION.

WITHOUT MEDICAL INTERVENTION, I, LIKE MANY MUTILATED WOMEN, COULD HAVE DIED IN CHILDBIRTH.

>> I WOULD SAY THAT ABOUT THE 90% OF SOMALI WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED FGM.

SO THEY ARE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES GETTING A C SECTION DURING LABOR BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO PROGRESS DURING SECOND STAGE LABOR DUE TO THE SCAR TISSUE.

AND THESE WOMEN ARE DON'T WANT TO HAVE C SECTIONS.

AND THESE DOCTORS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR STORIES ARE.

>> GOING THROUGH PUBERTY AND WONDERING WHAT IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE HOW MUCH LIKE OTHER WOMEN WILL I BE?

THE THING ABOUT SEXUAL RESPONSE IS HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF WE HAD ALL OF THOSE SENSITIVE NERVE ENDINGS?

>> OUR BACKGROUNDS ARE DIFFERENT.

WE COME FROM TWO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD YET WE SHARE SOMETHING THAT IS VERY INTIMATE AND WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE TOGETHER.

THERE IS A LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN US.

AND I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT AFFECT JUST ONE COMMUNITY OR ONE RELIGION OR ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS AROUND THE WORLD.

>> AND FOR ME, MEANT I CAN DISCUSS THINGS THAT I COULD NOT DISCUSS WITH MY FRIENDS OR MY FAMILY WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IT BUT WE CAN SHARE THIS AT THE EMOTIONAL LEVEL AS WELL AS THE COGNITIVE LEVEL OF WHAT IT HAS MEANT.

>> AND FOR ME, TOO, IT'S COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT I CAN GO TO RENE FOR QUESTIONS BECAUSE SHE LIVED MORE THAN ME AND SHE IS MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS AND I HAVE NOT REACHED THAT STAGE OF MY LIFE YET.

I KNOW THAT I KNOW HAVE SOMEONE THAT I COULD SPEAK TO IF I HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING.

>> FILSAN BEING MUSLIM ME BEING CHRISTIAN WE HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND IT HAS BEEN VERY REFRESHING FOR US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT THAT AND TO BE AT THAT SAME LEVEL OF REMEMBERING THE PAIN.

IT WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> THIS IS NOT MY SHAME.

THE SHAME BELONGS TO OUR CULTURE, THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND I NO LONGER FEEL THAT I NEED TO STAY SILENT.

[♪♪] [♪♪] >> WE HOPE YOU FOUND THIS EDITION OF OUR ALL ABOUT WOMEN AND GIRLS FILM FESTIVAL ENLIGHTENING.

PLEASE FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND VISIT OUR WEBSITE PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY AND WHETHER YOU AGREE OR THINK TO THE CONTRARY, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

[♪♪] O SEE AN ON-LINE VERSION OF THIS EPISODE OF TO THE CONTRARY VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT PBS.ORG/TOTHECONTRARY.