FGM

News / Legislature

Female genital mutilation survivors urge states to ban the practice

Survivors of female genital mutilation are speaking out about the scars they carry from female genital mutilation to urge U.S. lawmakers to help put an end to the practice. 35 states have implemented legislation to criminalize female genital mutilation (FGM). However, Alabama is among the remaining 15 states to have no laws criminalizing the practice. … Continued

Jessa Reid Bolling

January 8, 2020

Alabama among 15 states lacking female genital mutilation laws

As of this year, 35 states have implemented legislation to criminalize female genital mutilation. However, Alabama is among the remaining 15 states to have no laws criminalizing the practice. Female genital mutilation, which is defined as a procedure to “remove, cut, circumcise, excise, mutilate, infibulate or reinfibulate” any part of the genitals for non-medical purposes … Continued

Jessa Reid Bolling

December 17, 2019

Group urges legislators to pass female genital mutilation bills in upcoming session

Alabama is one of just 15 states where girls have no laws protecting them against female genital mutilation. The EndFGMToday initiative wants all states to pass laws outlawing the procedure in 2020. They also are trying to get federal legislation passed. “A major positive development in FGM legislation was the introduction of two federal companion … Continued

Brandon Moseley

October 8, 2019

Alabama, Mississippi the only Deep South states without laws against female genital mutilation

EndFGMToday, an issue advocacy group, said Tuesday that it’s time for Mississippi and Alabama to join the other 35 other states to protect women and girls from female genital mutilation, which they said happens right here in the U.S. Only 15 states in the nation have not yet enacted their own anti-female genital mutilation legislation. … Continued

Brandon Moseley

September 3, 2019

Opinion

Lawmakers failed children in their darkest hours

During the last legislative session, lawmakers could have shown the young girls and youths of our state that they cared about them in their darkest hours, but they didn’t. Two bills that could have sent that message to our young people failed to pass because lawmakers said they ran out of time. The truth is … Continued

Bill Britt

July 5, 2019

Bill criminalizing female genital mutilation moves toward House floor

A bill that would criminalize female genital mutilation is likely to soon reach the floor of Alabama House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield, defines FGM as practices that “remove, cut, circumcise, excise, mutilate, infibulate or reinfibulate” any part of the genitals for non-medical purposes on females under the age of … Continued

Gabby Dance

May 22, 2019