（4）純潔的藉口

這種習俗的男性擁護者有數個論點，其中之一他們決不會公開承認：

• ① 這種手術將通過削弱女人的性能力使她保持“純潔”。女人的淫蕩“生來”就過剩，而為了她們自身的利益必須得到控制。她們最優良的德行就是純潔。女性的性欲是“不潔”和不道德的預兆。允許女性過多的性快樂極可能會使她們不孕，並導致她們亂交和賣淫。女性在結婚之前必須保持處女之身，而且婚後無性要求。以這種方式，女人將保持忠貞並維護其丈夫的榮譽。不過，通過自我愉悅，她也可能變得“不潔”。因而手淫必須通過及時的陰蒂切除加以防止。

• ② 許多秉持這些觀念的男人同樣認為各種形式的女性性器官毀損將增加自己的性享受。因而，他們把婚內性交視為零和遊戲（zero-sum game）：丈夫只有以妻子的代價才能夠獲益。因為她的性快樂被削減，那麼他的性快樂才會增加。

最後，我們要分析的是，這些信念和態度根植於父權制的社會土壤。改變這些信念和態度是非常困難的，而且並非一朝一夕之功。

Prohibited Sexual Behavior and Sexual Violence

Sexual Violence: Mutilation of Female Sex Organs: Justifications 4

Chastity
Male defenders of the practice have several arguments, some of them never openly admitted:
1. The operation will keep a woman “pure” by reducing her sexual capacity. The sensuality of women is “by nature” excessive and must be controlled for their own good. Their greatest virtue is chastity. Female sexual desire is a sign of “impurity” and immorality. Allowing females too much sexual pleasure may very well make them infertile and lead them into a life of promiscuity and prostitution. A female must remain a virgin before marriage and sexually non-demanding thereafter. This way, she will remain faithful and preserve her husband’s honor. However, she could also become “impure” by pleasuring herself. Masturbation must therefore be prevented by a timely clitoridectomy.
2. Many of the men who hold these views also believe that the various forms of mutilating female sex organs will add to their own sexual enjoyment. Thus, they see the pleasure of marital intercourse as a zero-sum game: The husband can profit only at his wife’s expense. His sexual pleasure increases, because hers is diminished.

In the final analysis, these beliefs and attitudes are rooted in patriarchal social structures. Changing them is very difficult and takes a long time.