20 Sept 2015

Join Us, Protesting Against Male Genital Mutilation (MGM) – Conservative Party Conference, Manchester, 4 October

By Mike Buchanan: In two weeks’ time we’ll [J4MB] be supporting Men Do Complain (MDC), a hardworking anti-MGM campaigning organization, at a protest outside the Manchester Central venue, at the start of the Conservative party conference. More on this later in the blog post.
Regular followers of the J4MB blog know our #1 campaigning issue for the foreseeable future will be the non-therapeutic genital mutilation of male minors (henceforth ‘MGM’). It was one of 20 areas covered in our election manifesto (pp.9,10). Anyone who doesn’t understand why we consider MGM a grave assault upon the human rights of men and boys might like to familiarise themselves with some or all of the following materials:
William Collins’s blog piece (which explains, among much else, that the prime purpose of MGM is to diminish men’s pleasure during sex)
A renowned psychology professor condemns MGM
Global Survey on Circumcision Harm

A man circumcised when he was 18 years old reflects on the impact of the procedure
Mike Buchanan’s presentation to the 2015 AGM of 15 Square, Britain’s foremost anti-MGM charity

MGM has been illegal (as an injury of an individual who cannot give informed consent) since at least the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, as explained by James Chegwidden, a London-based barrister with no connection to J4MB, at a conference in Keele University in 2013. Our notes of the speech are here, and a link to the audio file of his presentation – along with his slides – can be found at the start of the PDF. He also explained in detail that MGM contravenes UN and EU conventions.
In recent months we’ve learned more about Men Do Complain – MDC – a very active and dedicated anti-MGM organization, and have been highly impressed with their level of commitment. Their video channel is here.
We’ll be supporting MDC in a protest outside the Conservative party conference in the afternoon (and possibly evening) of Sunday 4 October, the first day of the conference, when there will be plenty of media around to record (video as well as audio) what’s going on both inside and outside the conference centre.
We invite you to join us, ideally also wearing attire similar to that worn by MDC supporters at a protest in May 2013 – here. I’ve just ordered a white boilersuit from Amazon, £20.20 inc p&p. MDC will be supplying the red paint. Richard Duncker and Patrick Smythe, the key people in the organization, will be there. They have considerable experience of such protests, both in the UK and overseas.
It surely doesn’t need to be said, but the protest will be respectful and non-violent, and we expect those who oppose our views to be likewise. Some of the women who support MDC and J4MB will be joining us, and we’ll capture the event – including any disturbances – with our own video equipment, for later publication on MDC and J4MB video channels.
We shall be handing out joint MDC/J4MB literature to politicians, delegates, and others, explaining the case for the government to make MGM specifically illegal at the earliest opportunity. It’s time for gender equality:

FGM has been specifically illegal in the UK since 1985 – 30 years ago.
If can join us at this key protest, please email me mike@j4mb.org.uk. Let me know if you could also join a protest on Monday 5 October. I’ll be supplying more specific information about the protest(s) nearer the day. The more people that attend the protest, the bigger impact we’ll make.
Thank you for your support of our campaign to spare male babies, infants, and children, the harm that is caused by MGM.

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