Zero Tolerance, Indeed

Zero tolerance of the genital mutilation of children, male and female, whether out of ancient cultural practice or out of utterly modern cultural practice.

No cutting of girls who want to climb trees and play football. No cutting of boys who do not. No cutting of boys in the name of Judaism, whereas in fact they were born Jews through their mothers, or of Islam, which in fact holds that everyone is born a Muslim and remains one until specifically becoming something else.

No cutting of boys born into the Royal Family, as was the norm until the late twentieth century, in a practice originated by Queen Victoria, who was a pioneer of the marriage of one's imported cousin that is also characteristic of our Royal House, including of the present Queen.

And no cutting of girls in the name of a custom that predates Islam wherever it exists, and which does not exist in most of the Islamic world, so that an episode of the last series of Call the Midwife showed the residents of Nonnatus House aghast, having dealt with many a Sylheti lady, to see this utterly alien phenomenon in an African.

The Egyptians call it "Sudanese circumcision", but the Sudanese call it "Pharaonic circumcision", thereby blaming the Egyptians for it. But whoever's fault it is, it has nothing to do with Islam. For that, you need the cutting of boys. As favoured, like cousin marriage, by the Royal Family.

Anyway, zero tolerance across the board. Zero tolerance of the genital mutilation of children, male and female, whether out of ancient cultural practice or out of utterly modern cultural practice.