[bryondowd]

These elective surgeries have no relation to what is typically referred to as FGM, but perhaps I should have been more clear.

I was referring to Types I-III as described here:

http://www.endfgm.eu/female-genital-mutilation/what-is-fgm/

Those are very clearly wrong, with no redeeming value and cause a great deal of harm to the woman, beyond any subjectivity. Nobody is signing up to have this done to them for aesthetic reasons. Compared to this, circumcision is only low-moderately invasive and damaging. If you are going to argue against circumcision, do so on its own merits, not by comparing it to something far worse.

[Mithaldu]

Things can be in the same class but with different grades of strength within that class.

[jquery]

Just like an ear piercing is in the same class as cutting off one's ear entirely.