Question about content concerning FGM

[ashleylesbian]

Hello everyone, I am new. I've been reading stuff here for a long time and I have been writing my own stuff for equally long. I have decided to start publishing some of my stories here and here is where the problem starts. You see, what I write is quite on the fucked up side of things and I would like to respect the community's rules and do some minor editing before posting anything here.

To be more specific, I have this one story that I am very attached to personally where one of the main characters is muslim and had to go through FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) when she was young. Obviously, under no circumstances do I support such a practice (neither personally nor in my literature). Obviously, the practice itself does not get described explicitly. BUT, given that the story is a piece of erotic literature, the character's genitals along with her sexual acts get quite explicitly described. Back then, when I wrote it, I wanted to experiment with developing such a character in that story's context.

So, the question is:
Is it ok? It would be quite easy for me to edit some details out. I would rather ask for permission than forgiveness.

 

[John_Vandermeer]

Tricky. The rules states that though mutilated characters are permissible, eroticizing mutilation is a clear no no. In my experience genital mutilation gets examined quite thoroughly, and even if it passes to publication, a reader can later report it and have it taken down. That happened to me in a story where a character gets a Prince Albert piercing “on camera”. Even if, in my view, that is not akin to a permanent mutilation. So you can submit, and even get published, but story might always be at risk.

 

[Demiurging]

Of course, the "don't make me come over there" rule is always in effect if Laurel thinks you're trying to get away with something.

If you're especially worried, you could try reaching out to her via PM for clarification.

 

[ashleylesbian]

Thanks. Who is Laurel?

PS: I just found out what a "Prince Albert piercing is", lol.

 

[John_Vandermeer]

Thanks. Who is Laurel?

PS: I just found out what a "Prince Albert piercing is", lol.

Laurel is the co-owner of this site.

 

[ashleylesbian]

@Laurel Hi! Could you please take a look at this?

 

[AwkwardMD]

Hello everyone, I am new. I've been reading stuff here for a long time and I have been writing my own stuff for equally long. I have decided to start publishing some of my stories here and here is where the problem starts. You see, what I write is quite on the fucked up side of things and I would like to respect the community's rules and do some minor editing before posting anything here.

To be more specific, I have this one story that I am very attached to personally where one of the main characters is muslim and had to go through FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) when she was young. Obviously, under no circumstances do I support such a practice (neither personally nor in my literature). Obviously, the practice itself does not get described explicitly. BUT, given that the story is a piece of erotic literature, the character's genitals along with her sexual acts get quite explicitly described. Back then, when I wrote it, I wanted to experiment with developing such a character in that story's context.

So, the question is:
Is it ok? It would be quite easy for me to edit it out. I would rather ask for permission than forgiveness.

Generally speaking, what you need to avoid is fetishizing the violence.

"I'm practically a pro," Jean said. "I've been giving blowjobs since I was 14."

This riding the bleeding edge of permissability. It engages with the idea of underage sex without going into anywhere near enough details to engage with the fantasy of underage sex. In my experience, a line like this would pass muster and get published on Lit no problem because, presumably, the scene then continues and is ultimately about a blowjob between consenting adults. That's the part that gets details.

Likewise, you can easily write your character talking about something that happened to them when they were younger, or about the permanent physical changes they deal with, but you would likely get rejected for writing luxurious prose about the way the knife penetrated the skin, and how quicky the towel beneath her filled with blood.

This, the above, is engaging with the fantasy of the violence, the harm. It sexualizes the pain without any kind of reciprocal pleasure for the victim. That is usually "too far" for Laurel.

 

[AwkwardMD]

@Laurel Hi! Could you please take a look at this?

She usually only responds to PMs (private messages) through the forum, and not to pings.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Put differently, the site engages with its content from the standpoint that "everyone who comes here is looking to get off," and the site chooses to restrict some content around that perception. What are we okay with people getting off to on our website?

 

[ashleylesbian]

I see. Thanks for the answer. It clarifies a lot of things for me. I can wait for Laurel to see this. It's not like I was going to post the story today or anything. I would rather her response is here for everyone's future reference.

 

[Bamagan]

The quickest way and best way to find out what Laurel thinks is simply to submit the story for publication. If she rejects it, you'll get at least a generalized note as to why.
Offhand, I think there's plenty of room to tell the story of a woman who was mutilated as a girl and finds some way to overcome her obstacles and enjoy sex later in life. As others said above, as long as you aren't trying to sexualize the cutting, or describing it in graphic detail as it happens, it probably won't be seen as trying to subvert the rules for either violence or underage content. Graphic descriptions of her healed state might well make some squeamish people upset, of course, so you can probably expect some rude commentary, but that happens a lot regardless.

 

[nice90sguy]

I hope you write that story, and it gets published here. There are few stories that deal with topics like these, most of them being understandably escapist.
I also hope that in your story you note carefully that FGM is not a "muslim" thing per se. For example in much of the middle-east and north africa (excluding Egypt), it's unknown.

https://nationalfgmcentre.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hard-Copy-Map.pdf

 

[ashleylesbian]

The character in my story is from Pakistan. I didn't know about this map. Looks like I need to expand my research and I love this!

 

[lovecraft68]

We don't need that content here, there's enough rule breaking abuse and hatred involving women on this site and in the comments, they don't need more stroke fodder.

The fact it happens to an underaged girl would excite them even more.

This is an erotic story site, do we need this real life horrific event here? Especially when its an entire culture that practices it?

 

[Omenainen]

There was an author who had stories like that, so I know characters who have been through genital mutilation aren’t a “no never” ticket to rejection. They’ve since pulled their work so I can’t point to it though. You could try and find out for yourself.

 

[nice90sguy]

We don't need that content there, there's enough rule breaking abuse and hatred involving women on this site and in the comments, they don't need more stroke fodder.

The fact it happens to an underaged girl would excite them even more.

A lot of cut guys had "MGM" even younger (eight days if they were Jewish), and Laurel (and readers) seem to be okay with that

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Tricky, but hardly impossible. FGM is (sadly) a fact of life for too many women and raising awareness is not bad in itself (not that we should be proselytizing here, but info is good).

If you are writing this as it happens to a woman under 18, then it's probably going to be rejected out of hand. If on the other hand and for instance, your adult character shows the results to a lover, I don't see it as much different than a man talking about his (adult) circumcised penis to a lover.

Laurel can be quite reasonable. I agree with the suggestion to PM her (waiting for her to read every one of thousands of posts each day is a losing bet), explain the situation and ask for a ruling before you go to the effort of writing the whole story. Be brief. Good luck.

 

[ashleylesbian]

before you go to the effort of writing the whole story

The story is already written. It is only a question of whether I should edit some parts out if I ever decide to publish it here.

Also, the character is ~30 years old and she just had FGM performed on her when she was a child. The story focuses on her experiences in her 30s. Nothing about the actual procedure itself is mentioned other than that it happened.

 

[John_Vandermeer]

The story is already written. It is only a question of whether I should edit some parts out if I ever decide to publish it here.

Also, the character is ~30 years old and she just had FGM performed on her when she was a child. The story focuses on her experiences in her 30s. Nothing about the actual procedure itself is mentioned other than it happened.

Sounds like you are in the clear (with Laurel). But sensitive souls might still take issue.

 

[lovecraft68]

People in this forum will scream bloody murder is someone complains they can't write about a 16 year old kissing, but they're going to defend an underaged girl being sexually mutilated. Say it with me slowly SEXUALLY mutilated.

Yeah, take a bow if you're good with that, its all anyone needs to know.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

If the story is about her sex life as an adult, and the mention of what happened as a child is factual and not at all eroticised in anyone's mind, I can't see the problem - it should be like any other story where the FMC has an injury or prior traumatic experiences affecting her sex life.

 

[TheLobster]

If the story is about her sex life as an adult, and the mention of what happened as a child is factual and not at all eroticised in anyone's mind, I can't see the problem - it should be like any other story where the FMC has an injury or prior traumatic experiences affecting her sex life.

Indeed. If this were to be prohibited, no stories that involve adult characters who had been sexually abused as children should be permitted either.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

A lot of cut guys had "MGM" even younger (eight days if they were Jewish), and Laurel (and readers) seem to be okay with that

You aren't seriously going to compare circumcision, which Jews do to celebrate their union with god, and which is considered even healthy and isn't that big of a deal, to the removing of the clitoris and vulva, an atrocious and painful procedure which is mostly done to "avoid promiscuity" in girls. The procedure causes serious consequences.
No matter what the OP's intentions are, this is an erotic site and any actions here are always seen in the light of arousal. Personally, I would be perfectly okay with a mainstream novel that describes the practice and shows the terrible consequences that stem from it. I would even applaud it. But writing a story about it here, on a website where most people come to fap doesn't seem okay to me. This isn't about kink-shaming or anything like that; it's about drawing a line.

Not that anything we say here matters though. The decision will come from the website admin.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

People in this forum will scream bloody murder is someone complains they can't write about a 16 year old kissing, but they're going to defend an underaged girl being sexually mutilated. Say it with me slowly SEXUALLY mutilated.

Yeah, take a bow if you're good with that, it’s all anyone needs to know.

Please, who here has advocated female genital mutilation or defended such a hideous practice?

 

[ashleylesbian]

I am not here to argue about anything. I just respect the rules and want to clarify if something is ok or not.
If you want to tell me that what I write is messed up, just like myself, I already know it