Chinese Foot Binding Analysis

In Ann-Marie Wilson’s work, two specific gender-exclusive practices are heavily detailed. Firstly, “Chinese foot binding (Chánzú) is an ancient tradition of forced deformity, passed generationally from mother to daughter.” Secondly, “Female genital mutilation (FGM)… is a painful and dangerous practice that alters the female genitalia.” The practices have been implemented throughout history, starting as early as 937 CE and “fifth-century BCE Egypt,” respectively. This history of the practice does not justify it as being morally correct however. According to Wilson, Female Genital Mutilation and Chinese foot binding is “violence (that) exists in most societies, frequently focused on women.” This is “a major human rights and health problem,
It was “practiced on girls from three to eight years old, whereby the four smaller toes were curled underneath towards the centre of the foot’s sole until the bones were broken.” In fact, their feet were usually bound together for long periods of time; usually during all day for two years in an attempt to halt the foot’s growth. It was done because “the bound foot was seen as aesthetically pleasing” because it was smaller than others. The perfect foot is often produced “after years of bone-breaking, intense pain, and flesh removal” until a three-inch foot is obtained. The mentality of the procedure was to make a foot more attractive and to physically limit the female from going somewhere, benefiting only the male at the expense of the
Her six-aspect model was created by examining the results of three case studies that have attempted to eliminate Chinese foot binding. She uses these studies to generate her own model to eliminate FGM. The first case study focuses on the “advantages of not binding and the disadvantages of binding” which scored a 25% success rate. The second case study focused on the fact that “the rest of the world does not (bind feet).” It also focuses on supporting the idea of change throughout organized involvement; this case study scored a 25% success rate also. Finally, the third case study educated the population with hundreds of sessions on health, problem-solving, organized diffusion and the “on-going timely training” that affirms abandonment of the practice. The multi-part study scored a 100% success rate and this study plays a large role in her model. It relies on the fact that people should pledge membership to promote the advantages of not practicing FGM and that if it is practiced, the country doing it will look bad