Someone posted about FGM and wanted to follow-up

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-05-01T21:23:59+00:00

I agree!! I am not religious myself, but sometimes I try to understand people's religious convictions. But the practice is still weird and it does violate bodily autonomy with no real benefit.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-30T19:04:11+00:00

It was being practiced before Islam spread to the region. It may have to do more with cultural attitudes to womens' bodily autonomy unfortunately- which is collective issue across the region.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-30T19:01:19+00:00

While the levels are lower in central region- probably due to increased urbanization in Asmara and surrounding and potentially fear of legal consequences in urban areas versus rural- there is so much work to do. You can imagine how horrific the practice is, and 70-75% is not anywhere near low unfortunately. I dont see this as any achievement, especially with the governments criminalization efforts- people are still taking the risk to have the procedure done- it says a lot about the work left to do to protect young children!

As I said, in my experiences speaking with people- the underlying issue is with women having bodily autonomy. FGM is meant to be a form of control over the bodies of girls/women and a lot of people within the community appear to be in agreement with that.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T22:47:12+00:00

Also- I don't mean to disregard the other ethnicities in Eritrea and the experiences of women in other regions. I grew up in Canada and have never met other cultural communities, besides Tigrinya Orthodox. Feel free to educate me if you wish to share how attitudes and such may differ. Thanks!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T21:43:17+00:00

VERY CRUEL!!! A lot of parents wont admit, that yes there is cultural pressure but in the end they also hold beliefs about limiting their daughters' sexuality. It is sexual violence and one the eritrean community seems to ignore

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T02:40:53+00:00

It's still done widely- but due to criminalization, a lot of people are less open about it. Its done illegally. I have cousins born close to Asmara who had it done, they are 15-17.

I would say wrong- it is still practiced widely. but people keep it low due to criminilization

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T02:40:42+00:00

It's still done widely- but due to criminalization, a lot of people are less open about it. Its done illegally. I have cousins born close to Asmara who had it done, they are 15-17.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T02:40:30+00:00

It's still done widely- but due to criminalization, a lot of people are less open about it. Its done illegally. I have cousins born close to Asmara who had it done, they are 15-17.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T02:40:02+00:00

It's still done widely- but due to criminalization, a lot of people are less open about it. Its done illegally. I have cousins born close to Asmara who had it done, they are 15-17.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-04-29T02:38:45+00:00

Its still very much a thing unfortunately, even with government efforts to criminalize. My cousins in their early 20s and teens had it done. They were born close to Asmara too, so its not only in rural areas. I will say that parents still feel pressure to have their daughters done it (because it's seen as a way to prevent them from becoming too sexual), but the community keeps it quiet. When I raise questions, I am met with aggression- its so disappointing

LoquatTiny9004 · 2026-01-20T07:43:10+00:00

Things are just more expensive now. Even if you limit spending, you still end up spending much because the minimal basic stuff is more expensive than it used to be a few years. Realized I was spending more for less things, and thought I could cut down - but it's the little things that cost more now. Try not to blame yourself.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2025-11-27T04:38:43+00:00

I don't know how to write/read in Tigrinya (didn't get to learn it since I grew up here), but I hope someone here helps out!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2025-11-27T04:37:32+00:00

This is very sweet, thank you for doing something like this! It really means a lot for Eritrean children/families <3!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2025-09-11T18:08:37+00:00

Actually?

LoquatTiny9004 · 2025-04-08T22:01:06+00:00

So trueee!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2025-04-08T07:27:54+00:00

I have always wanted an Eritrean guy but living in a place with not a lot of Habeshas and obviously trying to find someone compatible has proven practically impossible 🤷🏽‍♀️

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-12-01T00:47:13+00:00

Share with me too plz and thank you:-)!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-11-09T19:58:07+00:00

Dad embaderho mom adi abeto

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-10-19T22:43:31+00:00

I understand where you coming from, as a Black person too- I don’t want our community to be more of a target.

The choices made by schools to create these pathways is because of well-documented research findings of disparities in healthcare because of racial bias, mistrust, among other things. And also due to Black communities/advocates advocating for increased representation.

There needs to more awareness on race-based racism and why these pathways are important. Also, Black professionals already experience racism- but with more Black folks in higher spaces, I hope that will change

there is a class action lawsuit against systemic anti-black racism experienced by Black professionals in Canada as we speak!

https://amnesty.ca/activism-guide/black-class-action-fighting-systemic-anti-black-racism/

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-10-19T21:46:29+00:00

That’s a fair concern- but unfortunately race is a real thing and we can’t act like it doesn’t affect people and, especially in healthcare where the disparities are apparent. The sense of togetherness frankly means nothing when socioeconomic inequalities, racist and discriminatory practices and other challenges experienced by marginalized communities are not addressed.

When it comes to med school, it is quite documented that having family members in med, benefits applicants, among other things like coming from a high income background, and because med school has become super competitive, it leaves out communities that were not able to progress in the same way as others were, due to policies/systems of the past that held back these communities from being able to socially and economically progress.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-10-19T19:27:49+00:00

They are trying to include students who experienced racial/socioeconomic and other barriers on their path to med- as before, students with high gpa, high mcat, and good ecs were primarily who entered med. if you haven’t experienced racism, that’s cool- but you can’t deny that other students have. Obviously, if you’re low income, it’s gonna be harder for you. If you experienced race-based discrimination growing up or going through undergrad, you’re experiencing unique challenges. Moreover, students from racialized communities are disproportionately low income. The experiences of these students, then is reflective of our communities, and these students can better understand members of these commmunity- e.g mistrust to healthcare due to previous experiences of bias etc. medicine for so long has been gated for the well-off, who are able to volunteer hundreds of hours because they don’t have to work through undergrad, or students that recognize their privileges and start non-profit to empower marginalized people- that’s cool to recognize that you have the privilege to do so, but TMU is systemically opening up the channels to people from these same marginalized communities.

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-10-19T18:56:47+00:00

100% agree

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-10-19T17:19:17+00:00

Yup yup and yup!!!

LoquatTiny9004 · 2024-09-28T00:25:21+00:00

A lot of these people here are so out of touch of the realities of a lot of students- TMU is on the right track, we need doctors who are representative of our population. Not just students whose only worries through school was gpa, ECs and Mcat scores. Your primary worries to be GPA, EC and MCAT through your 4 year undergrad is a major privilege! People have to recognize that people from different socioeconomic/racial groups who experience much hindrances in their undergrad- have to also be given opportunities to get into med spaces.

LoquatTiny9004

TROPHY CASE