Coming of Age

In many Latin American countries, boys and girls celebrate their 'coming of age' by practicing First Communion around the age of 8-10. This is a ritual that involves the blessing of priest along with a family celebration with food, drinks, dancing and many gifts for the children. This is an opportunity for a child to expand their faith affirm their position as a member of the same culture within their family. There virtually no controversy surrounding the First Communion tradition as it is seen as an important religious affirmation of a child's entry into adolescence and it doesn't harm them in any way.

In the same manner as the first communion, boys in Turkey celebrate the Sünnet where they are given gifts and will often receive the blessing of a Imam. A party with family members then follows as called for by tradition. Unlike the First Communion, however, boys are dressed up to look like Sultans are taken to undergo genital cutting, also known as circumcision. This surgery is the centerpiece of the Sunnet celebration and is a tradition that to this day continues.

During my visit to Istanbul, I would see billboards and other ads on the Tram advertising the Sunnet. Moreover, walking through the streets of Istiklal and the grand Bazar, I saw many 'sultan costumes' being proudly displayed and sold. I saw many young boys also walking around the streets in these outfits, going to their parties or ceremonies.

It baffles me, however, that no one questions the ceremony and its relation to surgical removal of skin on a boy's genitals. I don't understand the correlation between celebrating culture, religion, and tradition with genital cutting. People are too quick to condemn female circumcision but when done to boys, they have no objection or support it. They say its customary and religious, but they fail to see that African women who perform such surgery on their daughters feel the same way.