You're all no doubt aware of the concept of foot binding, which took place during the days of imperial china where a woman's feet were bound causing horrendous mutilations. It was outlawed in 1911, but a few people are still alive who got it done.
One of my professors at my university last year (Whitefield for Adam and Andrew) did a big presentation on foot binding for some research he was doing. I went and attended it.
Basically, when a girl was a few years old, they began the process of binding her feet. They would take a hammer and smash the top of her foot in half, breaking the bone. They would then proceed to break it further by bending it in half to curl underneath her foot.
This was basically to ensure that women couldn't run away very far or very fast. It kept them in the kitchen most of the time.
It also led to some pretty nasty infections, as a broken foot bent in half would create a little pocket of skin, collecting warmth and sweat, forming a perfect breeding ground for lots of horrible diseases.
It is dying off in China, but it's not dead yet. I've never seen pictures before, that's just horrible.
Oh, and it was sexually appealing for men too, they would often shove bound foot in their mouths during periods of intimacy. Although, I think they still left the socks on, but I'm not 100% sure.
Yeah, Whitefield talked about it in his regular history class, too. It was only really present in urban areas, since they needed the women to help on the farm in rural areas.
I've seen pictures and heard class presentations about foot binding before, and it all still makes me cringe every time I think about it. That, and female castration.
Please don't make a thread dedicated to that. It would make me sad. I'm also curious as to why this was brought up?
Well, the papers about the construction of the intergalactic highway WERE up for discussion for over 50 years. It was our own damn fault for not taking any initiative.
I was mistaken, it's actually herpagonosyphilAIDS.
Anyway, slight tangent off of genital mutilation, this is something that I've discussed with people occasionally and find to be a very interesting topic of discussion.. male genital mutilation, AKA circumcision. There are groups out there adamantly opposed to it, as they say it robs males of choice, and that a circumcised male does not experience as much sexual pleasure as uncircumcised males.
What do you think? Is circumcision a good thing, or is it a vestige of a tradition that should be done away with?
Comments
Looks painful.
I just had a Fiddler on the Roof flash back...
By the way, brother, I was sitting right next to you when you posted that.
Basically, when a girl was a few years old, they began the process of binding her feet. They would take a hammer and smash the top of her foot in half, breaking the bone. They would then proceed to break it further by bending it in half to curl underneath her foot.
This was basically to ensure that women couldn't run away very far or very fast. It kept them in the kitchen most of the time.
It also led to some pretty nasty infections, as a broken foot bent in half would create a little pocket of skin, collecting warmth and sweat, forming a perfect breeding ground for lots of horrible diseases.
It is dying off in China, but it's not dead yet. I've never seen pictures before, that's just horrible.
Why did you bring this up?
Yeah, whats this all about foot-binding now?
Please don't make a thread dedicated to that. It would make me sad. I'm also curious as to why this was brought up?
Anyway, slight tangent off of genital mutilation, this is something that I've discussed with people occasionally and find to be a very interesting topic of discussion.. male genital mutilation, AKA circumcision. There are groups out there adamantly opposed to it, as they say it robs males of choice, and that a circumcised male does not experience as much sexual pleasure as uncircumcised males.
What do you think? Is circumcision a good thing, or is it a vestige of a tradition that should be done away with?
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