Somali/Somalilander men in London share their views on FGM—Towards a male-focused continuum of change

This article is an attempt to go some way towards filling two critical gaps in understanding what works best to end FGM. Firstly, the views of men are still not commonly the focus of research, the assumption being, until relatively recently, that FGM is a practice conducted by women on girls. Secondly, research that does seek to capture a male perspective from so-called ‘cutting’ contexts has rarely focused on the views of men from the UK Somalia/Somaliland diaspora. This gap in knowledge is stark considering that Somalia and Somaliland have the highest prevalence of FGM globally. The views documented and analysed in this article come from men in the Somali/Somalilander diaspora in London. Multiple viewpoints are shared that reveal potentially critical shifts in mindsets towards FGM. Unsurprising, younger men in the research were more open to change than their older counterparts. This article articulates a cautionary note. Those men who are willing to act to end FGM are not necessarily motivated by gender equity. This article argues that a new carefully designed continuum of change is needed to specifically capture the different viewpoints of men. This continuum will then support more targeted activism focused on ending FGM through gender transformation.