Wie Genitalverstümmelung die besten Läufer der Welt produziert

Genitalverstümmelung bei Mädchen und Frauen ist schlecht. Genitalverstümmelung bei Jungen und Männern ist offenbar gut. Zumindest argumentiert so ein aktueller Artikel über die Erfolge von Marathonläufern aus Kenia:

Kenyan Wilson Kipsang won this year's Berlin Marathon in 2 hours, 3 minutes and 23 seconds — an average of 4:42 per mile. It was easily the fastest marathon time ever recorded, an incredible feat for another powerful Kenyan runner.

But perhaps equally remarkable was that his fellow Kenyans also came in second, third, fourth and fifth place in this major international race. On the women's side, Kenyans placed first, second and fourth. Two weeks later in Chicago, Kenyan runner Dennis Kimetto broke the course record there — after only having run for four years. Next in line behind him? Three more Kenyans.

Der Preis für diesen sportlichen Triumph ist dem Artikel zufolge eine radikale Traumatisierung im Rahmen einer Beschneidungszeremonie (die wir selbstverständlich nicht kritisieren dürfen, weil wir damit die Wertvorstellungen anderer Kulturen geringschätzen würden):

Elly Kipgogei, 19, remembers going through the ceremony at age 15.

First, he says, he had to crawl mostly naked through a tunnel of African stinging nettles. Then he was beaten on the bony part of the ankle, then his knuckles were squeezed together, and then the formic acid from the stinging nettle was wiped onto his genitals.

But all that was just warm-up; early one morning he was circumcised, with a sharp stick.

During this whole process — the crawling, the beatings and the cutting — Kipgogei was obliged to be absolutely stoical, unflinching.

(...) Manners says that this enormous social pressure placed on your ability to endure pain is actually great training for a sport like running where "pushing through pain" is so fundamental to success.

"Circumcision," he says, "teaches kids to withstand pressure and tolerate pain."

Soso. Und was wollt ihr antworten, wenn jemand fordert, der Chancengleichheit im Wettkampfsport zuliebe solle bei Mädchen und Frauen dasselbe Ritual vollzogen werden?

Immerhin:

But Kipgogei is part of a new Kalenjin generation that's challenging old ways of doing things. He says when he has kids, his sons will be circumcised pain-free in a hospital. His daughters won't go through any such procedure at all.

Natürlich könnte man argumentieren, dass es auch ohne Genitalverstümmelung weltweit so funktioniert: Männer müssen sich extremen Zumutungen unterziehen, um einen Platz an der Spitze zu erringen. Da man Frauen nicht dieselben Zumutungen aufbürden kann, benötigen sie für denselben Spitzenplatz eine Quote.