'Desert Flower' Fights Global Female Genital Mutilitation

Photo of Waris Dirie by Johann Sebastian HänelLove|Peace ‘Desert Flower’ is an indy movie about the life of Somali model Waris Dirie, a supermodel turned activist in the movement against FGM (female genital mutilation) worldwide. Starring the model and actress Liya Kebede and based on Dirie’s 1998 autobiography of the same name, ‘Desert Flower’ recounts Dirie’s evolution out of her world of her camel-herding Somali family and into her role as a potent voice against FGM.

Though female circumcision is often thought of as a foreign issue, experts at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital believe an estimated 228,000 women in the U.S. have undergone the procedure or are at risk.

“Violence against woman does not know borders,” notes Dirie, “whether it is FGM, forced marriage, honor killings, or domestic violence.” To date, Dirie has no US release of ‘Desert Flower’, even though it’s estimated that an  estimated 40,000 FGM victims (2000 census) live in New York City alone.” via Harper’s Bazaar.

Brief research took us to another film ‘Africa Rising’ which was in distribution before Christmas in the US. Meryl Streep hosted the premiere in New York on Nov. 3. More to come on this subject.