Imam criticized: Equals gender correction with genital mutilation

It was when the City of Gothenburg would have an event in February of the day against female genital mutilation that the imam responded and sent out an email. It went out to all the members of the Angered Interreligious Council, which he himself is a member of.

The Interreligious Council consists of, among others, representatives of several religious congregations in the district of Angered, politicians and the district director. A council that will work "for increased understanding and respect in society".

The Mail has now aroused strong feelings in the Council in the way that the Imam seems to equate voluntary gender correction with female genital mutilation.

- It is deeply problematic, says Council President Karolina Mildgrim (KD).

This is how the imam writes in the email about the day against genital mutilation:

“Hello colleagues and the city of Gothenburg! I think it's good to pay attention to and counteract female genital mutilation and all forms of oppression and abuse.

But what female genital mutilation is the city of Gothenburg talking about? The one made in the name of modernism or the one made in the name of "the culture of the primitive, away in the" third world "

Why else does the law allow so-called sexual transplants that manipulate both sexes even worse? Or do you mean that there is a smart mutilation that is ok to have and a barbaric mutilation that must be fought ?? ”.

The Imam's email ends with the following:

"I do not cheer any genital mutilation, but unfortunately I also have to abhor hypocrisy as much."

Karolina Midgrim (KD) turns to what the imam writes.

- It is impossible at all to equate. In the case of gender correction, there is firstly a consent, there is a doctor connected and investigations are done. They try to alleviate human suffering. But in the case of female genital mutilation, it's the exact opposite, she says.

SVT News West has in many ways, and for several days, tried to get hold of the imam. But without success. Nor has the Council received any clear answer to its questions regarding the Imam's e-mails.

Understanding and respect is something the Council should work on, can he do it?

- It remains to be seen when we talked to him. We need to talk before we move on. We need to meet eye to eye, ”says Karolina Mildgrim (KD).

The man in question works for Gothenburg's mosque, the city's largest, but also as a teacher at a Muslim elementary school in the city. In the Council, according to Angered's city administration, he represents, among other things, the integration society Leva together.

One person working with the Imam says that the Imam considered that what he wrote was about an internal discussion in the Council and that the content was not intended for an open discussion. His views must also have been his personal and not written as representative of anyone else.