1 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stephane 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:19,320 Speaker 1: ever told your production of I Heart Radio. Hello Annie, 3 00:00:19,360 --> 00:00:21,959 Speaker 1: how are you today? I'm good, as you know. I 4 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,799 Speaker 1: suspect that someone has put a minor curse on me, 5 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: like a minor one, and I'm hoping it will wear 6 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: off soon. Yeah, because I've had a lot of misstaps 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: within the past twenty four hours. Oh no, yeah, the 8 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: cold shower would be a bad one. Yes, I had 9 00:00:40,760 --> 00:00:42,639 Speaker 1: to take a cold chat everyone because I got toothpaste 10 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 1: in my hair, which that's never happened to you. It's 11 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,800 Speaker 1: a nightmare. It's a nightmare of minor proportions, which is 12 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: why I say minor curse. That's true. And speaking of 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: cold showers, we know a lot of people are going 14 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:59,280 Speaker 1: to do some things in the winter storm and the 15 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: government's being prepared or senators leaving the country to go 16 00:01:03,320 --> 00:01:06,479 Speaker 1: to a cool beach apparently whatever. But we are thinking 17 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: of you guys and hoping that you are maintaining I 18 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 1: feel like that's the best way we could put it. 19 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:14,520 Speaker 1: I feel like that's the theme of the last two years. 20 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: We're existing the best we can and just putting some 21 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: good vibes out there for everyone. Just an f y. 22 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,679 Speaker 1: I this is not at all saying that I did 23 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,199 Speaker 1: something good. I tried to donate to the Austin mutual 24 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: A Fund through Venmo. Turns out there's several several, several 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:35,199 Speaker 1: people who are scamming the hell out of it. Yeah, 26 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: and just using that name. And I thought I did 27 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: my due diligence and found the ones that were scammers 28 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,679 Speaker 1: and used a different one that I saw someone else 29 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: saying this is the right one. It was not. I 30 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: will say Venmo did a good job and giving my 31 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: money back before it was deposited because they realized real 32 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:54,160 Speaker 1: quick what was happening and it was verified. But man, 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 1: so for those who are giving money, watch you out, 34 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,720 Speaker 1: make you sure you're doing your due diligence, because it's 35 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: really sad, sad, unfortunate time where people are taking advantage 36 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: of these situations. But yes, we should definitely be supporting 37 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: our fam out in Texas and those around and we 38 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,399 Speaker 1: are thinking of you, hoping y'all are keeping warm. But 39 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,560 Speaker 1: that is not what we're talking about today. We're actually 40 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,960 Speaker 1: traveling outside of the US and then back to the 41 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: US because we are talking about a Jaha dokae who 42 00:02:25,919 --> 00:02:29,080 Speaker 1: by the way, actually now lives in Atlanta, which I 43 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: was like, wow, cool, But she originally was born in 44 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: Gambia and moved to the States at fifteen. But before 45 00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: we go there, we do want to put a quick 46 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: trigger warning as some of the details of this can 47 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,200 Speaker 1: be traumatizing because she is actually someone who is working 48 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: and female general neutilation or f g M, which is 49 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 1: what we're going to refer to it as throughout this episode, 50 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: and child marriages or child arranged marriages as well as 51 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 1: she was a victim of both. And so yes, we 52 00:02:58,200 --> 00:02:59,959 Speaker 1: want to talk about the amazing what she is doing, 53 00:03:00,040 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: but yes, it's just a been There is a bit 54 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: of a trader warning here because we are gonna go 55 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:05,919 Speaker 1: into a little bit of detail of what that looks 56 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: like and maybe some of the trauma that that has 57 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: a correlation to. Yes, so let us dive into this 58 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: edition of Women Around the World. Yes, Yes, Jaha is 59 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 1: a thirty two year old activist who created and it's 60 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: the CEO of the nonprofit organization Safe Hands of Girls. 61 00:03:24,960 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 1: It was created in twos thirteen, and Jaha created the 62 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 1: organization to fight f g M and child marriage, which yes, 63 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:35,160 Speaker 1: she has experienced Personally Safe Hands for Girls are s 64 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:39,000 Speaker 1: h f G is a quote woman led organization dedicated 65 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 1: to helping women and girls that have gone through f 66 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: GM or are at risk of going through the practice. 67 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:48,120 Speaker 1: So Jaha Dogray was born in Gambia in nineteen nine 68 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 1: and had been subjected to f g M as an 69 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: infant and was later forced to marry at the age 70 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: of fifteen and that's when you moved to the US. 71 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,000 Speaker 1: Gray has recounted her experience with being married at such 72 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:01,160 Speaker 1: a young age and the effects of FGM in her 73 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: marriage at that time, and she stated that it was 74 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:05,440 Speaker 1: like going through the pain of f g M again 75 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: when he tried to have sex with her. And at 76 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: this point she never says the word rape, but obviously 77 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: I think it needs to show this was not her choice, 78 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: This marriage was not her choice. Uh So it just 79 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: needs to be stated here. But she also spoke of 80 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 1: the fact that the reopening of her wounds because she 81 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: went through a Type three and we wanna talk about 82 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: what that is exactly, and the pain and just overall 83 00:04:25,440 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: trauma of her experience as a whole. And she even 84 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:32,360 Speaker 1: speaks of the experience of watching her sister die, who 85 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: had led out during her f g M, the sisters 86 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:39,040 Speaker 1: f GM and when Jaha tried to ask what happened 87 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 1: and why why did this happen because she was at 88 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: the age of eight when has happened, she was just 89 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: told that it was her sister's quote, time to go, 90 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,119 Speaker 1: which is such a sad and unfortunate moment. The fact 91 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 1: that that's how it was seen. And honestly, there's a 92 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:56,039 Speaker 1: whole big pictures like being allowed to mourn what she 93 00:04:56,160 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: allowed to more in that way to see and and 94 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: she I'm sure understood the time how tragic that was, yes, absolutely, 95 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:07,720 Speaker 1: But unlike so many, Doree was determined to escape and 96 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: fight to stop the traumatic experiences for other girls who 97 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: may be placed in the same circumstances. At the age 98 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: of seventeen, at degree, moved to Atlanta and started her 99 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: work as an advocate against the damaging practice of f GM, 100 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 1: and she quickly became known for her work and her 101 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: continued fight against f g M and her fight against 102 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 1: arranged marriages, specifically those that have been planned for young 103 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,960 Speaker 1: people or young women early in age. And after going 104 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:33,560 Speaker 1: to school in Georgia for her business administration degree, she 105 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: created her nonprofit Safe Hands for Girls and then she 106 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: went on to get her masters at the University of 107 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,760 Speaker 1: Central Heart of for nonprofit management and just to revisit 108 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,520 Speaker 1: some statistics and definitions. According to the Safe Hands for 109 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: Girls site, there are an estimated three million girls at 110 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:50,040 Speaker 1: risk for FGM every year and most are cut before 111 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:52,920 Speaker 1: the age of fifteen. It is estimated that more than 112 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 1: two hundred million girls and women have undergone FGM and 113 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: in Gambia it was performed by those known as circumcisers 114 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: to girls at infancy and between the ages of two 115 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,239 Speaker 1: to fourteen, and it's often performed without anesthesia using razor 116 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: blades or knives. Right according to the World Health Organizations, 117 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 1: there are no actual benefits to this practice, but a 118 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,600 Speaker 1: lot of harm and side effects which include severe pain, infections, 119 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,600 Speaker 1: excessive bleeding, healing problems, urinary problems, and like the Gray Sister, 120 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,719 Speaker 1: even death. And some of the long term effects includes 121 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:28,440 Speaker 1: sexual problems like pain and decreased satisfaction, ministrul problems, scar tissues, 122 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 1: and sometimes a need for surgeries later on, like cutting 123 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: a sealed vagina. And this is what actually is type 124 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: three f GM, which means that they covered or narrowed 125 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: the vaginal opening. So it's literally stilled up for Gambia specifically, 126 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,239 Speaker 1: the practices of FGM was banned in but many people 127 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:48,960 Speaker 1: still would travel outside of Gambia to perform the ritual 128 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 1: on young girls, saying that it was their religious right. 129 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 1: The new administration in some say the band was no 130 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,920 Speaker 1: longer in place and that some have picked up the 131 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 1: ritual again and them are seeing that with the new democracy, 132 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: it's a matter of choice. But Degrees continued fight has 133 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: been steady. She with her organization has been recognized for 134 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: their hard work and advocacy to end such damaging practices, right, 135 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: you know, just to note here, it's kind of an 136 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 1: interesting back and forth because it is again still technically 137 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: banned in Gambia from what I understood, But yeah, it's 138 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: kind of takes for some of those I guess in 139 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: the old school traditions, they take on the day that 140 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: this is a religious practice and it is a right 141 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:34,320 Speaker 1: to keep their femininity intact. And again though of course 142 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 1: it is really dangerous, and we talked about the fact 143 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 1: that there is no health benefits, but it seems to 144 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: be more on traditions and not to you know, trashing 145 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: these traditions at all, because we understand traditions can be important, 146 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: it does seem to be at the cost of women 147 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: and young girls. So that's something that we need to 148 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,559 Speaker 1: be talking about more and more of. And De Gray 149 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:56,160 Speaker 1: has been recognized for our hard work many times over, 150 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 1: between being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in tween 151 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: the eighteen named Time's Most Influential People. In twenty sixteen, 152 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: she's given the Eleanor Roosevelt Medal of Honor, and she 153 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: continues to be a powerhouse in her work to end 154 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: f g M and child marriages today. She has continued 155 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:13,560 Speaker 1: with her work by creating other nonprofits such as the 156 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 1: Big Sister Movement, which is a network she formed with 157 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: other African women to end FGM and child marriages throughout 158 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,400 Speaker 1: other African countries. And she was appointed as the Regional 159 00:08:22,480 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 1: UN Women Ambassador of Africa. And she has been able 160 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: to prevent more than one million girls from having to 161 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: go through this painful and damaging procedure. And though it's 162 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,600 Speaker 1: still technically, like we said, illegal in Gabia, they continue 163 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: to transport young girls to get the procedure outside of 164 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,719 Speaker 1: that country, and she and our organizations have helped to 165 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: stop many of the transports from taking the young children, 166 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 1: so it's really interesting to see that. And she is 167 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 1: pretty big in the I guess beauty world what we 168 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: call this sure sure she is was named Lorial Paris's 169 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 1: new international spokesperson in twenty as well as in fact, 170 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: she was nominated as one of the top one hundred 171 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: beautiful African Women. Believe was the title. If you look 172 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: at her Instagram, she was along with some really powerful, 173 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: amazing women in that list. So it's really interesting to 174 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:10,600 Speaker 1: see and she Yeah, she continues to use our platform 175 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:13,600 Speaker 1: for the issue of FGM and child the marriage and 176 00:09:13,679 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: it's really interesting to see. So you need to definitely 177 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: follow her on She's on Instagram. I think she's on 178 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: Twitter as well as her organizations safe Hand for Girls 179 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: dot org. Yes, yes, absolutely go check that out. We 180 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,160 Speaker 1: were talking about she's accomplished so much at her age 181 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: and it's just very very important work that she's doing. 182 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: Continue to keep an eye on what she accomplishes. And 183 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: as always, if listeners, if you have any any women 184 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: you think we should highlight for this segment, please send 185 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,480 Speaker 1: them our way. Also, I just wanted to give a 186 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: heads up speaking of beauty Samantha and I are going 187 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: to be taking over another podcast called Ridiculous History. You 188 00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:58,560 Speaker 1: might have heard of it, and we're going to be 189 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: talking about some really ridicul culus beauty regimens from history. 190 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: So a different type of liston, yeah, very very different 191 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: type of list but that should be coming out soon, 192 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,719 Speaker 1: so keep your ears out to keep your eyes out 193 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: for that. And in the meantime, if you would like 194 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: to contact us, you can. Our email is Stuff Media 195 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at i heeartbia dot com. You can also 196 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: find us on Instagram at Stuff I've Never Told You 197 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: are on Twitter at mom Stuff Podcast. Thanks as always 198 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,320 Speaker 1: to our super producer Christina. Thank you Christina, and thanks 199 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: to you for listening Stuff I Never Told You the 200 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: protection of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from i 201 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 1: Heeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast, or 202 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: wherever you listen to your favorite shows.