My curiosity about the intersections of feminism, gender-based violence and institutionalised racism truly manifested during my undergraduate degree in Law which I read at St Mary’s University Twickenham, London (with First Class, 2017-2020). In my second year I volunteered to organise and lead a seminar at St Mary’s that focused on the AM-I-NEXT? Movement and forced sterilisations of HIV-positive women in Southern Africa. It was this experience that motivated my decision to continue challenging sexual violence and the State’s tolerability for unwanted harmful practices performed upon women and girls in the guise of healthcare. After finishing my degree with an extended essay on whether the law on obscenity is a misogynistic representation of power and a legal research project on whether court-ordered caesarean sections are in the best interests of pregnant women, I then pursued an MA in Bioethics and Medical Law at St Mary’s (2020-2021). There I produced a dissertation examining ‘To what extent should it be permissible for healthcare professionals to perform “virginity” testing and hymenoplasty in the jurisdiction of England and Wales?’ (2021). In the early stages of writing this dissertation I had been approached by the Professional Policy Advisor at the Royal College of Midwives to contribute my research towards the ongoing campaign to ban virginity testing and hymenoplasty in the United Kingdom. The research that I collected on female genital cosmetic surgery, sexual purity and the law led me to consider two questions in relation to female genital mutilation: 1) do all reconstructive or restorative female genital surgeries affect the eradication of female genital mutilation? And 2) does the law in the jurisdiction of England and Wales establish clear differences between acceptable/unacceptable traditional practices and acceptable/unacceptable healthcare practice? I have the special opportunity to now explore these important questions as a DPhil in Law student at the University of Oxford.

My doctoral research, under the supervision of Jonathan Herring and Dr Imogen Goold, explores feminist critiques on the legal responses to female genital mutilation and female genital cosmetic surgery in the jurisdiction of England and Wales. I cannot explain my project without also emphasising how unequivocally grateful I am to be the recipient of the DPhil Law BAME Scholarship in conjunction with Christ Church; the award that turned the presented opportunity to pursue my project into a reality. Since arriving at Christ Church, I have felt comfort, support and generosity – and have grown far too attached to the Christ Church Library. All of which make me feel honoured to be a lifelong member of the House.

Registration for the Conference on Saturday 17 August is here.