It's like a scientific law of Reddit...
For every time FGM comes up, circumcision must also be brought up.
Before you downvote, I'm not defending circumcision. Don't see the point of it in a cultural sense.
FGM and circumcision have the same purpose, to make sex less enjoyable. However, they are NOT the same.
Circumcision I've heard of is taking off the foreskin. FGM can range from removing the clitoris to removing entire parts of the vagina. Sometimes the vaginal canal is sewn shut to prevent sex, maybe they leave a small opening for other business. Sometimes it is done around infancy or puberty. Imagine being 11 or 12 and having that happen. A baby won't remember it, but a 12 yr old will remember it forever.
Circumcision is like, say, cutting off your toe. FGM can range from that to cutting off your arm. Both are bad, but FGM can get a whole lot worse. To put it another way, some forms of FGM is like cutting off the "unnecessary" parts of the penis. Some forms of FGM are like sewing your mouth almost shut to lose weight. You can eat small amounts and drink gross smoothies, but nothing bigger. And it will still feel/be weird and possibly painful.
Yes, there are medical reasons for circumcision on males (infection, injury, defect, etc). But I haven't found any for the more extreme forms of FGM. No doctor is going to sew the vaginal canal shut (they might pack it or bandage it or something) or remove the clitoris unless there's not hope of recovery. They might even try to restore the area.
Circumcision is normalized (I find it wrong), but most find FGM to be terrible. Why do a medical produce when you can use shame or fear or a chastity belt thing? Most of the forms of FGM are really worse and sometimes very weird (in cultures that like to shame females for existing or having feelings). Most males I know are ok with being circumcised. They don't notice or know anything else. They aren't ashamed and it doesn't stop them from getting laid. Females who have had FGM done might find it hard to pee every day or have a period. Some cultures stitch the vagina shut and then open it for the girls period, and repeat this until marriage. That's insane! Way worse than circumcision.
TL;DR: I said earlier, I'm not for circumcision. I'm just saying the FGM has a range of way worse forms, which is why it's a bigger issue. They both matter, but one (FGM) has a range of bad.
For those of you who want to skip most of my post and say I'm defending circumcision, that proves you don't care.