As a child, she was brutally cut. As an adult, she underwent hours of surgery to reconstruct what was taken from her. As a mother, she vowed to protect her daughter from female genital cutting. Now, as a social media influencer, Shamsa Sharawe is persuading others to advocate against this practice by sharing her story.
Sharawe rose to fame on TikTok with her unique approach, crafting irreverent and humorous videos about a subject often brushed under the rug. Using a razor blade on a rose, she metaphorically illustrated her traumatic experience with female genital cutting that occurred in her homeland of Somalia at age 6, a country where the practice is widespread among women and girls.
Now 32, Sharawe embraces her new identity as a determined anti-cutting campaigner, perfectly in tune with the TikTok generation’s culture. “Trigger warning, guys,” she begins her powerful recounting of her childhood trauma, skillfully holding a needle and thread to reconstruct the disfigured rose petals, before making it clear, “Trig-ger warn-ing! If you don’t like horrific stories, go — now!”
In 2023, Sharawe took a bold step towards healing by traveling from Britain to Germany, where she underwent surgery to create something she had never possessed — an adult vulva, symbolizing her reclaimation of identity. On the eve of her surgery, she found herself frightened in an unfamiliar country, reflecting the resilience it takes to confront such personal demons. Her journey not only signifies her medical triumph but also highlights her mission to protect future generations from the horrors she endured.
