--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Well, of course there’s my own experience…" description: "\"Well, of course there’s my own experience of being mutilated as a little child. Having gone through this cruel practice and all the long-term consequen..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/waris-dirie-18358_attention_well-of-course-there-s-my-own-experience_937578.jpg" --- # Well, of course there’s my own experience of being… ![“Well, of course there’s my own experience of being mutilated as a little child. Having gone through this cruel practice and all the long-term consequences that come with it, I just cannot sit back and watch it being done to thousands of little girls every year. I believe that it is my…” quote by Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/waris-dirie-18358_attention_well-of-course-there-s-my-own-experience_937578.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/waris-dirie-18358_attention_well-of-course-there-s-my-own-experience_937578.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5f/waris-dirie-18358_attention_well-of-course-there-s-my-own-experience_937578.jpg) > “Well, of course there’s my own experience of being mutilated as a little child. Having gone through this cruel practice and all the long-term consequences that come with it, I just cannot sit back and watch it being done to thousands of little girls every year. I believe that it is my responsibility to use the attention I get to fight against the continuing practice of FGM.” [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She uses her trauma of female genital mutilation to advocate against it, feeling a duty to protect vulnerable girls worldwide. **In simple terms:** Survivors can become powerful advocates. Key Takeaway Turn personal pain into activism for change. Themes human rights activism trauma responsibility Mood determined compassionate Type advocacy inspirational When to use this quote - NGO work - policy advocacy - public speaking Key Concepts gender studies social justice public health Questions to Reflect On - How can survivors lead movements? - What strategies best end harmful traditions? A Different Perspective Personal trauma may affect emotional resilience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Consequence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consequence/) [Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Girl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl/) [Long term](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-term/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [Our characteristic response to the mutilated statue, the bronze dug up from the earth, is revealing. It is not that we prefer time-worn bas-reliefs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-malraux/our-characteristic-response-to-the-mutilated-statue-the-bronze-dug-up/) [Andre Malraux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-malraux/) > [I survived this torture which left me paralyzed for years. That's what that night was all about, mutilation, more than violence through sex. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/i-survived-this-torture-which-left-me-paralyzed-for-years-that-s-what/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [The roots of a child's ability to cope and thrive, regardless of circumstance, lie in that child's having had at least a small, safe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-rogers/the-roots-of-a-child-s-ability-to-cope-and-thrive-regardless-of/) [Fred Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-rogers/) > [I know from having had a child, and from having been a child myself, that children will copy you. So, the best way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-know-from-having-had-a-child-and-from-having-been-a-child-myself-2/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [An unlimited amount of ability can develop when parent and child are having fun together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/an-unlimited-amount-of-ability-can-develop-when-parent-and-child-are/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) > [I know from having had a child, and from having been a child myself, that children will copy you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-know-from-having-had-a-child-and-from-having-been-a-child-myself/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Children are inspiring because they are open and a lot more intelligent than grown ups. They also have contagious playfulness and joy. For me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olof-arnalds/children-are-inspiring-because-they-are-open-and-a-lot-more/) [Olof Arnalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olof-arnalds/) > [I'm looking forward to not being tired around my child. My father was tired a lot. I want to play ball with my child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/i-m-looking-forward-to-not-being-tired-around-my-child-my-father-was/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [Because women and girls are not valued equally as human beings, they are treated as less than such. Female genital mutilation is one example…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/because-women-and-girls-are-not-valued-equally-as-human-beings-they/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [“I feel that God made my body perfect the way I was born. Then man robbed me, took away my power, and left me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-feel-that-god-made-my-body-perfect-the-way-i-was-born-then-man/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I have often felt like I was the only one fighting against female genital mutilation. There is still a huge taboo surrounding the topic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-have-often-felt-like-i-was-the-only-one-fighting-against-female/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Female genital mutilation targets little girls, baby girls - fragile angels who are helpless, who cannot fight back. It's a crime against a child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/female-genital-mutilation-targets-little-girls-baby-girls-fragile/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I always knew, from the very day of my own mutilation, that I would one day fight against this practice. I did not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-always-knew-from-the-very-day-of-my-own-mutilation-that-i-would-one/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [“manhood into smithereens. My ego was bruised. Battered. Mutilated beyond recognition. My pride was hurt. Crushed. Decimated beyond recovery. But by nothing short of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-arcane/manhood-into-smithereens-my-ego-was-bruised-battered-mutilated-beyond/) [Annie Arcane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-arcane/) > [“Having been, not only mutilated in our country, wounded in our very flesh, but also divested of our most beautiful images, for you gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/having-been-not-only-mutilated-in-our-country-wounded-in-our-very/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Waris Dirie > [I still do find it very difficult in the West to connect to this politeness of smiling, not saying how you're thinking or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-still-do-find-it-very-difficult-in-the-west-to-connect-to-this/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [We need to empower women: provide them with work for their own income, and teach them to become independent of men so they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/we-need-to-empower-women-provide-them-with-work-for-their-own-income/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Less hatred, more love, less war, more peace, more respect for the Mother Nature and for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/less-hatred-more-love-less-war-more-peace-more-respect-for-the-mother/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I know what I am fighting for. I am fighting for the most basic rights of innocent children. And that is why I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-know-what-i-am-fighting-for-i-am-fighting-for-the-most-basic-rights/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [In the current situation, it is very difficult for foreign NGOs to work in Somalia because it is so unstable and dangerous. I really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/in-the-current-situation-it-is-very-difficult-for-foreign-ngos-to/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I always knew, from the very day of my own mutilation, that I would one day fight against this practice. I did not know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-always-knew-from-the-very-day-of-my-own-mutilation-that-i-would-one/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [My family is and will always stay the most important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/my-family-is-and-will-always-stay-the-most-important-to-me/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I love the truth. Tell the truth and live the truth, because we've seen enough lies and look what it's doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-love-the-truth-tell-the-truth-and-live-the-truth-because-we-ve-seen/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Fashion is fun, ridiculously fun. But it's base and it's wrong. You're not doing anything good for the world. You're just saying, 'Buy it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/fashion-is-fun-ridiculously-fun-but-it-s-base-and-it-s-wrong-you-re/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Every day, women move mountains. It is an insult to have an international women's day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/every-day-women-move-mountains-it-is-an-insult-to-have-an/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I am strong, determined, impulsive, happy, and emotional.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-am-strong-determined-impulsive-happy-and-emotional/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Laws are important. But they can only be effective if the people know about the particular laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/laws-are-important-but-they-can-only-be-effective-if-the-people-know/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [Female genital mutilation targets little girls, baby girls - fragile angels who are helpless, who cannot fight back. It's a crime against a child,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/female-genital-mutilation-targets-little-girls-baby-girls-fragile/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [I've never been one to stay still. I was born a nomad, and I still am a nomad and always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/i-ve-never-been-one-to-stay-still-i-was-born-a-nomad-and-i-still-am-a/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) > [FGM breaches all human rights and has no place in any 21st century society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/waris-dirie/fgm-breaches-all-human-rights-and-has-no-place-in-any-21st-century/) [Waris Dirie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) [Explore all 35 Waris Dirie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/waris-dirie/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Well, of course there’s my own experience of being mutilated as a little child. 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