Shamsa Sharawe's journey is not just a tale of survival but a powerful movement towards change. Growing up in Somalia, she underwent the traumatic experience of female genital cutting at the tender age of six. Fast forward to adulthood, she not only sought to physically reconstruct what was taken from her but also to emotionally heal—and now, she is using her experience to drive awareness and prevention.
At the age of 32, Sharawe, a British social media influencer, gained fame on TikTok for her candid and irreverent storytelling about a sensitive topic many prefer to avoid. Through her videos, she artfully combines humor with her harsh realities, using visuals like cutting a rose with a razor blade to illustrate her story's pain. Her catchphrase, “Trigger warning, guys,” sets the tone as she opens up about her childhood trauma, inviting viewers to either engage or exit her content.
With the intention of reclaiming her body, Sharawe traveled to Germany in 2023 to undergo surgery, a leap that brought forth mixed emotions. The night before the surgery was filled with anxiety as she prepared to receive the adult vulva she had never known. Feeling alone in a foreign country added to her fears, but Sharawe persevered, driven by a mission much larger than herself: to protect her daughter and advocate for other women who have suffered similar fates.
Through her platform, she not only seeks to heal her wounds but also encourages a global conversation about the harmful practice of female genital cutting, aiming to inspire others to follow her lead in standing against this tradition that has affected countless lives.
