Blake Lively Is Calling Attention to a Terrifying Truth: Female Genital Mutilation Occurs in America, Too

Blake Lively may have shuttered her platform Preserve, but that hasn't stopped the star from speaking out about things she thinks are important—including protecting and supporting women. 

Today on Instagram, Lively launched an initiative to call attention to FGM—female genital mutilation—a procedure that involves removing parts or all of a woman's genitals for non-medical reasons. It's long been practiced in parts of Africa and was recently banned in Nigeria, but Lively points out the chilling fact that FGM isn't just something that happens in other places—it's right in our own backyard.

The star teamed up with L'Oréal Paris USA to bring attention to women changing the world, including Jaha Dukureh, a woman fighting to end FGM and a survivor of the practice. Today, 100 million to 140 million women and girls are believed to have been subjected to the practice. You can read more about her and her story (including ways to help), along with all the other Women of Worth at LorealParisUSA.com.

Cheers to celebrities using their platforms to make a difference, and here's hoping we see the end of FGM in our lifetime.

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