Saarrah Ray

DPhil Law
Christ Church

Other affiliations

Faculty of Law Medical Law Discussion Group The Queen's College Bonavero Institute of Human Rights Worcester College

Biography

Saarrah Ray is a DPhil in Law candidate, funded by the DPhil Law BAME Scholarship. Her thesis explores Radical Feminism on Reconceptualising the ‘Designer Vagina’ as Violence Against Women: An Argument Supporting the Criminalisation of Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery.

Her research on virginity testing, hymenoplasty and FGM has contributed to publications in The Routledge International Handbook of Harmful Cultural Practices (2024) and the Feminist Legal Studies Journal (2024). Beyond her doctoral research, Saarrah has held Lectureships in Law at The Queen's College (Oxford) and Worcester College (Oxford), teaching Tort Law and Criminal Law. Saarrah was also a Graduate Research Resident at the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights (Oxford)  (January 2024 - December 2024) and a UN WOMEN UK Participant at the CSW69 (2025). 

Saarrah holds an LLB (Hons) (first-class) and an MA in Bioethics and Medical Law (distinction) from St. Mary’s University Twickenham, London.

 

 

Featured Publications

Ray S, ‘Sister, Is this Mutilation?’ [2024] Feminist Legal Studies
Ray S, ‘The ’Virginity’ Myth’ (FACULTY OF LAW BLOGS / UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, 15 January 2024)
Ray S, ‘Chapter Six: The British Campaign to Ban Virginity Testing and Hymenoplasty’ in M Jaschok and others (eds.), The Routledge International Handbook of Harmful Cultural Practices (Routledge 2023)
Ray S, ‘The Husband-Stitch: Could it be Female Genital Mutilation?’ (14 April 2021)

Publications

Research Interests

Feminist Legal Theory; Gender, Sexuality and the Law; Violence Against Women and Girls; Body Modifications and Beauty Politics.

Research projects & programmes

Family and Medical Law Research Group

Options taught

Tort
Criminal Law (Mods)

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