If you're concerned, as Em pointed out, that this might reflect a focused anti-patriarcal attitude, you might approach the issue of circumsision, which is, to some people, as barbaric as the things you listed, and to others, far more "normal" than leaving it alone.

I think this topic is a fascinating one. My background in anthropology is different--I preferred bones and fossils to living cultures--but the same applies. I don't know how many times I'd get pissed because people tried to interpret cultural evidence into something they deemed "civilized" just because they felt that the site was too recent to be as wild as it seemed. On the flipside, the interpretation of neadertal-as-savage-barbarian frustrates the hell out of me, because the homo sapiens of the same era are considered to be cultural and wonderful.

I'd like to read a polished essay, if you write it. ^_^