HWN Suggests

The sex myth that's centuries old

Many people erroneously believe that the hymen seals over the vagina, not realising that that would mean a woman wouldn't be able to menstruate (a minority of people do have this condition, and can get a hymenectomy to help open the channel). Instead, most hymens have an annular or crescent-moon shape, and may take many forms of varying thinness and thickness. Few of us would have been told that it can change with age, that some of us aren't born with one, or that it might totally disappear by the time we enter sexual maturity anyway. Or that a wide variety of activity can stretch or tear it, from exercise to masturbation to, yes, penetrative sex.

read full article

Featured

 Why We Can’t Shake the Myth That the Hymen Is Proof of Virginity

Most people think the hymen is some kind of seal or membrane covering the vaginal opening. This conjures a picture of something thin and fragile stretched over a hole; something that can be ripped through; something that can tear. But that’s simply not true.

Articles of Interest

A New Bride Got a “Certificate of Purity.” But the Hymen Test Is Still a Myth

The myth of the hymen as a virginity litmus test has endured thorough debunkings and legal barriers all over the world. That it persists in some corners of the U.S. medical system shouldn’t be a shock, but it’s a shame.

The Hymen’s Tale: Myths and facts about the hymen

The idea that virginity can be measured or verified is perhaps the most harmful and damaging myth. Assuming that a woman’s sexual behavior can be inferred from her appearance is demeaning, and cultures that suggest the use of a hymenal exam to test for virginity invite incorrect and unfair judgments about women. In reality, the only way to find out if a woman has had sex is to ask her.

What is a Hymen? 9 Facts about Hymens and the Concept of Virginity

Why breaking the hymen — or popping the cherry — actually has little to do with sex.

Women suffer the myths of the hymen and the virginity test

Any type of virginity test that relies on the observation of the hymen or of the tightness of the vagina is inconclusive, at best, or completely invalid. The belief that it is easier to discern the virgin state of a woman than a man is more of a fable than a scientific fact. Unfortunately, it is a fable that is still widely believed and practised to subjugate women.

‘Highly Concerning’: Hymen Repair Videos Flourishing on TikTok and YouTube

Social media platforms have pledged to remove harmful health misinformation but so-called virginity tests and hymen repair procedures in Algeria are being openly promoted online.

Resources

10 Things You Need to Know About Hymens

Would you be surprised to know that there are a lot of (sexist) myths out there about the hymen?