HWN Suggests

The Hymen: A Misunderstood Membrane

Historically, female anatomy has not been recorded in a super-scientific way — and nothing displays this more clearly than a quick Google search for “hymens.” If you had any sort of sex ed growing up, then you’ve probably heard the hymen described in one of a few ways — a barrier, some kind of wall, or, at the very least, breakable. This makes sense when you think about how significant it used to be (and still is in many parts of the world) to “prove” a woman’s sexual status. But the false importance tied to female virginity has allowed so much misinformation about hymens to perpetuate, even today. Seriously, I’m literally writing this blog because hymens came up in an office conversation (typical…

read full article

Featured

 'Now I have to check your hymen': the shocking persistence of virginity tests

Despite years of research dispelling the long-held myth surrounding the hymen – that it breaks after a woman’s first vaginal penetration – its power pertains. Its power remains even after a study from 1906 showed that a sex-worker’s hymen was still intact – which should have been enough to dispel the myth. So too, should have been a 2004 study, which studied 36 pregnant women, 34 of which still had an intact hymen. Still, the myth is so compelling that people would rather believe in virgin pregnancies than facts.

 The sex myth that's centuries old

The hymen – or the vaginal corona, as some believe we should now call it – has been a centre of scrutiny and anxiety for centuries. How can we put an end to the myths around it? The hymen is a small, membranous tissue that may be found near the opening of the vagina. It is really quite incredible that a tiny piece of seemingly purposeless tissue has been ascribed so much factually inaccurate purpose. There is some debate among the scientific community about why the hymen exists in the first place. Is it a leftover from when our prehistoric mammalian forms slithered out of the water and onto land? Is it there to help faecal bacteria not slip into the vagina in infancy? No one really knows. The tissue seems to have more of a purpose in some other species – guinea pigs' hymens dissolve when they go into heat and then regrow when they're finished, for example. But ours perform no such fancy escapades.

 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.

Articles of Interest

Artificial Hymens Have Come a Long Way Since Blood-Filled Fish Bladders

There are tests of a woman’s virginity, many centered around the blood involved in breaking her hymen. To pass this test, some women turned to fakery.

Health Controversy: The Kit That Helps Women Fake Virginity

I don't know whether I'm more shocked that there's an actual product that lets a woman fake her virginity or shocked that it may soon be banned in some Arab nations. Let's discuss this...

Hymen Reconstructions Are Still Very Much a Thing in Europe

Over the past 15 years, Dr. Vilas has performed countless hymen reconstruction surgeries on women who, in her experience, want the procedure done either as a “either for aesthetic purposes, or because they belong to a culture that values a female’s virginity.”

Sex Question: I'm a Virgin, What Should I Expect for a Pelvic Exam?

I'm a virgin, and I've never been to the gynecologist. I'm not ashamed of my virginity but I am worried that the doctor won't be able to perform the pelvic exam. Is it possible for a woman to be too small for the speculum? What's going to happen to my hymen?

The Dangerous Business of Hymen Reconstruction Surgeries

“I feel bad for these women. They’re feeling so much pressure from their male family members, and they’re afraid to be rejected—or even worse, become victims of serious physical violence and even murder.” Dr. Walter* hesitates. For years, the German cosmetic surgeon has been taking on patients who require hymen reconstruction. They are usually young Muslim women—virginity is an important concept in Islam, and the Quran explicitly prohibits extramarital sex in Surah 17.

The hymen remains an evolutionary mystery – and the focus of the oppression of women’s sexuality

This was going to be a light-hearted piece about the hymen, but it’s hard making jokes about the subjugation of the female body.

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

Misinformation and circulated myths about women’s health can be incredibly harmful for women. One commonly misunderstood part of female anatomy is the hymen.

The little tissue that couldn’t – dispelling myths about the Hymen’s role in determining sexual history and assault

Given that hymen examinations rarely lead to a determination of whether the hymen or vagina was penetrated by a penis or other object, they have little to no diagnostic or forensic value. We call on clinicians to consider the very low predictive value of a hymen examination...

The Trials and Tribulations of the Fake Hymen

My boyfriend did not want to break my hymen. There is probably a certain sect of men who get off on popping cherries like they’re a row of bubble wrap blisters, but I’m not a girl and this wasn’t my first time. And my hymen was going to be messy. These are probably all reasons my boyfriend was less than enthusiastic about this little experiment.

What Is a Hymen and How Does It “Break”?

Ah, the hymen. There are so many misunderstandings about this somewhat mysterious part of the vagina, especially when it comes to how it “breaks.” Oftentimes the discussion starts and ends with something about virginity. (You know, that whole “popping the cherry” concept.) Hear us out: That’s pretty old-school thinking. For starters, your hymen and your virginity aren’t as closely connected as society has probably led you to believe. The truth is your hymen can tear from myriad circumstances—if you even have one to begin with.

Why Would a Woman Want a Hymenoplasty?

For her 17th wedding anniversary, Jeanette Yarborough wanted to do something special for her husband. In addition to planning a hotel getaway for the weekend, Ms. Yarborough paid a surgeon $5,000 for a hymenoplasty to reattach her hymen, making her appear to be a virgin again.

Women suffer the myths of the hymen and the virginity test

In reality the hymen looks more like — using the words of a doctor who frequently performs hymen reconstruction — the petals of a flower. It has notches, folds and clefts, even in its virgin state. It is flexible with different densities. Some hymens are thin and some are thicker than others. In the event of a penetration, the hymen might be scarred. Yet, quite often, the hymen stretches and is left undamaged.