Introduction:

Though we've evolved into this modern era paving ways for development through science and technologies, embracing new ideas and thoughts,but some biased and pre-conceptualised, misunderstood words will always remain as a taboo due to some rigid and conventional orthodox beliefs of our society. "Virginity" is one of them. Some people perceive this as an over sensitive and secretive topic to talk about while some people think it's absolutely normal and a natural thing to discuss or to open up. So today,this article will cover up some of myths about virginity.

Contents:

• Definition

• Historical background

• Why only women

• Conclusion

Definition:

Virginity is termed as a state of never involving oneself in any sexual intercourse.

To call a woman virgin means she has ceased herself from sexual relationships.

Historical Background:

The term "virgin" originally came from a Old French word called "virgine" that means "a sexually inexperienced woman".

Since mediaeval times, the term virginity had certain cultural and religious significances, emphasizing mostly on adolescent and unmarried women! Virginity was a sign of "purity", deciding one's worth for being honoured and accepted by the existence of a so called "orthodox" society.

The term "virgin" was pre-conceptualised and defined for sexually unversed women that often affected their personal relationships and societal status.

Although,it had social imputations and legal consequences in some parts of our society unlike our present scenario.

Our ancestors, originally indicated the term "virginity" towards sexually unversed women,but it evolved into different form of definitions according to our traditional concepts. Like, heterosexuals or people having other sexual orientations were not categorised just through vaginal penetration.

Sexual activities like oral sex, masturbation were considered as their loss of virginity.

From the very beginning, the term "Virginity" was typically used for women and rarely for men. Although for a man, there was no such strong connections to his marital status,to be virgin!

We can see the popularity of this topic was very much visible in the Renaissance paintings. There was always a historical correlation with "purity" and "worth" to that of being virgin!

There can be virgin complex to oneself while wanting their partner to have never engaged in any sexual activities before marriage.

Why only women?

The baseless concept of virginity in correlation with purity and worth in case of a woman, shamelessly carried on generation after generation regardless the fact that how evolved and modern we are now. Previously, it was believed that a woman losing her virginity before any religious marriage,was offensive and had to face legal consequences. There used to be various virginity tests, to prove a woman's innocence and purity. Though there was no scientific evidence of those test, as blindly believed by mass population of our society, not that anyone questioned the reliability. Isn't it ridiculous?

A man having several sexual partners and relationships is shamelessly labelled as him being a "stud", completely normalised without any hesitations unlike women, repetitively labelled as "sluts" and "whores"! There are often denied acceptance by the families she thought she could settle with, as if those baseless myths and virginity tests weren't enough!

Let's elucidate the traditional virginity tests, typically used to examine whether a girl or a woman has ever engaged herself in any sexual intercourse.

The most popular form of virginity test was on the hymen myth. The test involved inspection for the presence of an intact hymen, based on the myth that a hymen can only be torn due to sexual intercourse.

Just for clarification and knowledge I would like to add that, just inside the vaginal opening the hymen is a fleshy tissue that varies to thick, thin and rigid. A torn hymen can be due to physical activities like bicycling, horse riding,and so on. So, it has nothing to do with first sexual intercourse.

Another controversial virginity test was the "two-finger test", where medical professionals would insert a finger to the woman's vagina to check the vaginal laxity and the absence of hymen, considering it to be a result of her habituation towards sexual activities. This test was then questioned and criticized as the hymen might be torn due to other physical activities as well. The test was said to be based on subjective observation.

The common reason for virginity tests was found to be certain cultural requirement of a virgin woman before her marriage. The medical professionals used to certify a woman "virgin" with the "proof of blood" due to first sexual intercourse in contrast to an intact hymen.

World Health Organization (WHO) banned and declared virginity tests as unethical and "painful violence against women", in October 2018.

Conclusion

A woman's value and integrity cannot be judged according to some subjective observations made by a biased male dominant society and their baseless myths regarding virginity. It is clearly evident that this widely accepted false beliefs about women is largely due to ignorance and lack of sex education. A remote orthodox society that pushes and undignifies the limitations a woman can sustain, by believing that a woman is meant to be in the kitchen serving her family and her husband throughout her life, instead of perceiving these household activities as important survival skills for everyone irrespective of their gender. These typical ways of believing that "young virgins" are a man's responsibility and birth right to be protected and they are some caged disrespectful creatures, who aren't even allowed to think and stand for themselves freely, needs to be stopped! This is absolutely unethical and disgusting that needs to be questioned and criticized widely. The pain these women might be going through in unimaginable. Specially those who are tagged as "ruined" and "of no use" to be accepted because they had sexual intercourse with someone else. Just think once how horrible that sounds!

The most important thing that needs to be done right now, is spreading awareness about sex education to these young vulnerable women, to make their family and close one's understand what virginity actually means and how it has nothing to do with sexual intercourse. Also, engaging in sexual activities before marriage has nothing to do with self- worth and purity!

~ Reema.

Thank you.