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    Hymen Truths

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    The hymen is a thin membrane that may partially cover the vaginal opening, but its presence or absence does not indicate sexual history. While the hymen can tear during first intercourse if not accustomed to stretching, it is more likely due to lack of lubrication than damage to the hymen. The hymen has no biological function and varies between individuals; some are born without one while others remain into adulthood. Though biologically meaningless, cultural myths surrounding the hymen can have real impacts on women's lives in some parts of the world.

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    Hymen Truths

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    106 views2 pages
    The hymen is a thin membrane that may partially cover the vaginal opening, but its presence or absence does not indicate sexual history. While the hymen can tear during first intercourse if not accustomed to stretching, it is more likely due to lack of lubrication than damage to the hymen. The hymen has no biological function and varies between individuals; some are born without one while others remain into adulthood. Though biologically meaningless, cultural myths surrounding the hymen can have real impacts on women's lives in some parts of the world.

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    The hymen is a thin membrane that may partially cover the vaginal opening, but its presence or absence does not indicate sexual history. While the hymen can tear during first intercourse if not accustomed to stretching, it is more likely due to lack of lubrication than damage to the hymen. The hymen has no biological function and varies between individuals; some are born without one while others remain into adulthood. Though biologically meaningless, cultural myths surrounding the hymen can have real impacts on women's lives in some parts of the world.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    106 views2 pages

    Hymen Truths

    Uploaded by

    api-646865632
    The hymen is a thin membrane that may partially cover the vaginal opening, but its presence or absence does not indicate sexual history. While the hymen can tear during first intercourse if not accustomed to stretching, it is more likely due to lack of lubrication than damage to the hymen. The hymen has no biological function and varies between individuals; some are born without one while others remain into adulthood. Though biologically meaningless, cultural myths surrounding the hymen can have real impacts on women's lives in some parts of the world.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    Hymen Truths

    Definition of the hymen

    The hymen is a thin membrane that may partially cover the opening of the vagina in some female bodied individuals.
    There are many myths about the hymen; it is often referred to by the slang term “cherry.” The presence or absence of a
    hymen cannot prove whether a person with a vagina has had vaginal intercourse. Many people with vaginas are born
    with no visible hymen, and, if present, the hymen can disintegrate over time. It is normal for a person with a vagina to
    have a noticeable hymen, and it is also normal if a person with a vagina does not have a noticeable hymen.

    Debunking the myth – “Popping the cherry”

    During penetrative vaginal intercourse the hymen can be painful if it’s not used to being stretched – that’s one of a
    number of potential causes of pain with penetration, but it is by no means the most common (one of the most common
    reasons is lack of lubrication). The hymen doesn’t break and stay broken forever. If a hymen tears or bruises, it heals.
    Any bleeding with first penetrative vaginal intercourse is more likely due to general vaginal tearing from lack of
    lubrication than to damage to the hymen. So, ultimately the hymen stays with one, their entire life!

    Everybody’s bodies are different!

    Some people with vaginas are born without hymens. Others have imperforate, microperforate, or septate hymens.
    Some people with vagina’s hymens are durable, others are fragile. Some disappear in early adolescence, and some are
    still in evidence past menopause.

    Nagoski, Emily. Come As You Are. London: Scribe, 2015. Print.


    The hymen serves no biological purpose

    The hymen was not selected by evolution. It has no reproductive or any other biological function. It is a byproduct of a
    person with a vagina’s reproductive organ development in the uterus.

    The story that is told about the hymen is super powerful!

    Our culture made up a powerful story about the hymen a long time ago. This story has nothing to do with biology and
    has so much to do with controlling women. Culture saw a “barrier” at the mouth of the vagina and decided it was a
    marker of virginity (a biologically meaningless idea). This idea is unfortunately a product of a society in which women
    were literally property, valued only for their reproductive abilities.

    Why this matters

    Even though hymens perform no physical or biological functions, these myths surrounding the hymen are so profound
    that there are surgeries available to “reconstruct” the hymen.

    In a sense, the hymen is relevant to a person with a vaginas health: in some places around the world people with vaginas
    are beaten or even killed for not having a hymen. Some people with vaginas are told they “couldn’t have been raped”
    because their hymen is intact. For these people the hymen has a real impact on their physical wellbeing, not because of
    their anatomy but because of what their culture believes about their anatomy.

    Nagoski, Emily. Come As You Are. London: Scribe, 2015. Print.

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