In a recently deleted interview on the podcast Ladies Like Us, rapper and actor T.I. revealed that he takes his daughter to the gynecologist every year, usually on her birthday, to have her “hymen checked” to ensure that it is “still intact.”
He revealed this after the being asked hosts Nazanin Mandi and Nadia Moham whether he had the “sex talk” with his daughters.
“Not only have we had the conversation — we have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen,” T.I. said about his 18-year-old daughter Deyjah Harris, “Yes, I go with her.”
After his interview, T.I. received a great deal of backlash and for good reason too. This extremely archaic and sexist examination has no scientific basis.
Also called “virginity testing,” “two finger” or per vaginal examination, these “checks” are designed to determine whether or not a girl has had vaginal intercourse based on the appearance of the hymen and commonly involve a doctor inserting two fingers into the patient’s vagina.
Built on the idea that vaginal intercourse is the only source of the hymen tearing, hymen checks are the result of misogynistic misconceptions and a failing sexual education system.
Even some of us with vaginas are so ingrained in the lies we have been sold by educators and pop culture that we do not even know a basic part of our anatomy.
Related: Hi Men, Let’s Talk About the Hymen
So let me break it down for you.
According to Planned Parenthood, the hymen is “a thin, fleshy tissue that’s located at the opening of the vagina.” It does not cover the vagina opening completely and can appear differently. Some women are born with very little tissue, some may need surgery to have excess tissue removed. Some are even born with hymens that are naturally open.
Experts are still out on the actual purpose of the hymen, as it is a vestigial structure, much like the appendix. Evolutionary theory suggests that it exists to protect the vagina from bacteria, but there is not much evidence as to why it still exists today.
Stretching of the hymen can occur the first time a woman has vaginal sex, leading to pain or bleeding, but it does not happen to everyone. The hymen can also be broken long before sex through things like riding a bike, playing sports, or even just putting in a tampon.
Get this, even hymen checks can cause the hymen to tear!
So no, the hymen is not an indicator of a person’s sexual activity. And no, you do not really “pop someone’s cherry,” despite what every teen movie has told you. Like really, stop using that phrase. If there is blood after your first time, it is likely a result of damage to the vaginal wall and not anything to do with your hymen.
Related: Virginity: A Tale As Old As Time
A 2004 study even noted that 52% of females aged between 13 and 19 years who were sexually active did not have any detectable changes to their hymen.
Going to the gyno alone can be intimidating, but forced examination of the hymen can make the process even more uncomfortable, demeaning, and painful. Because yes, like in the case of T.I. and his daughter, these checks are usually ordered by an outside source other than the woman.
In 2018, the World Health Organization, UN Human Rights, and UN Women even released a statement urging for the elimination of virginity testing, calling these invasive tests “a violation of the victim’s human rights” that is “associated with both immediate and long-term consequences that are detrimental to her physical, psychological and social well-being.”
And yet, medical professionals across the country are still willing to perform these tests, showing that even doctors lack clear ethical guidelines on hymen checks.
A 2017 survey of U.S. obstetricians and gynecologists on the practice of honor-related practices found that 10% had been asked to perform a virginity test in the past year and of those, 34% agreed to perform it.
The researchers behind the study concluded that these results “indicate a need to educate all practicing U.S. OBGYNs about their ethical and legal obligations in the care of such patients.”
Beyond their use for virginity testing, these checks are also frequently used unnecessarily as proof of sexual assault or rape by both doctors and those in the justice system. In its 2018 statement, the WHO said that post-sexual assault hymen checks can force survivors to relive their trauma since the exam may mimic the original act of violence. And even though these tests are proven to be unscientific, they can be used in the courtroom, typically at the detriment of the victim.
In all fields of society, hymen checks have been used for one reason and one reason alone: to continually control women and deny them their right to bodily autonomy. Virginity itself is a socially constructed and sexist concept and is rooted in a heteronormative perspective that reflects antiquated gender stereotypes.
Just like hymens, sex looks different for everyone. Perpetuating the idea that sex is only constituted by vaginal penetration not only ostracizes the LGBTQ+ community but also ensures that the door to bogus virginity tests will remain open. So it falls on all of us to stop these exams.
“Elimination of the harmful practice will require a collaborative response from across society, supported by the public health community and health systems, including health professionals,” concluded the WHO statement, “Health professionals need to be effectively supported to refuse requests by appropriate laws and policies.”