We’ve Debunked Myths For T.I. About The Relationship Between The Hymen And Virginity
The topic of how hymens relate to virginity ignited after T.I. revealed during a recent episode of the Ladies Like Us podcast, the unusual method he uses to assure himself that his 18-year-old daughter, Deyjah Harris, maintains her virginity.
After discussing that his daughter is “figuring it out for herself”— now that she is attending her first year in college — the Atlanta rapper not only publicly revealed that he’s had “the conversation” with his offspring, but he chooses to attend, “yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen.”
With the swiftness of their keyboards, many began to voice their concerns that the 39-year-old father of six was depriving his daughter of sexual privacy.
Even his daughter seemingly shared the same sentiments as her father's critics by liking a series of tweets including a comment reading, “This is disgusting, possessive and controlling.”
RELATED | T.I.’s Daughter Deyjah Harris Reacts To Her Dad’s Comments About Checking On Her Virginity
Others voiced their thoughts about the vision being outdated and invasive, especially since hymens and virginity do not necessarily have anything to do with each other.
In efforts to dispel the myths that have many believing the hymen and virginity go hand-in-hand, here's the truth:
Is the understanding of Virginity A Myth?
While it may be obvious for some exactly what a virgin is, we have decided this would be a great place to start.
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a virgin is a person who has not had sexual intercourse, but who's to define what sexual intercourse is?
Here's what Planned Parenthood had to say:
MYTH: All hymens are the same
Based on information from Youngwomenshealth.org, the hymen is a thin membrane that surrounds the opening of the vagina. It's important to note, no hymen is alike.
Planned Parenthood says:
Myth: The hymen and virginity go hand in hand
According to Planned Parenthood, some people are born with hymens that are open naturally, so you can’t tell if someone has had sex by the way their hymen looks or feels.
Planned Parenthood says:
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Myth: The hymen being 'intact' proves a woman is still a virgin
While there are beliefs that the hymen being “intact” signifies a woman is a virgin, that is not completely realistic, since the hymen can naturally change over time due to numerous activities, including horseback riding, tampon use, sports, etc.
Planned Parenthood says:
MYTH: The hymen can only be broken with sex
This proves to be inaccurate! According to many professionals, the hymen thins over time due to everyday life. For example: exercise, bicycling, horseback riding, taking gymnastics classes, masturbation, medical examination, surgery and even using the wrong tampon size.
The hymen can also be broken in case of injuries and excessive physical exertion.
In conclusion, Planned Parenthood says:
