While the society overly emphasizes on what is called ‘Matrishakti’ and puts women on the pedestal of honor, the hypocrisy of a patriarchal society becomes prominent when women are subjected to humiliating practices like virginity tests in order to assess her moral character. Women are treated as a commodity, as possession that is untouched by others. In this article, an effort has been made to highlight society’s obsession with women’s virginity which is a product of patriarchy and what consequences it holds for the larger society if we imbibe and conform to these social constructs.
The idea of what constitutes ‘desired qualities’ in women are mostly a result of deep rooted patriarchal values in the society. To counter this popular misconception, the concept of ‘virginity’ per se is a social construct, and has nothing to do with the hymen being intact or not. Virginity still seems to be one of the desired qualities of a woman when it comes to marriage. The idea behind virginity implies that it is something one has and must preserve it until marriage. A Woman can lose her virginity only once she is married. The concept of virginity has no scientific or medical roots. It is only a religious, social and cultural construct. In order to protect the so-called purity of women and her honor for ‘that ultimate’ man whom she is suppose to marry, not only depersonalises sexual activity but enbles the men to exercise control over her sexuality. Thus, society promotes the humiliating idea that women are desired as long as she is ‘pure’.
Virginity test typically involves checking if the hymen is intact. It is associated with a flawed argument that one can break her hymen only during sexual intercourse. One can break her hymen while engaging in regressive physical activity or even while inserting a tampon. Therefore, to counter this popular misconception, the concept of ‘virginity’ per se is a social construct, just an ‘idea’, and has nothing to do with the hymen being intact or not.
In many regions, there are medical practitioners who conduct the test, ‘two-finger test, to check if the hymen is intact. However, even though recently The National Medical Commission (NMC) has banned the practice from its MBBS curriculum, the discriminatory and inhumane virginity tests are still widely practiced in several communities till date. In such places, it is the elderly women who perform the test on the bride, who gives a white bedsheet to the newly married couple on the first night of their marriage. The couple are ushered to a room and are forced to consummate the marriage. It is assumed if the bride is virgin, there will bloodstains on the bedsheet while she engaged in penetrative sex with her husband. Not to pass the test, i.e. if there are no bloodstains, will result in serious consequences like boycott from society, physical punishment, and many more.
One might keep second guessing if today, in an assumed progressive society, these practices are still relevant. However, the a closer view to the prevalent patriarchal practices in the society depicts that such humiliating practices are still deep rooted in the society. On 22nd of September, 2022, The Print reported that a 19 year old girl, in Rajasthan’s Sansi community, was forced to have sexual intercourse with her husband but soon she found herself being labelled as an ‘immoral women’ since the white bedsheet remained unstained. Though the association of hymen and virginity has been debunked, people continue to practice them. Eventually, the bride is subjected to torture, fines and rape allegations by the khap panchayats.
The virginity test, propagated in the name of traditional practice, is a violation to human rights. It is an inhumane and degrading practice that renders women as a commodity. Engaging in sexaul intercourse is one’s prejorative and therefore, the idea of virginity is fabricated by patriarchy, which has been given unnecessary importance. Virginity tests must not be linked with the women’s sexual history or her oral character. Advanced and scientific medical procedures should be used to determine sexual assault only. National laws must be enforced uniformly that punishes any such practices that violate the dignity of any women as an individual.