Busting Myths around Virginity and Its Mythical Guardian

Virginity has a complicated history, and has often been (incorrectly) linked to breaking of the hymen. Hymen is a thin membrane which covers or partially covers the entrance to the vagina. In many cultures, before a woman is married, her hymen is examined to determine whether or not she is a virgin. The morning after marriage, bloody sheets are seen as a sign that the woman has ‘lost’ her virginity.

Here are some popular myths about virginity:

Myth 1: The hymen must break the first time you have sex.

The biggest myth about the hymen is that it breaks when a woman has intercourse for the first time, and that this results in bleeding, a sign that she was a virgin. In reality, many women do not experience tearing of the hymen or bleeding the first time they have sex. That’s because the hymen can stretch.

Because of this myth, many women worry about pain and bleeding the first time they have sex, which can make it harder to get turned on. When a woman is aroused, the muscles near the opening of the vagina are relaxed, and the vagina creates natural lubrication so that sex is more comfortable—even when it’s the first time. Worrying about pain can lead to tightening of the muscles and less lubrication, which can lead to pain or bleeding.

Myth 2: A gynecologist can tell from looking at the hymen if a woman is virgin.

It is commonly believed that a healthcare professional through an examination of a woman’s hymen can differentiate between a virgin and a non-virgin. This is far from truth. Hymen can stretch and one’s virginity status hardly makes an impact on it.

Myth 3: Your partner can tell your status.

Many women worry their partner can tell if they are virgin or not. The truth is your hymen doesn’t reveal your virginity status, and even professional medical experts can’t tell whether you are a virgin or not. However, sharing your sexual history with your partner will help build trust and improve intimacy.