Re: Retro virginity

"Peter Duncanson (BrE)" <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:arl244pvr6j64f2aqolqnp1e573cjpv3i3@xxxxxxx
On Sat, 31 May 2008 14:38:25 +0100, "John Dean"
<john-dean@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

aspasia wrote:
On Sat, 31 May 2008 03:48:54 GMT, "The Grammer Genious"
<waupecong@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

<aspasia> wrote in message
news:4840c6f5$0$7078$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Sat, 31 May 2008 02:35:11 GMT, "The Grammer Genious"
<waupecong@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

"Irwell" <hook@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:49k4k918mqoj$.f6h6dyzrf3ol.dlg@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Seems that some Muslim women in France are having a 'hymen'
retro-fit before getting married.\

Two news flashes for you.
(1) This is not news (it's olds).
(2) Lots of women have been doing it.


Of course the fact that women in certain cultures have to go
through a painful operation in order to prove to their (ignorant,
bigoted) purchasers that they are virgins, is perfectly
understandable -- isn't it?

I suppose it must be, since our Western culture is one of the ones
it occurs

I'd be very surprised to learn of actual instances in Western
cultures where women are free to choose their marriage partners.
Perhaps in "ethnic" or "traditional religious sub-cultures" (dunno
what else to call them) enclaves within Western cultures?

If you search under hymenoplasty, "hymen restoration" or
hymenorrhaphy you'll find tens of thousands of pages, mainly clinics
in the west (naturally, since the search is in English) offering the
procedure. That doesn't mean there are "actual instances in Western
cultures" but it suggests there's a very marked demand which is
being met at considerable expense.
Although there is this:
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?str=1&x=6997
I can remember hearing anecdotes decades ago about women in
catholic, latin societies who, not having access to such surgery,
concealed a sharp object - small knife, razor blade, shard of
pottery - in their nightie on their wedding night and nicked their
thumb at a suitable moment in order to smear a small quantity of
blood in the appropriate places while their husband was resting
after his exertions and prior to making his inspections. It is still
the case in some western catholic cultures (not to mention
'traditional' non-catholic, non-muslim cultures such as Greece) that
virginity is required and must be simulated if not actually present.
Not to mention the 'problem' of women whose hymen has ruptured
naturally prior to marriage even though they are virgins.

http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_law/proof_of_virginity/dt22_13-14.html

I seem to recall that in some places in some of the countries
you mention that there was a traditional
morning-after-the-wedding-night ritual of hanging a
blood-stained bed *** out of the window to "prove" the
virginity of the bride.

Wasn't that also to indicate the potency of the groom? Seems to me there have been western marriages in which the Gentlemen-in-waiting, or parents of the bride or groom or other interested parties had to be present in the marital bedding room to witness that the marriage had "taken".

Of course in most of those cases, and the ones mentioned above, (testimonials of virginal intercourse) the brides and grooms were chattels not only of their parents, but of the state, and the marriage was an instrument of governmental policy.


.

Quantcast