Researchers have conducted interviews with Egyptians regarding the hymen. Some of the findings of this research is illustrated in this section.
English Translation:
"If I receive a patient who wants to undergo the hymenoplasty operation and I felt like she did not repent her sins, I would never perform the operation.”
- Khaled, 37 years old.
English Translation:
"If an incident - that causes her hymen to get torn - happens, a certificate must be written by a doctor. The girl should keep the certificate in a very safe place and show it to her future husband. This is all so that the girl preserves her honor and proves that she has not had sex before."
- Mona, 26 years old.
"A hymenal blood stain never gets removed from fabric, as opposed to period blood stains or any other blood stain."
- Um Mohamed, 45 years old.
English Translation:
"When a man sleeps with his wife for the first time, a popping sound happens."
- Hanan, 25 year old.
English Translation:
"Some men can tell whether the girl has done anything - sexual - before him or not by the quantity & consistency of the blood she produces during penetration."
- Mona, 26 years old.
"If a woman marries a man and on their wedding night she finds that he has no penis, what will she do then? Will she accept it? Put the woman in the position of the man that finds no blood during their wedding night."
- Thuraya, 63 years old.
A lot of dangerous misinformation exists on this topic, therefore conversation from an educational perspective is necessary.
In "The Game of Hymen Shapes", the reader looks at the vagina, examines the hymen and guesses whether the person has had penetrative sex before. Through this, the reader learns the different hymen shapes and that the presence (or lack) of a hymen never indicates the person's sexual history.
English Translation:
"Only 50% of women bleed on first sexual intercourse."
English Translation:
"What are factors that can result in bleeding with first sexual intercourse?"
"Comfort level"
English Translation:
"Vaginal lubrication, Vaginismus, Fibroids, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)"
A survey was conducted asking Egyptian women and girls about the activities they are told to avoid doing or the objects they are prevented from using in order to keep their marriage prospects open (meaning: keep their hymens intact.) This section portrays these objects as potential suitors for the young girls "Loaloah" and "Amar."
English Translation:
"Husband Number 1: The tampon"
English Translation:
"Husband Number 2: The bidet"
Women who suspect they may not bleed during their wedding night may resort to invasive and expensive methods in order to make sure those red droplets appear. Those methods are highlighted in this section titled "Inventions & Tricks."
English Translation:
"1. Chinese Hymen"
English Translation:
"2. Fake blood capsules."
"3. Hymenoplasty operation."
English Translation:
"Conclusion: A woman's body never indicates whether she has had sexual intercourse before. She's the only one who can choose to say."
[All the sources used in this project are available upon request on the following email: Salma.elkafrawy@gmail.com]
[.المصادر والمراجع المستخدمة في هذا المشروع متوفرة عبر البريد الإلكتروني المذكور]
