EXTERNAL FEMALE ANATOMY: THE HYMEN, OR MAIDENHEAD
The hymen, or maidenhead, or, as commonly known, cherry, is a membrane which covers the entrance to the vagina. It usually has a small opening in it for vaginal and menstrual discharge. In some cases, a woman’s hymen has no opening. The imperforate hymen, as this is called, can be opened by a fairly simple surgical procedure. The hymen has a dubious mythical status, in which it is commonly believed that an intact hymen is a positive sign of virginity. Some cultures, for example, in the Middle East, have employed the ritual of exhibiting the bloodstained sheets on the morning after a marriage ceremony, testifying that the bride has come to the groom in an unsullied state. Some cultures meted out heavy punishment, including death, to the woman whose hymen was not appropriately present. Other cultures have practiced ritual “deflowering” of the bride-to-be by religious figures or older women of the tribe; during feudal times in Europe, this proceeding was the prerogative of the lord of the manor. This practice was known as droit du seigneur in French, or jus primae noctis (“right of the first night”) in Latin.
The relationship between an intact hymen and virginity, however, is not all that simple. In some cases the hymen is highly elastic, and gentle insertion of the penis might not cause it to rupture. In general, the tearing of the hymen may cause bleeding and possibly some pain but is usually not physically traumatic. Conversely, a torn hymen is not necessarily a sign that the woman has had sexual intercourse, since various activities, such as athletics, bicycle riding, and horseback riding, can similarly cause this tissue to tear. Even after the hymen has been stretched and broken, small folds of this tissue, known as hymenal tags, will remain.
*105\265\8*
