Submitted Question: My mom told me that I can’t use tampons because they take away your virginity. Can I really lose my virginity by using tampons?
I think that most people would agree when I say tampons do not impact someone’s virginity. When I think of “losing” one’s virginity, I think of having sex (consensually) for the first time. But that’s not the same for everyone.
Some people think that the lack of a hymen means that someone is not a virgin. In some cultures, if a woman does not bleed during her wedding night she is deemed a non-virgin. I personally do not agree with this. Understanding that there are several types of hymens, including not having a hymen, indicates that the presence or absence of a hymen cannot determine whether someone is a virgin or not. Using a tampon can stretch your hymen but this shouldn’t mean you’re not a virgin anymore.
It’s important to keep in mind that hymens can stretch or tear through many non-sexual activities such as athletic ones. So no, I don’t consider tampon usage leads to not being a virgin anymore. At the end of the day, you should think of what “virginity” personally means to you. If you consider sex is what determines your virginity status then using a tampon should not factor in. But if you’re someone who views an intact hymen as an indication of virginity, then you may consider avoiding tampons.
If you’re asking from a non-cultural point of view, then the sample answer is that tampons do not impact whether you’re a virgin or not.
To learn more about different types of hymens and why they should not determine someone’s virginity status, check out the “Cherry Popping” piece on the site.
Images by The Female Company and Josefin from Unsplash.
