Virginity Tests and Artificial Virginity in Modern Turkish Medicine
Author(s)
Date
1997Source Title
Women's Studies International Forum
Print ISSN
0277-5395
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
20
Issue
2
Pages
253 - 261
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
168
views
views
389
downloads
downloads
Abstract
This paper addresses modern Turkish medicine as arbitrator of two modem medical
practices: virginity surgery and virginity tests. These medical procedures are currently practiced by
medical doctors [obstetrician-gynecologists (ob/gyns)] in modern Turkish society. The virginity of
unmarried women has had a great significance for many cultures. The taboos on pre-marital sexual
relationships contribute to this social anxiety over the hymen of women. In this respect, in contemporary
Turkish society medicine plays a significant role in controlling and reconstructing women's bodies
through virginity tests and virginity surgery. The aim of this paper is to contextualize these medical
practices within liberal gender ideology and discuss the connection between patriarchal expectations
about the virginity of the bride and medicine as an institution. In order to assess the perspectives of the
physicians, thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted with Turkish ob/gyns. © 1997 Elsevier Science
Ltd