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I’ve never heard the word “hymen” so much in life in the past week since T.I. admitted the goes to GYN appointments with his 18-year-old daughter Deyjah to ensure that hers is intact.
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We clearly aren’t done hearing that word but recent news means it might turn out to be a good thing.
According to The Root’s Glow Up, , Assemblywoman Michaëlle C. Solages (D-N.Y.), a third-term legislator from Long Island, N.Y. has introduced legislation prohibiting the practice of “virginity tests.”
These type of invasive exams involve one of two things:
- Inspecting the hymen for tears or looking at its size and shape.
- The “two-finger test,” which involves inserting fingers into the vagina.
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“Across our nation, new conversations are being had about the practice of hymen examinations as a means to ascertain whether a woman is a virgin,” Solages explained in a press release. “As a member of the Assembly Health Committee, it is my sincere belief that we must proactively challenge institutionalized misogyny in the health field. The notion that a woman’s body can be subject to examination to prove their worth or dignity is an outdated patriarchal concept.”
Health officials have also weighed in on the issue, stressing that the exam is unscientific and sexist.
Last year, several UN agencies said in a statement that these virginity tests can cause feelings of guilt, self-disgust, depression, anxiety and a negative body image.
As the Root pointed out. if Solages’ bill passes, the law would “take effect immediately” and the tests would be deemed as professional misconduct if a doctor agreed to perform them.
“FIGO [the World Congress of Gynecology and Obstetrics] has defined the procedure as invasive and medically unnecessary,” Solages added.
“With trust being so vital to the healthcare profession, New York State must take every measure possible to ensure that medical procedures meet the highest ethical standards. I look forward to collaborating with advocacy groups on how to best ensure this bill passes muster and pushing this measure forward through the legislature.”
We hope T.I and other men like him are paying attention.
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New York State Bill Seeks to Outlaw Hymen Exams was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
