Defining “Losing Your Virginity” What exactly does “losing your virginity” mean? Virginity can be defined in different ways according to your sexual orientation, beliefs, and culture. Losing your virginity is often described as engaging in penetrative sex, including anal sex, for the first time. The definition can also be expanded to include oral sex and manual stimulation. Oftentimes, when sexual intercourse and virginity…
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Sex Myth Busters
Sex education often extends far beyond the classroom. People learn about sex from word of mouth, friends, family, and the media. This informal sex education process spreads information based on individual experience, local folklore, cultural values, or traditional customs, often resulting in the exchange of unreliable, inconsistent information. Popular Myths and Folklore Sex myths that…
Cultural Significance of an In-Tact Hymen
Most females are born with a hymen, a thin piece of skin that partially covers the vaginal opening (or introitus). The main purpose of the hymen is to protect the vaginal opening and the areas immediately surrounding the introitus during a female’s early developing years. Despite its biological function, many cultures place a significant amount of importance on the hymen…
The Hymen
The hymen is a structure within the vulva, which encompasses the female external genitalia. It is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds and partially covers the vaginal opening (also known as the introitus).1 There is no known biological or evolutionary function of the hymen, but a few hypotheses have been put forward. One…