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The original was posted on /r/twoxchromosomes by /u/Spiderinthecupboard on 2023-09-17 13:39:08.

I have just seen someone from Sweden claim that hymens don’t exist because they were told so in sex ed. An acquaintance of mine from Finland said the same. So now I’m curious what kind of information and misinformation about hymens people get in different countries and i would like to start a discussion about this.

Please answer the following questions:

  1. Where do you live?

  2. What did you learn about hymens in biology class or sex ed?

The hymen (also called the hymenal ring or the vaginal corona) is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the vaginal opening. In the past it was often assumed that hymenal tissue always tears and bleeds during the first intercourse, which is of course an inaccurate and heteronormative overgeneralization. The thickness and elasticity of the tissue, and the size and shape of the opening (or sometimes multiple openings) are extremely diverse. Some hymens are fragile enough to tear during completely non-sexual activities, such as sports, some can gradually stretch out or wear down with tampon use, some can accommodate even penile penetration without tearing. Some people with vaginas are born without any hymenal tissue at all, and on the other side of the spectrum there are hymens that can’t even let menstrual fluid out of the vagina so a surgery is necessary to create a sufficient opening. Some people don`t feel any discomfort when the hymenal tissue stretches or tears, while others experience significant pain, and sometimes bleeding.