Posted on 10/05/2004 8:54:27 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Moroccan women undergo surgery for 'virginity'
Reuters Rabat, October 4
Waiting for her turn at a private gynaecologist's clinic in the Moroccan capital, Nawal wanted to fix one last thing to ensure a perfect marriage of convenience.With the 2,500 dirhams she borrowed, she will undergo a surgical procedure that she hopes, will convince her new husband she is a virgin."My cousin asked to marry me believing I'm a virgin. I accepted because I need a husband. So we'll both get what we want," said the 26-year-old textile worker.The minor operation consists of hooking biodegradable suture clips on the hymen to provoke bleeding during the first sexual intercourse on the wedding night.Seeing blood on the wedding night is crucial and can be a matter of life or death for the bride in an Arab country.
Nawal's family wants the big event to include the traditional Sabah ceremony, when relatives parade in the streets with the bride's blood-stained undergarment as proof of her chastity before marriage."They'll get the blood they want," Nawal said. She confessed the "virginity restoration".Although widespread in Morocco, such operations to restore virginity is considered unorthodox. But Nawal believes it is fair game for women to do so. "I've lost it just like all women do, to a man!" she said.Nawal's case is typical of the fate of young women in the North African Muslim country, pointing to the deeply rooted social and religious customs that can thwart desire for modernisation in Arab societies.A reform of family laws last year gave Moroccan women more rights than most of their Arab peers but virginity remains an important requirement for a woman before marriage, especially in the country's city slums and rural areas.
These social norms have slackened only among Morocco's Western-oriented elite and a burgeoning middle class."Virginity is still a sensitive issue in the minds of a lot of Moroccans. You can't change in 20 years what has been inculcated for 14 centuries," said scriptwriter and journalist Fatema Loukili.Television, now seen in remote rural areas, has started to make inroads into Morocco's sexual taboos."Moroccan girls know exactly what they miss these days, thanks to the satellite dish," weekly news magazine TelQuel wrote in a rare report on Moroccans' sexual habits.Sociologist Soumaya Naamane Guessous said the majority of girls never speak openly with their parents about sex but understand they can get away with most things except losing their virginity.Guessous's book Beyond All Decency, published a decade ago created a stir as she became the first female writer to openly discuss the sexuality of Moroccan women.
In Morocco, the Islamic-inspired penal code bans sexual intercourse outside marriage. But Morocco favours a tolerant brand of Islam and young urban couples can be seen engaging in public displays of affection.In rural areas and small cities, however, sex outside marriage is generally not tolerated or at best, kept secret.The lack of laws protecting single mothers and children born out of wedlock often brings dramatic consequences."Prostitution wins large number of recruits from girls who lose their virginity and cannot return home," Guessous said."It's all about education. State television, radio and the media have to play a much more effective role in lifting the taboo on sex in general," she added.TelQuel accused Moroccan men of double standards, by seeking a full sexual relationship with their girlfriends, while wishing to marry a virgin for the sake of being "the first"."It's a little bit schizophrenic," the magazine said.
Sick.
With the exception of Israel, that whole part of the world is sick beyond hope of redemption. Mohammedanism is a cancerous sore on mankind that should be eliminated!
What's really sick, is men believing they have to marry a virgin...
To be perfectly fair, this is almost the exact same attitude towards virginity for the bride that was held in America less than 100 years ago.
A woman who lost her virginity before marriage was "ruined," and great many wound up in prostitution because they were no longer considered eligible for marriage to a man of their class. Meanwhile, the man who seduced her was not shunned and might even brag about his conquests.
Although an American man didn't usually kill his wife if she turned out to not be a virgin.
Attitudes on this subject very gradully began to change following WWI.
Bizarre. Yes, lets ensure the woman's blood and pain be part of the sexual process for their very caring husbands. For the record, no woman I have talked about virginity with ever bled at first intercourse. Yes, there is sometimes pain, and something tells me the type of guy who would shoot a gal for not bleeding is not the most gentle lover either. I pity them.
I don't deserve the country I was born in any more than these women deserve theirs, but I lucked out. Any fight for freedom in these countries is worth supporting. I don't know why more liberals don't agree.
...womens issue?
Wouldn't it be easier to just schedule the wedding to coincide with a certain time of the month? Results guaranteed.
I believe that, until women in Arab nations have equal rights with men, the Arab world will remain a stinking cesspool.
This practice is barbaric and stupid.
> You can't change in 20 years what has been inculcated for 14 centuries
They seem to have done a good job in the US.
Don't throw stones.
This is being done right here in the US for very devout Catholic girls.
Am I the only one who finds humor in this? the fact that these women are actually going to the doctor to be "fixed" is a good sign in my opinion, they are making changes under their control, yes it is pathetic that they have to go through this extreme measure however 20 years ago i would say no way would they even attempt this. i believe that this is the start to female liberation in a bizaare way. the men are losing their complete control over "their" women.
Penal code? Talk about double meanings.
.
And when you venture before an Islamic court that is adjudicating this issue you are required to give truthful TESTIMONY!
Brought to you by Islam, the "religion of peace". BARF!
Does this qualify as proof that one must be mentally ill to adopt Islam?
"...when relatives parade in the streets with the bride's blood-stained undergarment as proof of her chastity before marriage."They'll get the blood they want,".
Disgusting. I am at a loss for words.
Where?
Just another hypocritical say one thing and do another muslim...yeah, you have my respect...
Atleast Morocco doesn't seem to have the facial treatment for 'naughty'girls as they do in Pakistan(facial consists of flinging a vial of acid onto a woman's face & the courts are likely to pardon you as you acted to safeguard your family/religion's honour) or the stone therapy as in Nigeria(where unwed mothers or women accused of infidelity are stoned to death by anyone who can get his/her hand on a stone).Id rate Morocco,along with Bangladesh ,Malaysia & Indonesia as among the more saner places for Muslims.The only place where they have truly democratic rights are in Israel & in India.
"Very devout Catholic girls" are having sex before marriage and getting surgery to "correct" it?
Source?
Yes, times have changed since then. Much of the world despises our freer culture, and this issue is one example of contention.
I'll have to find it, but, actually, the articles were on FR last year.
The gentlemen said it was being done NOW to "devout" Roman Catholic girls in the US. I would like to know where the gentlemen thinks this is happening NOW in America.
Thanks for your note.
This religion is a barrel of laughs.
I'd appreciate if you could.
Sounds dubious to me.
Words fail me.
These creatures are less than animals; they're subhumans.
penal code? Maybe they mean PENILE CODE
Oddly, but I've read articles where very wealthy Hollywood types are electing to have the same type of surgery.
Here's one article, which mentions it is big with Latinas, so I made an assumption.
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/Living/2020_hymenrestoration030620.html
I wonder about this too. I mean, what about all the girls who are virgins on their wedding night but don't bleed? Are these men purposefully rough with their brides to ensure it?
I saw a movie about Peter the Great once where his arranged-for wife refused sex on their wedding night, so he threw some red wine on the sheets and hung them out the window to save face. I imagine something like that happens in Morocco quite often.
Thank you.
Even 50 years ago, an unmarried pregnant woman (even if pregnant by rape) was shunned from society and found difficulty with family, friends, jobs and especially finding a husband.
We aren't too far behind them in this respect. In other ways though, we have definitely evolved at a much faster pace.
Nowhere in this article does it say the women have ever had sex. They just need to ensure they have a hymen so they don't get shot. Not all virgen women have an intact hymen.
Yeah, it is sick that these women have the need to go through this just so they can live through the day after their wedding night.
It's sick on many levels. Many, many levels.
The usual groom in Morocco will just cut his finger.
The only thing sick about it is that she is plotting to deceive her future husband.
But that explains why marrying a fallen woman is a bad idea: such women are in the habit of making excuses to justify immoral behavior.
They are untrustworthy and lack self-control: bad traits in a potential wife.
Africa has a penchant for "dry sex". They consider the body's natural lubricating fluids to be disgusting.
I'm not sure if that's a Muslim thing too, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least bit.
Red
You don't think carrying a womans bloody underwear through the streets as proof of her virginity is sick or that if for some reason she doesn't bleed someone may kill her?
That's only two of many things that disgust me about this situation.
Lying is one thing, self preservation is another.....
Better wed and alive I guess :0
weird
You apparently have the same wrong belief about a woman's anatomy as proof of their chastity. See my two posts on the thread. Many adult virgin women no longer have a hymen. Feminine hygene products, participation in sports or physical activity, or just time itself has often worn away any hymen by adulthood. Not a big deal at all, unless your culture is twisted.
Err,what is your guarantee that guy she is going to wed is a virgin himself??After all Islam does allow a guy to have 4 wives(for rich folks,it's unlimited) & the wife is always at his mercy.
Rosalita is from the Dominican Republic and lives in New Jersey with her mother. She doesn't have a boyfriend right now, but believes she'll never get married without at least the illusion of virginity.
This is the only Latina the article specifically mentions, and I wouldn't consider her a "very devout Catholic". Maybe it's just me but I tend to think very devout Catholics would save themselves for marriage.
Notice the rest of the article focuses on pressures put on women in Middle Eastern cultures.
I think to make this sound like a growing problem among "very devout Catholics" is disingenuous.
That said, I'd agree with you that such attitudes, in any culture, are grievous.
Isisapun?
>The gentlemen said it was being done NOW to "devout" Roman >Catholic girls in the US. I would like to know where the >gentlemen thinks this is happening NOW in America.
It's happening everywhere. There was an article in Cosmo or one of those types magazines about it. About women of all faiths, and even those who just want to 'recapture' thier virginity if they lost it due to rape or child abuse or something. It's a big deal out there.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.