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Virginity

Virginity - in a physiological sense, the state of the female body until the first sexual encounter, an anatomical feature of which is the presence of the hymen.

In a spiritual sense, virginity - it is a conscious departure from sexual activity in order to achieve spiritual perfection, is one of the vows of a monk.

Traditionally, women are called virgins, did not practice sex with penetration. In some societies, respected and valued status of a virgin, especially with regard to views on sexual behavior before marriage. More free interpretation of virginity admits male virginity - virgins can be called men, who had no sexual experience, though anatomically it does not manifest itself.

Anatomy

The hymen (or hymen vaginal corona) - fold of mucous membrane with a hole, covering the entrance of the vagina between the internal and external genitalia and are usually destroyed at the first sexual contact. Gimeny different in thickness, shape and flexibility. The presence of an intact hymen is often seen as physical evidence of virginity in the broader sense. The absence of such, however, does not necessarily mean the experience of sexual intercourse, as the hymen may be absent at birth (or be damaged for reasons unrelated to sex). Also, the presence of hymen may not indicate a lack of sexual experience, as hymen may completely or partially preserved during penetrative sexual intercourse.

In addition, the hymen may be damaged before the woman has sexual contact, usually as a result of trauma (eg, physical exercise). In rare cases, the hymen completely covers the vagina and menstrual blood has no outlet.

Virginity in culture

In many cultures, preservation of virginity (ie the integrity of the hymen) until marriage was considered necessary.

Women's virginity in some cultures are closely interwoven with personal or even family honor. In some cultures (especially Christianity and Islam), there is a deep belief that the loss of virginity before marriage is shameful.

In some cultures (for example, the Bantu in South Africa), virginity testing is the custom. This usually means the virginity tests that are done in an older woman. According to Christian apocrypha, testing and tried to expose the Virgin Mary. A similar test done by a nun in respect of the main character, is one of the key scenes in the film by Luc Besson about Joan of Arc.

Some elements of modern (especially Western) culture no longer consider premarital virginity as a virtue, and can hint at it lightly. All the more frequent among young people believed that virginity is not a virtue, was the occasion for multiple debates, especially those related to sexuality of young people. Virginity after a certain age is even seen by some as a negative phenomenon, which implies that the person is unattractive and sexually immature.

The philosopher Bertrand Russell, in his book "Why I am not a Christian," argued that to avoid sexual relations naive and stupid, and that in the long run, this leads to a much greater misfortune than when sexual activity is present. This is based on the idea that those who are deaf to sexual desire and satisfaction, can not distinguish between a strong passion for what is called a sense of intimacy, and therefore can make a bad choice of partner based on delusion - an error that would not do it knowing the difference .

Mythology

In Greek mythology, and a number of religions, virginity is considered a sign of special spiritual purity and chastity. Virgin (Greek) - one of the epithets Athena, hence the name of the temple in her honor - the Parthenon.

Virginity is often seen as a virtuous purity and physical self-control and was an important quality of some mythical characters such as the ancient Greek goddess Athena, Artemis and Hestia. Vestal priestesses were strictly abstainers goddess Vesta.

Virginity from the point of view of religion

Christianity

Christianity has a firm requirement that sexual contact is blessed only in marriage between husband and wife. Any other sexual contact is regarded as a grave sin of fornication, and in the case of adultery - adultery.

According to Christian teaching, a husband and wife in marriage "become one flesh" and also bear mutual responsibility for the safety of marriage, because in the words of Jesus Christ, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh: so then they are no longer two , but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

Any sexual relations before marriage commission also prohibited the Scriptures as the sin of fornication, violators excommunicated. Do you not know that the union with a prostitute becomes one body with her? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

During sexual intercourse, according to the teaching of the Christian Church, a man and a woman copulating, not only physically, but also the unity in "one flesh" is on a spiritual level.

Judaism

One of the fundamental aspects of the Jewish tradition is of great importance given to virginity. Mention already appears in the Book of Genesis, verse Yelizar a meeting with Rebekah, "the maid was fair to look upon, a virgin, does not know her husband," and runs throughout the Bible, especially in respect of the engagement, wedding and divorce. High Priest prescribed to marry the girl, but not to a woman (the Bible). If a man robbed betrothed girls virginity, he is obliged to marry her and live with her, without the right to divorce, at the time, as his other wives, he could give a certificate of divorce and send her out of the house. In general, the attitude towards virginity is described in Chapter 22 of Deuteronomy.

Attitudes toward sex in the marital relationship Judaism derives from the Torah: "Be fruitful and multiply ..." (Bible). Sex is not seen as dirty or undesirable - on the contrary, sex within marriage is prescribed by the Torah and the Talmud. Sexual relations between spouses are limited only by the laws of ritual purity (see Nida). Later liberal direction (Reconstructionist, Reform and Conservative Judaism) are relatively open to pre-marital sex.

Islam

Islam strictly prescribes that sex can only take place within marriage.

Quotes like "And do not approach adultery" (Koran, Sura (Quran) | Surah al-Isra, 17:32) (Al-Israa 17: 32) -> bequeath it. But sex within marriage is not seen as dirty or undesirable.

The loss of virginity

The loss of virginity, as the first sexual experience, usually seen as an important life event. The loss of virginity can be viewed as a milestone, depending on cultural or personal perception. Historically, this perception was strongly influenced by gender roles. For example, for a man first sex more often associated with pride, and for women - often with shame. However, in recent years, the influence of traditional religion or imposed gender roles diminished.

The medical term "deflowering" means the loss of virginity girl.

Modern plastic surgery offers ways to restore the hymen (hymen reconstruction surgery). Household way to simulate virginity is widely used by prostitutes from Nizhny Novgorod.