WATANI International
1 November 2009
The recent introduction of the Chinese ‘virginity kit’ into the Egyptian market has created heated controversy on the political, social and religious levels. Admittedly Egypt, with its abundance of honour-related crimes, makes a very good market for an easily insertable, affordable, artificial hymen. Yet the product carries ethical implications that appear bound to shake Egyptian society to the core.
Remedying the damage
Watani decided to explore how the matter hit mainstream Egyptians. Kawthar Mohamed, a homemaker in her early 40s was veritably shocked at the idea. “How can anyone now know if a woman is virgin or not?” she angrily asks. “And if a man doubts the virginity of any—or all—prospective brides, who can he marry? I’m sure the rate of spinsterhood will rise dramatically since men will refrain from seeking marriage proposals. Mohamed condemns the Chinese kit dubbing it a ‘crime’ against humanity and against all young women “who may very well indulge in immoral practices since remedying any damage is so easy now,” she says. Mena Adel, Mohamed Ihsan and Mohsen Saïd, all university students, agree that they prefer to know before marriage whether or not their brides are virgins, even if they have to face the truth that they were not. But it would definitely break the marriage should they later discover they were fooled. After reading in the press about the Chinese kit Ihsan said he was stunned and thought the news were false. But after it was confirmed the news were true, he became wary of choosing a bride, especially that he’s conservative and prefers traditionally arranged marriages. Ihsan agreed with Adel that he would respect his fiancé in case she confessed her loss of virginity before the wedding, adding that this would make him proud of her courage and he would definitely go ahead with the wedding plans.
Easy-going chastity
Iman Bibarss, head of the Women Development and Advancement Association was shocked upon hearing of the new ‘virginity kit’, adding that the issue must be exaggerated. “It’s absurd,” she says. Dr Bibarss says the Egyptian market does not need this product, since only individual cases need virginity recaps. If the news is true, however,” she says, “and the Egyptian market can indeed absorb the product, it is a slap on the face of all Egyptians, one that we can not overcome easily. The repercussions of a virginity kit in the market are great, since the kit would encourage adolescents to deal mildly with the issue of chastity.”
On her part, Heba Qutb, professor of sexual hygiene warns of the use of the artificial hymen. “This hymen cannot be relied upon medically since there is no proof it has undergone sufficient testing. No-one knows its effect on personal hygiene or whether it would cause allergy and inflammation,” she explains. She condemns the Chinese kit which makes all women—virgin or not, conservative or of loose morals—alike.
“The real problem, however,” Dr Qutb stresses, “is with the culture of our society which restricts the honour of a woman to her hymen and to a spot of blood on the wedding night, as if the groom needs no more proof of his bride’s chastity. Whatever happened to morals?”
Masculine oriented
“The kit exposes our shallowness and superficiality,” professor of psychology Amgad Khairy says. “Our daughters now have an easy to apply, affordable, artificial hymen, to use whenever necessary. What are we to do about that?” Dr Khairy blames Egyptians with their overly masculine-dominated culture that sees woman as no more than a commodity for pleasure, for the arrival of such a product to Egypt. “With the virginity kit so easily accessible,” he says, “we ought to really understand what drives young women to immorality not merely to confront the result of their behaviour.”
So is the Chinese kit expected to serve reduce the rate of honour crimes, especially in Upper Egypt where their rate is considerably high? Dr Khairy thinks not since, he explains, honour crimes are committed on the mere doubt of a woman’s ‘honourable’ conduct, not on any proof of her loss of virginity.
Sociology professor Samia Khedr considers the virginity kit equally dangerous as drugs, and demands a stand against its importation into the country. The kit, she says, will open the door to more immorality, lying and deceit. Whoever brought it into the country is a criminal, she says.
An issue of deceit
Amna Nosseir, professor at al-Azhar university laments the deteriorating values of society. “How can a woman’s dearest virtue be a question of fraud and deceit?” she asks. “This product will definitely make men lose trust in women, which is a real calamity,” she says. Dr Nosseir also supported the view that this product will deal the immoral and the victim the same hand. She stresses that the State should criminalise the importation of the Chinese kit into Egypt. She calls for the collaboration of all security, religious and medical authorities and institutions to fight this “epidemic”.
“The Egyptian Church considers the kit tantamount to fraud and deceit,” Father Salib Sawiris of Mar-Girgis church in Shubra, Cairo, says. “It moreover condones immorality and adultery.” Any marriage based on deceit is normally annulled by the Church, he said; so if it is discovered a woman faked her virginity in order to get married, the marriage would be annulled.
Personal integrity
On the official part, Mr Mohamed Shafiq, head of the National Authority for Imports and Exports says it is impossible for the Chinese virginity kit to access the Egyptian market through official channels. No permit will be granted by any legal authority to import this product, he stresses. The problem, however, is in the black market, he says .
“The Ministry of Health will not permit the import of the Chinese kit, nor will it allow its registration in Egypt,” declared Dr Kamal Sabra of the Ministry of Health. He also pointed out that the Ministry is very closely monitoring drug stores and warehouses to prevent its propagation. “Anyone who is discovered to possess the product will be taken to court,” he added.
So, the ultimate outcome of the whole issue appears to be that only personal integrity can secure proper morals. Hopefully, Egyptians will get that straight.
Interestingly, the advertisement of the kit reads: “Your virginity back in five minutes, the modern supreme product…Your terrible secret behind your back forever. Gain back your chastity for USD15, with no surgery, no injection, no drugs, no side effects.”