Indeed, research has found that renaming the hymen might actually work in changing perceptions. In 2009, the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education decided to transform their “virginity membrane” word, mödomshinna, into “vaginal corona”, slidkrans. They started using it everywhere: pamphlets from sexual health services, newspapers, Sweden’s official language planning body and in all the association’s future communications.
Almost 10 years later, researcher Karin Milles learned that 86% of surveyed health professionals had used the word “vaginal corona” in their clinics and class visits. And while only 22% of young people had heard of it, fewer were showing signs of viewing the hymen in a traditionally patriarchal fashion. Many who didn’t necessarily use the new word were still parroting the sex-positive phraseology from the association’s pamphlets. Of the few that did know the new word, a majority described mödomshinna as “a myth”. Others stated simply that “it does not exist”. And many pointed out that the idea was old or something they’d believed before, in childhood or before someone told them it was a lie.
A language shift doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s a start. There are many sex educators in the English-speaking world who also believe that we should be adopting vaginal corona too. Our own word comes from the ancient Greek god, Hymen – who, tellingly, was the god of marriage – and myths around the membrane have indelibly tarnished our own word for it. But where the Swedes have found success is that they didn’t only change the word; they explained why they changed the word, too, to young people and medical professionals.
As governments around the world seem to take an increasing interest in banning practises like virginity testing and hymen repair, they would be wise to consider that the reasons behind their bans make it into classrooms and lecture halls. That way, we might never let these dangerous myths appear ever again.
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This story is adapted from the book Losing It: Sex Education for the 21st Century. Author and journalist Sophia Smith Galer can be found at @sophiasgaler on Twitter.
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