Virginity is a concept that has always been synonymous with Chastity. Back in the middle ages, virginity was considered to be a sought-after commodity because it was seen as the best way to guarantee paternity. For this reason, many men married virgin brides with the belief that they would give them legitimate heirs.
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In the past, virginity was a big deal. When blood was seen on the sheets, it was sufficient proof that the bride’s sexual encounter with her husband was her first sexual experience. A virgin bride was seen as “pure” and “untouched”.
A blood-stained bedsheet was all a bridegroom needed to confirm the virginity of his bride. Sometimes, the bedsheets were shown to everyone around as evidence of the bride’s purity.
The surest way to certify that a woman was a virgin was by inspecting her hymen. The process, which was referred to as hymen, two-finger or per vaginal examination, was done to confirm that the hymen was intact. The midwives were charged with the responsibility of doing this.
However, the practice of virginity testing wasn’t entirely flawless as it came with few exceptions. While some women were born without hymens, others had ruptured theirs during strenuous activities.