The myth that tampons steal your virginity has been around for awhile, but we were still taken aback to find it being espoused by an adult, with a child, on the Tampax website. An expert answering questions was faced with the following:
Dear Iris,
Hi. My daughter wants to use tampons, but I’m afraid that it will take away her virginity. I have heard that if you use tampons long enough and if you do the splits and active stuff like that, you can lose your virginity. Is this all true and should I let my daughter use tampons?
Thanks,
Wondering
The responder does a pretty good job:
Virginity has to do with sexual relations…not using tampons or doing splits. Many young girls start using tampons early on because they are swimmers or athletes. The hymen, which partially covers and protects the opening to the vagina, is so fragile that it is stretched or torn during many activities. I see no reason why your daughter couldn’t use a tampon if she can read and understand the instructions for insertion and safe use. The decision is yours and hers.
But just in case that’s not enough truth for you, a commenter swoops in. (That’s right, Tampax has enabled commenting.) “This is a really good answer — as tampons really can’t affect virginity,” she writes. “You might also add in that ultimately virginity is more of a social concept than anything, and only the person it involves can really make a decision on what it means to them at any given point.” All right, all right, women’s studies. Next you’ll be telling us that anal sex doesn’t count as chastity.