Well said, Orchid!

Well, for some women, it keeps them alive. That's really the need.

Aside from a role play thing, I would generally consider these to be in bad taste and more "slut-shaming". But... a girl I went to high school with had to go into hiding because a freak ice storm stranded her at a friend's house overnight, and her father tried to murder her for bringing shame upon the family. Female friend, nothing sexual happened, but the fact that she was away from home overnight (with several inches of ice and the ground and more coming down) meant that her wantonness could only be erased by death. And I grew up in Fairfax, VA.

Since this is a very real thing all over the world, including in the US, the need for such things isn't going away.

I would definitely agree that if these products convinced abusive family members (or anyone else) that a woman hadn't been sexually active then they are necessary for those women. But I wonder how much time is spent advertising these products to women as if they need them, not to keep them safe from abuse, but because they should be ashamed of their bodies and their sexuality. I don't have a problem with any woman who uses products like these, but I do have a problem with the general culture surrounding women's sexuality and the concept of virginity, and I think the manufacturers of "revirginizers" definitely exploit that culture and profit from it, at the same time as they keep that culture of shame going.

I think if we talk about it enough, and our government holds out aid to countries which treat women like shit, it will go away. (NO more aid, guns, troops, etc to countries who treat women like crap. Simple.)

This is the kind of abusive parental behavior that causes girls to leave their families, if they have a brain in their heads.

Never is "someone's culture" and excuse for abusive behavior and poor treatment. Women also need to stand up for themselves. It may be hard if they live IN these countries, but when they live in the USA or in other enlightened countries, they have the right to tell their backwards families to go fuck themselves.

This issue makes me so angry. There is NEVER an excuse to shame a woman for having a sex life. EVER. Fuck the excuse "It's part of their culture." "Cultures" have been wrong before (slavery was part of the US Culture, does that make it right? Racism is part of many cultures, that doesn't make it right. I can go on and on.)

If a "Cultural Precedent" is harming people, the people being harmed need to band together to make it go away. If they live in a more enlightened culture, then they have an obligation to NOT carry on these backwards ways of thinking and acting. The only way to do that it to make it clear to their "families" that they will not accept this type of abuse, and to then follow through on their promise.

I broke with my Irish/Italian Catholic "culture" on several fronts. Some people in my family accepted my choices, some didn't. Those who did (my mother finally had to, if she wanted to continue a relationship with me) are still part of my life, those who didn't..... I don't need them if they can't accept my ability to make my own choices.

It's hard to break with abusive and ridiculous "cultural" expectations, but it the only way for progress to ensue.

I'm against that

I don't have a problem with the product, but I won't use it personally.

Neither did I and I wonder what a woman can do?? It does not make sense.

well said.

There's hymenoplasty, where a plastic surgeon recreates the hymen. Some wonderful people do these surgeries for free in countries where rape victims or active women can be murdered for having a torn hymen. While I definitely agree that the "culture" needs to change, until it does, they're keeping women safe.

There are also little inserts, some with attached blood packets. On the "not to save their lives" front, I've heard of women using them as a sort of spicing up thing - they put one in, and remind their husband of when they were teenagers or newlyweds. In some cases, it's the youthful illusion and the thrill of remembering when sex was brand-new that provides the added stimulation, instead of the shame of being "used goods". I don't necessarily agree with that, but everyone's got their own fetishes.

I find it weird.

against

I'm not one to judge other's positions

Well said and very good points made.