Zafir Posted April 30, 2007 PARIS, April 30 (Reuters) -- Sitting in a cafe near the Champs Elysees, the 26-year-old French-born woman of Algerian descent looks like any other Parisian. But two months ago, she did something none of her friends have done. She had her hymen re-sewn, technically making her a virgin again. "I'm glad I had it done," said the woman, who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. "I wanted to reconstruct part of my life, to reconstruct myself so that I could feel better about myself." This 30-minute outpatient procedure, called "hymenoplasty" and costing between 1,500 and 3,000 euros ($2,000-$4,000), is increasingly popular among young women of North African descent in France. No exact figures exist to say how many such operations are done, but the woman's surgeon says he gets three to five queries and performs one to three hymenoplasties each week. Demand has been rising for the past three or four years. Doctor Marc Abecassis, whose office is near the chic Champs Elysees, sees the rise in religion among France's five million Muslims fuelling this trend. His patients are between 18 and 45 years old, Muslim, born both in France and in North Africa. "Many of my patients are caught between two worlds," said Abecassis. They have had sex already but are expected to be virgins at marriage according to a custom that he called "cultural and traditional, with enormous family pressure". For this woman, the decision to have the surgery came after she broke up with a boyfriend who had pressured her into having sex. Unable to cope with breaking family tradition, she felt a hymenoplasty would help put her life back together again. Another of Abecassis' patients, a 22-year-old Algerian immigrant who asked to be called Karima, said most young women had the operation to respect their culture or family tradition, not for religious reasons. In fact, neither woman is a practising Muslim. They dress, speak and act like other young Parisians, but are also part of a growing silent group of women who juggle traditional Muslim and modern French values. All the women who spoke to Reuters did so condition that their identities not be revealed. DON'T DISAPPOINT THE FIANCE Karima also lost her virginity to an ex-boyfriend. She plans to marry soon and her fiance expects her to be a virgin. So last month, she commuted in from an eastern suburb of Paris, where she lives with her parents, and had the surgery. The next day she was back at work. "I don't want to disappoint my fiance," she said, adjusting her glasses and brushing her highlighted brown hair from her face. "I wouldn't have had the surgery if I hadn't met him." A leading Muslim spokesman said Islam says bride and groom should be virgins before marriage, but did not take a clear stand for or against hymenoplasties. "If someone committed a sin, the essential thing is to repent," said Lhaj Thami Breze, head of the Union of French Islamic Organisations. For many doctors, resewing the hymen goes against their ideals of sexual freedom and personal liberty. "The surgery is an attack on women's dignity," said Professor Jacques Lansac, president of The National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of France. "We will not take part in a market that places value on the quality of a woman -- if she's good or not. It is an attack on women's liberty." Interesting article Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted April 30, 2007 ^^^It is very common here in London as well, I mainly come across Arab women (Kuwait’s) who come here to have it done. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zafir Posted April 30, 2007 Isn't it illegal? A leading Muslim spokesman said Islam says bride and groom should be virgins before marriage, but did not take a clear stand for or against hymenoplasties. Does this mean there is a loophole in the system? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted April 30, 2007 . ^^Illegal from Islamic point of view or by law? From an Islamic point of view, It is the act which is haram and the main issue rather than the operation which will be associated with lies and pretence of being a virgin hence misleading her husband. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Intuition Posted April 30, 2007 This kind of stuff really shits me. It puts a bad image out there about Muslims. At the end of the day fixing your hymen does not mean you did not have sex. Who are you trying to fool? One shouldn't even value this rubbish about virginity it is taken out of context. One should fear Allah. Your hymen could have broken whilst riding a bike at age 6 sheesh. Imagine being a virgin and after your wedding your man states he doubts your virginity :eek: :mad: based on what, come on now that’s just backwards. It’s all about the trust factor. Fear Allah. Half the male population has done it (which is just as wrong) all you can do is put your trust in Allah. They should be repenting. Now we have half of France getting the wrong opinion on our deen. "Re'Virgining" balayoo baas whats next. Liberated my a$$. A leading Muslim spokesman said Islam says bride and groom should be virgins before marriage, but did not take a clear stand for or against hymenoplasties. Its clear in our deen. What is halal is halal what is haram is haram and anything in between you should avoid. Sex before marriage is xaram. Xanthus The way I see it fixing your hymen is deceit and makes you a fraud. No loop holes there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NGONGE Posted April 30, 2007 Heh. It's like unwrapping someone else's gift and then putting back the wrapping and hoping that nobody would notice. At least with gifts people do notice most of the time (unless the one that unwrapped it was an expert). I wonder how perfect those operations are! Can just imagine a satisfied groom shouting: ' Woohoo! My bride's hymn is intact but it looks suspiciously creased'! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ms DD Posted April 30, 2007 ^^loool They are right. It is cultural thing and not religious whatsoever. In religious terms, repentence doesnt cost as much as £4000. But I only thought it was just (some) Somali men who slept around with women and to marry the virgin. Why cant they marry the one they deflowered? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted April 30, 2007 ^^Chances are if she slept with him, she would sleep with others, wedding vows or not! ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ms DD Posted April 30, 2007 War bey keentey. What about the chances of him sleeping around? Does he suddenly become faithful and be able to put back in his pants just cos he is married? I have met men thinking like that and i used to call them 'dhooroos'. It is possible to meet a nymph who was a virgin when he married and qaraabeysato when he turns his back. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N.O.R.F Posted April 30, 2007 Another article highlighting the backwardness of Muslims. I'm beginning to believe them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ibtisam Posted April 30, 2007 ^^^lool^^ MS D & D: I did not say it was the right thinking dee, I just told you how they think << you know I have an insight knowledge since my masculine name I don't think anyone or anything can control you or your sexual tendcy, apart from yourself: married or unmarried Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zafir Posted April 30, 2007 Originally posted by Xanthus: ^^Chances are if she slept with him, she would sleep with others, wedding vows or not! ducks You're so wrong, it isn't funny. What you kindly left out in that reasoning is the fact, when they commenced this relationship, his motives were to only practice the art of kissing and she ended up sleeping with him. Hence, she will sleep with others, wedding vows or not! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ElPunto Posted April 30, 2007 ^I don't think this highlights anything about Muslims in general. It does highlight something about certain cultures - namely Arab ones. What I take away from this is the pervasive expectation from females and generally only females to remain chaste in the broader Muslim ethos. The guys are generally given a free pass even when known to be a philanderer. That has to change. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
STOIC Posted April 30, 2007 I am confused on what Islam says about the whole virginity thing.So if I am not a virgin should I expect a virgin on my wedding? even though I wasn't perfect in emulating the prophet or the Sahabi strict discipline? I always thought the weak and the downtrodden(by sins) can always repent, but not expect a virgin at the end. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tahliil Posted May 1, 2007 Islam says do the right thing, don't cheat on ur espouse, b truthful, and sincere and never do everybody on ur block and then get sewn up again....there r clear rules about that in Islam... Therefore, the confusion lies in the difference between the cultural and the individual behaviouor of these pple on one side and the Islam as THE religion on the other side.... I think the headline should read something along these lines "North African Women in France Regain..." seee what am sying? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
