null If I use a tampon, will it take away my virginity?

If I use a tampon, will it take away my virginity?

No. Using tampons does not affect someone’s virginity. 

There are many beliefs about what virginity means and what ‘losing’ one’s virginity means which are often based on religion, culture, media and society. A virgin is often described as someone who has not had sex; but the first time we have sex, we do not actually ‘lose’ anything and sex means different things to different people. Using a tampon is not the same thing as having sex.

Some people think that when the hymen is ‘broken’ that virginity is lost but having a hymen and being a virgin is not the same thing. It is a myth that the hymen is a membrane covering the entrance to the vagina that will be ‘broken’ by a tampon or first sex.

Additional information:

The hymen is made up of thin elastic folds of tissue just inside the entrance to the vagina. Hymens come in different shapes and sizes and cover varying amounts of the vaginal opening. A common shape is like a ring or crescent shape around the edges of the vagina, so these days it is often called the vaginal ‘corona’, meaning ‘crown’. The hymen stretches and the opening usually gets larger as a young person matures.

The opening may be big enough for a tampon to go in easily. If the tampon (or anything else that is put in the vagina) is bigger than the opening, the hymen will stretch. Sometimes when it stretches there may be some small tears. Going slowly and using lubricant may help.

Additional information:

Some people believe that virginity is ‘lost’ the first time they have sex. Some people believe that virginity is ‘lost’ the first time they have penis-in-vagina sex. Some people believe that virginity is ‘lost’ through oral or anal sex. Some people believe that if sex was forced or pressured (sexual assault) that it does not affect their virginity. Some people do not believe in the concept of virginity or ‘losing’ virginity at all. The definition of virginity is not as important as making sure that both partners are ready and consenting to any sexual activity.

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