{"id":34100,"date":"2026-08-09T07:02:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-09T02:02:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=34100"},"modified":"2026-08-09T07:02:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-09T02:02:26","slug":"woman-calls-off-engagement-after-fiance-demands-she-take-part-in-humiliating-wedding-tradition-makes-me-feel-degraded","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=34100","title":{"rendered":"Woman Calls Off Engagement After Fianc\u00e9 Demands She Take Part In Humiliating Wedding Tradition: \u201cMakes Me Feel Degraded\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Weddings come with a whole bunch of traditions, many of which have been around for centuries.\u00a0 Nowadays, a lot of couples handpick the ones they want to follow, and simply scrap the rest. But what happens when one partner is hell-bent on adhering to a particular custom that makes the other person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or even violated?<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">That\u2019s the question being raised after a bride-to-be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/AITH\/comments\/1va1bgq\/aitah_for_calling_off_my_wedding_because_my\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">shared<\/a> how she\u2019s expected to participate in something known as a <em>handkerchief ceremony<\/em> on the night of her wedding. In case you\u2019re unfamiliar with the term, it\u2019s basically a \u2018purity\u2019 test to check whether a woman has been \u2018saved herself\u2019 for marriage. When she refused to agree to the ceremony, the bride\u2019s fiance told her she has to do \u201cno matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>She was all set to get married\u2026 until she heard about the \u201chandkerchief ceremony\u201d<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"1-139\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=1-139.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?media_id=1-139\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-139.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11004301\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-139.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magnific.com\/premium-photo\/stressed-woman-sitting-sofa-home_406482456.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=26&amp;uuid=45fddf24-1b37-458e-a25f-6e70692f9ad6&amp;query=stressed+woman+home\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">syda_productions \/ Magnific (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Her fiance says purity testing is mandatory, and she has to do it \u201cno matter what\u201d<\/h3>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_2403a23fb11fff24e4f9159d8af3759d\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_2403a23fb11fff24e4f9159d8af3759d.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_2403a23fb11fff24e4f9159d8af3759d.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_db4e6034284fd22fa0cf025ab27e2400\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_db4e6034284fd22fa0cf025ab27e2400.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_db4e6034284fd22fa0cf025ab27e2400.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_fb5742f9be71e40d31bd3024db30dc8a\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_fb5742f9be71e40d31bd3024db30dc8a.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_fb5742f9be71e40d31bd3024db30dc8a.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_f8b41594aba7334389fefabf7be7e7dd\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_f8b41594aba7334389fefabf7be7e7dd.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_f8b41594aba7334389fefabf7be7e7dd.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><span data-aa-adunit=\"\/46481815\/bp.com_desktop_singlepost_bottom_728x90\" id=\"adverge-div-gpt-ad-1491844427478-6\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"2-78\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=2-78.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?media_id=2-78\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-78.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11004337\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2-78.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magnific.com\/free-photo\/white-handkerchief-cloth-assortment_18037063.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=1&amp;position=0&amp;uuid=d928d35b-2e15-4485-ad4a-fda022ae1a3b&amp;query=white+handkerchief\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">magnific \/ Magnific (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_a8acf6e1e8ce382ba1eb959c32c23a1b\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_a8acf6e1e8ce382ba1eb959c32c23a1b.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_a8acf6e1e8ce382ba1eb959c32c23a1b.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_2b27fb73d5b20e2e690fa79e2e25a15b\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_2b27fb73d5b20e2e690fa79e2e25a15b.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_2b27fb73d5b20e2e690fa79e2e25a15b.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_1870ff1ce8b8453cb357db36a7ff6e41\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_1870ff1ce8b8453cb357db36a7ff6e41.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_1870ff1ce8b8453cb357db36a7ff6e41.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"><span class=\"dfp-ad\"><span><span class=\"pg-ad-label\">ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/span><span data-aa-adunit=\"\/46481815\/bp.com_desktop_singleimage_bottom_728x90\" id=\"adverge-div-gpt-ad-1491844427478-3\"\/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_1dfde12c11fe3254f9fa50d08e91e060\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_1dfde12c11fe3254f9fa50d08e91e060.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_1dfde12c11fe3254f9fa50d08e91e060.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"3-62\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=3-62.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?media_id=3-62\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-62.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11004395\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/3-62.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.magnific.com\/free-photo\/husband-wife-having-fight-indoors_13944281.htm#fromView=search&amp;page=3&amp;position=19&amp;uuid=ab3c39a7-fda8-4527-b51d-736bce686e19&amp;query=couple+arguing\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">magnific \/ Magnific (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_15bdee44dab3dcc89cfdf3b8045878c2\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_15bdee44dab3dcc89cfdf3b8045878c2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_15bdee44dab3dcc89cfdf3b8045878c2.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_4483231cf9a28a40ebd99a30500bb9bd\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_4483231cf9a28a40ebd99a30500bb9bd.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_4483231cf9a28a40ebd99a30500bb9bd.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"author_137ca545125cd7b347f01909cb071502\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=author_137ca545125cd7b347f01909cb071502.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/author_137ca545125cd7b347f01909cb071502.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/AITH\/comments\/1va1bgq\/aitah_for_calling_off_my_wedding_because_my\/\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">Financial_Mirror7966<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The woman reiterated that\u2019s about more than just the tradition<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p class=\"attachment-link-container shareable-image-block\" id=\"1-146\" data-href=\"http:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?image_id=1-146.jpg\"><a class=\"web-share-button list-item-share new-share-experiment\" data-location=\"single-post-image\" data-title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" data-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.boredpanda.com\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition\/?media_id=1-146\" data-image=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-146.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow\"><i><svg class=\"svg-icon icon-share-icon\" role=\"img\" height=\"16\" width=\"16\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 16\"><path d=\"M0 15C0 10.8824 5.22292 10.0588 8.79817 10.0588V14.1765L15.7006 8.23061C15.7941 8.15345 15.8695 8.05559 15.9213 7.94441C15.9731 7.83323 16 7.71155 16 7.58824C16 7.46492 15.9731 7.34314 15.9213 7.23196C15.8695 7.12078 15.7941 7.02302 15.7006 6.94586L8.79817 1V5.11765C2.3995 5.11765 0 9.76235 0 15Z\"\/><\/svg><\/i><\/a><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-11037376\" src=\"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1-146.jpg\" alt=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" title=\"Man Convinces Girlfriend To Finally Get Married, She Realizes It\u2019s A Huge Mistake Months Before The Wedding\" loading=\"lazy\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Image credits: <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/a-woman-sitting-on-the-floor-in-front-of-a-couch-a9CihsHfdSc\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"nofollow\">Pablo Merch\u00e1n Montes \/ Unsplash (not the actual photo)<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>The United Nations calls virginity testing a human rights violation but it\u2019s still happening in several countries<\/h3>\n<p>South Africa, Iran, Indonesia, Britain, and even the United States are among the countries where some women are still being subjected to \u201cvirginity tests.\u201d Even when it is illegal.<\/p>\n<p>One survey found a 4.5% prevalence of <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/-\/es\/Dr-Solomon-Gates-ebook\/dp\/B093TCFBKR?tag=vilofjoy-20\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">virginity testing<\/a> in the US.<\/span>\u00a0\u201c<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The average age of the women who underwent virginity testing was 15-17 years old, legally considered minors in the United States,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fertstert.org\/article\/S0015-0282(22)01523-0\/fulltext\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">notes<\/a> the 2022 study, published in the <em>Fertility and Sterility Family of Journals<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 of the 156 healthcare providers polled said they\u2019d performed virginity testing, while 9% reported being requested to perform such testing. The vast majority said they\u2019d never actually encountered virginity testing during their medical training.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The U.K. government has outlawed the practice, saying it amounts to violence against women and girls. But authorities say they\u2019re aware it\u2019s still happening in the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWomen and girls are coerced, forced and shamed into undergoing these procedures, often pressurised by family members or their intended husbands\u2019 family in the name of supposedly upholding honour and to fulfil the requirement that a woman remains \u2018pure\u2019 before marriage,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/virginity-testing-and-hymenoplasty-multi-agency-guidance\/virginity-testing-and-hymenoplasty-multi-agency-guidance\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">reads<\/a> that country\u2019s Department of Health and Social Care\u2019s website. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cSome practitioners issue a certificate to prove \u2018virginity\u2019 after a virginity test or hymenoplasty, while some will simply tell the family or community members whether a woman or girl has \u2018passed\u2019 a virginity test,\u201d it adds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, in South Africa, v<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">irginity testing, traditionally known as <em>ukuhlolwa kwezintombi<\/em>, remains a deeply controversial practice. It\u2019s\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">governed by strict statutory conditions under the country\u2019s <em>Children\u2019s Act<\/em>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <em>Soul City Institute for Social Justice<\/em>, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the practice is permitted for children <em>only<\/em> if they are over 16 years old, and have given proper, informed consent after receiving counseling. The law also states that t<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">he results of a virginity test may not be disclosed without the consent of the child, and that t<\/span>he body of a child who has undergone virginity testing may not be marked.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Some argue that from a cultural point of view, it is a vital tradition for promoting chastity and preventing disease. But human rights organizations and statutory bodies believe it is as an unscientific violation of bodily integrity and gender equality.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet thousands of girls undergo <em>ukuhlolwa kwezintombi <\/em>every year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cGirls undergoing this ritual gather to camp overnight and participate in traditional songs and dances before being tested,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/hsrc.ac.za\/news\/review\/cultural-rites-of-passage-the-experiences-of-south-african-girls-and-women\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\" staff-link\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">reveals<\/a> the <em>Human Sciences Research Council<\/em> (HSRC) of South Africa.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The HSRC adds that according to one participant who was interviewed, \u201cThey take something like that imbola [white clay] and put one dot on your forehead \u2026 Then you come out of the forest [or bush], then mothers would ululate [express a sound of deep emotion], even fellow participants will ululate.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The white mark, according to the HRSC, is an indicator of purity. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIts absence publicly labels young girls as no longer virgins, which researchers maintain causes distress, humiliation and stigma for both the girls and their families,\u201d notes the site.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Many were shocked that such outdated traditions still exist, and warned her to leave<\/h3>\n<p><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><span class=\"post-desktop-ad-within-content post-ads margin-left\"\/><\/p>\n<h3>\u201cIt\u2019s not always about you\u201d: Some people had a different take, and their opinions were wild<\/h3>\n<p 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Check out the results:<\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"answered-content-question\" data-bind=\"text: currentQuestionText()\"\/>\n<p> <span class=\"text\">Total votes \u00b7 <\/span> <span data-bind=\"text: totalVotesFormatted\"\/> <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- Newsletter --> <\/p>\n<div class=\"subscribe-to-newsletter-block-wrapper\">\n<p>Newsletter<\/p>\n<div class=\"subscribe-to-newsletter-block\">\n<p><h3 class=\"title\">Subscribe to Access <br \/>Exclusive Polls<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"right\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/boredpanda\/images\/icons\/subscription-panda.svg\" alt=\"Subscribe to Access &lt;br\/&gt; Exclusive Polls\"\/> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"disclaimer\">\n<p>By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you&#8217;re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. 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You&#8217;ve successfully subscribed to newsletters!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <!-- Newsletter --> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script type=\"didomi\/javascript\">\nwindow._fbSDKPromise = window._fbSDKPromise || new Promise((resolve, reject) => {\nwindow.fbAsyncInit = function () {\nFB.init({\nappId  : '887842622821495',\nversion: 'v17.0',\nstatus : true,\ncookie : true,\nxfbml  : false\n});\nresolve(FB);\n};\n\/\/ Load SDK only once\nif (!document.getElementById('facebook-jssdk')) {\nconst script = document.createElement('script');\nscript.id = 'facebook-jssdk';\nscript.async = true;\nscript.src = `https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/${BoredPanda.Config.wp_lang}\/sdk.js`;\nscript.onerror = reject;\ndocument.head.appendChild(script);\n}\n});\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Weddings come with a whole bunch of traditions, many of which have been around for centuries.\u00a0 Nowadays, a lot of couples handpick the ones they want to follow, and simply scrap the rest. But what happens when one partner is hell-bent on adhering to a particular custom that makes the other person feel uncomfortable, humiliated,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34101,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/static.boredpanda.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/woman-cancels-wedding-humiliating-tradition-fb.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newsweek-trending"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=34100"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34100\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/34101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=34100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=34100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=34100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}