title: Attitudes of Lebanese university students towards surgical hymen reconstruction.
abstract: Many cultural and religious beliefs place virginity at a high level of social significance, in that women who lose their virginity before marriage may face humiliation, ostracism, divorce, and extreme violence. This led to an increase in the demand for virginity restoration through surgical hymen reconstruction among these cultures. However, data regarding the acceptance of hymenoplasty in societies that consider sexuality a taboo are scarce. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the effects of gender and religion on sexual attitudes towards hymenoplasty, premarital sex, and virginity in a sample of 600 Lebanese university students. Our findings showed that approval of hymenoplasty was low among participants regardless of gender (25.7 % men vs. 19.1 % women) and religious affiliations (22.5 % Muslims vs. 22.3 % Christians). Arguments for rejection were rooted in moral ethics and personal convictions: "form of deceiving and cheating" (80.7 %) and "betrayal of honesty in the relationship" (80.4 %). Reasons for acceptance included: personal belief in "women's rights, autonomy, and freedom" (72.2 %) and "physical harm and death" (63.5 %).Male participants were more likely to approve premarital coital sex than females (61.0 vs. 27.3 %). Muslims were also more likely to reject marrying a non-virgin than Christians (39.9 vs. 18.0 %). Female participants expressed more tolerance towards marrying a non-virgin male partner (78.3 vs. 57.3 %). Low acceptance of hymenoplasty among Lebanese university students was found to be related to moral ethics and personal convictions independently from gender and religious affiliation. Differences in sexual attitudes towards premarital coital sex and virginity, however, were more significantly influenced by culture and religion.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, POB 113-6044, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors: Johnny
authors: J
authors: Awwad
authors: Anwar
authors: A
authors: Nassar
authors: Ihab
authors: I
authors: Usta
authors: Monique
authors: M
authors: Shaya
authors: Zeina
authors: Z
authors: Younes
authors: Ghina
authors: G
authors: Ghazeeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D006924:Hymen / Q000601:surgery*; D007861:Lebanon; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000208:ethnology*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012067:Religion; D012746:Sexual Abstinence / Q000208:ethnology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D012747:Sexual Partners; D019529:Sexuality; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D014933:Women's Rights