University applications are daunting enough as is, here’s me worried about my personal statement and my exam grades. But imagine having this extra stress…
Parliamentary member Agina called on the Minister of Higher Education to issue a mandate to enforce the virginity tests, suggesting that University cards should only be issued to women who complete and ‘pass’ the test.
“Any girl who enters university, we have to check her medical examination to prove that she is a Miss. Therefore, each girl must present an official document upon being admitted to university stating she’s a Miss.” And by miss, he means virgin.
For some bizarre reason, Agina believes that he and a group of men are entitled to decide the fate of young women based on these roles as well as knowing their sexual history. This test has no medical benefit, in fact, it has been condemned by the World Health Organisation.
If a woman ‘fails’ this test, then her parents will immediately be notified. Agina believes that this will deter both men and women to enter an undocumented marriage. An urfi marriage.
What would become of an innocent woman who had been raped? Would she be denied an education? You would limit her life for something that wasn’t her fault in the first place. Elhamy Agina’s little idea is extremely dangerous, and let’s not forget completely and utterly immoral. With the virginity tests they would be exposing young women’s personal lives to everyone. This will eventually isolate them from their home and communities after being at risk from potential harm from family members.
You don’t own women and you don’t own their bodies. I know that not everyone can agree on what should and should not take place before marriage, but a woman’s sexual history should remain private and be left to them to discuss or expose this.
Despite all this, Egyptian MP Elhamy Agina still stands by his statement. Who gave this man power?
