Doctors face moral dilemma over restoring Muslim brides’ virginity

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

Doctors face moral dilemma over restoring Muslim brides’ virginity-News-World-Europe-TimesOnline

A debate is raging among doctors over Muslim women who demand operations to reconstitute their hymens before marriage and medical certificates stating that they are virgins. The controversy has flared in France, where gynaecologists say that they are facing a growing number of requests from women desperate to avoid the repudiation that can follow the loss of chastity. The phenomenon, which is also dividing doctors in other European countries, America and Africa, is denounced by critics as a sign of social regression driven by Islamic fundamentalists. Jacques Lansac, Chairman of the French National College of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians, is leading the campaign against what he describes as “an attack on the dignity of women”. He has also issued advice against hymenoplasty – a surgical operation that involves reconstructing the membrane usually broken during the first act of sexual intercourse. Professor Lansac told The Times: “We get more and more women coming in and saying that their brothers or fathers will kill them if they find out they’ve slept with a man. But it’s important to say no, because if we don’t we’re giving in to the fundamentalists.”

There is a difference between standing against fundamentalism and providing a death sentence over a girls previous folly.

[Humble Servant]

Don't do it in the first place and there is no problem. Why should a Doctor be forced to lie?

[Arawn-ap-Hywel]

Quote by: Humble Servant Don't do it in the first place and there is no problem. Why should a Doctor be forced to lie?

HumbleServant you suggest a simple solution that has failed many young couples.

The Doctor is doing it for money, there is a market, and that market reduces the death of young women due to facist overzealous religious inspired bias of prospective husbands whose expectations has been steered by interpretation of some outdated creed.

[Rinoa]

I honestly don't see how a surgical process can make them virgins again...They've still had sex, they have the memories of the experience, and the change in perception that usually comes with it.

Humble Servant, you've got a point, but you also have to understand the oppression some of these girls are under. In a muslim country they are still property, the fact that their brother/father thinks he has a right to know that helps to illustrate that fact.

[Humble Servant]

I guess what needs to be determined is how many of these women are using this procedure to correct something that was force upon them ( in which case I am all for it) or how many are using it as a convince to hide their improper morals (as pertains to their culture). It would be intresting to see how this broke down.

[Kuldeep]

If at all such restoration of viginity is being performed, it must be definitely done for the sake of showing that the girl has never undergone act of intercourse. I do not think any religion has any role to play in it. It is just saving girl's dignity and befooling the person whom the girl is getting married infuture.

If I am not wrongly informed, in Muslim community, if wife is somehow raped by a person other than husband. She is forced to have intercourse with a Clergy or Moulwi for purification before she can again sleep with her husband. This is not performed secretly but even some witness has to sign that such purification has been performed. This is how restoraton of so called virginity is practised (making fit for the husband again after foul intercourse). Personally, I feel this might not be true.

But, I have witnessed such act myself!

[Mia]

I don't think it's the Drs' decision to be making a social stand at the expense of these women.

It is their business if they want their hymen reconstructed for any reason.

[tinybear]

It's a moral dilemma indeed. Would you lie if the lie will save a person's life? Hmmm......I think I will. :)

[nilan3000]

For me its the same case as an abortion. You can blame the woman all you want but the fact is if you dont perform that surgery her life is at serious risk.

If i had to choose between a surgery I didnt want and saving someone's life, I would save the person's life.

[The Decider]

People have all kinds of elective surgeries for the most trivial of personal reasons. Liposuction? Botox? Others completely alter their genitalia to change sexes. Why would anybody oppose an adult woman seeking to restore something she lost for a cultural/religious reason (ie "happiness")?

What a non-issue.

[Technosoul]

Quote by: Arawn-ap-Hywel Doctors face moral dilemma over restoring Muslim brides’ virginity-News-World-Europe-TimesOnline There is a difference between standing against fundamentalism and providing a death sentence over a girls previous folly.

This is amazing, I never knew they could do a simple operation and make a woman a virgin again. They could even have a virgin birth like Mary if the operation was done right before the big event.

At any rate this creates a equality for women with men when it comes to having knowledge about pre-marrage activities.

In theory a prositute could become a Nun and they would not know she entered their domain other then as a virgin. (which is requried I think?).

This totally distroys the whole "value" of saving it for Mr Right. So next time a girl does not want to "do the thing" because she is saving it for the one she will marry the boyfriend can say... "don't worry hon, I'll pay for the operation to make you a virgin again".

Sorry Bin, but all those virgins waiting for the terrorists in heaven had operaitons. Ha... you got deceived again!

Wait till the late night stand-up comics get wind of this new operation.

[Kuldeep]

Quote by: Technosoul This is amazing, I never knew they could do a simple operation and make a woman a virgin again. They could even have a virgin birth like Mary if the operation was done right before the big event. At any rate this creates a equality for women with men when it comes to having knowledge about pre-marrage activities. In theory a prositute could become a Nun and they would not know she entered their domain other then as a virgin. (which is requried I think?). This totally distroys the whole "value" of saving it for Mr Right. So next time a girl does not want to "do the thing" because she is saving it for the one she will marry the boyfriend can say... "don't worry hon, I'll pay for the operation to make you a virgin again". Sorry Bin, but all those virgins waiting for the terrorists in heaven had operaitons. Ha... you got deceived again! Wait till the late night stand-up comics get wind of this new operation.

You are really writing like a technical soul. I have aleady termed such type of surgical operations as CHEATING for ALL and more so to conerned spouse and own self.

To my mind all such un-natural actions which human is trying to develop and adopt is for atainment of joy and peace of mind. But alas! none of any such actions is providing the type of peace one wants!

The question once I put in the form past thread "Ultimate purpose of the life". My conclusion after listening to others who responded has been that ultmate purpose of this life is to remain happy at every point of time. :)

[nilan3000]

Quote by: Kuldeep You are really writing like a technical soul. I have aleady termed such type of surgical operations as CHEATING for ALL and more so to conerned spouse and own self. To my mind all such un-natural actions which human is trying to develop and adopt is for atainment of joy and peace of mind. But alas! none of any such actions is providing the type of peace one wants! The question once I put in the form past thread "Ultimate purpose of the life". My conclusion after listening to others who responded has been that ultmate purpose of this life is to remain happy at every point of time. :)

But would you rather have these women die than perform the operation? How do you know know they are not happy after the operation?

[Kuldeep]

Quote by: nilan3000 But would you rather have these women die than perform the operation?

Definitely, if they are dieing without operation, I would like them to get operated, but secretly. Otherwise, if the operation is performed in the public knowldge then, their life would become worse than death.

How do you know they are not happy after the operation?

Here, I have been talking of eternal happiness!! They definitely would have short term happiness.

[nilan3000]

Quote by: Kuldeep Definitely, if they are dieing without operation, I would like them to get operated, but secretly. Otherwise, if the operation is performed in the public knowldge then, their life would become worse than death. Here, I have been talking of eternal happiness!! They definitely would have short term happiness.

Kuldeep, none of these operations are done with public knowledge, they are done in secret because the women do not want their fathers or brothers to know.

And you talk about eternal happiness. How can you conclude that they are not eternally happy? That is just your opinion according to your beliefs. The people who have actually had this operation may have a completely different view from yours.

When I was in a school in Chennai, I had a friend who had to go through this, but one of my other classmates had the same opinion as you. He convinced the girl that if she went though with it she would be miserbale. I convinced her to go ahead with the operation. She is extremely happy now and has a wonderful husband and daughter.

What makes you say she will not be eternally happy?

[Slevin57]

I equate this to plastic surgery. It is not necessary.

First of all, If they believe in Allah that strongly they would also believe no matter what they do, he knows they have had sex beforehand, and having the surgery is just lying to her brother or husband.

What if the girl had STD's and did not know it? Pleasant surprise for the husband huh.

My point is all Muslim women grow KNOWING what COULD happen to them if they are caught having had sex before marriage.

It's not like, she tripped you fell kind of thing.

That being the case, I do not believe Doctors are obligated to preform this surgery and fully have the right to say no.

What about Muslim doctors? What are they supposed to do? Assist them in deceiving their husbands?

If they want to follow the religious route, so be it. But don't claim they want it for religious reasons, they want it to cover up what they have done.

[nilan3000]

Many of them dont do it for religious reasons or spiritual ones, they just do it because if their fathers and brothers find out, they are dead.

I dont see why a person should be condemned to death because they made the one mistake of having sex. I say we have to leave it to the doctor's discretion to decide whether or not he performs the surgery.

[Kuldeep]

Doctors would perform the operation as that would be theiir business. I feel it is to leave to the person in question!!!!

[nilan3000]

Quote by: Kuldeep Doctors would perform the operation as that would be theiir business. I feel it is to leave to the person in question!!!!

We already know the person wants it, thats why we are having this discussion.

Once the patient approaches the doctor, the decision should be up to him whether he wants to participate in this procedure or not. No one can force him to take either decision.