It’s almost 2020 and the concept of female virginity still seems high on the priority list of Indians. Matrimonial ads still demand for a “pure and virgin bride”, sometimes I wonder if we’ll ever be able to move forward. Patriarchy continues to hold the society tightly in its clutches. There seems to be no escape or should I say, I don’t even see any willingness to escape.
To prove my point, Amazon is now selling something they call, i-Virgin, which is fake blood for the first night. The description of the product says that it is high-quality blood powder with no side effects and requires no surgery or needles.
YUP.
Twitter user, NameFieldmt tweeted a screenshot of this product and it has been going viral ever since. People are shocked (and for all the right reasons) that firstly, this product exists and secondly, an e-commerce giant like Amazon hasn’t flagged this product. It’s still very much there on the platform (I checked).
Wow. Didn't believe the RT, so had to check. This really exists. I can only say wow. Bloody WTF wow. pic.twitter.com/ce6oI7ODc1
— Anamika- Don't @ me- See pinned tweet. (@NameFieldmt) November 12, 2019
According to the product description on Amazon, this is a small capsule with a “blood powder” (whatever that’s supposed to mean). So, one has to insert the “powder” into the vagina, a couple of hours before the “planned night”. This powder is “high quality” so it completely dissolves inside and proves that you’re a virgin.
There are no details on what the ingredients of the powder are or what kind of side effects it has when inserted into the body. The only thing it does say is that the product is “safe and anonymous”. Yup, reassuring too.
The product is priced at Rs. 3,600 and is currently being sold at a discount of Rs. 500. Guess that’s the price of faking your virginity in this country. If you can’t afford it, no worries, it even comes with EMI options.
Netizens are obviously appalled at this being sold. Here’s what Tweeple are saying:
From what the actual fuck to showing other products used to fake virginity too, twitterati are reacting to this news just like we are.
*patriarchy sniggers internally*
This is actually a thing
More options for desi women
Or this…
The level has been crossed
Not available in stock
Society + Capitalism = Best Combination
Virginity faking products have always existed and it’s a shame. Virginity is actually nothing except a social construct that has been made to make us feel terrible for having sex. Well, because a woman claiming her sexuality and being vocal enough to understand what her body needs is way too much for the world to handle.
The fact that these products still exist and sell proves that we still don’t see women as more than their bodies and ‘purity’. Her vagina has to be tight for optimal pleasure for men, she needs to be untouched by any other man lest her husband’s fragile ego can’t take it. And she definitely needs to be a virgin till her marriage because the entire family’s izzat comes down to her hymen. We’re going into 2020 but holding on to these regressive and oppressive ideas tightly.
We need to demand better sex education, we need a ban on these products and need a cleansing of this mindset. Or is that too much to ask for?
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