The Quebec College of Physicians has warned its doctors not to perform virginity tests any more. Chastity is not considered a medical condition as told to The Gazette by Charles Bernard, president of the Collège des médecins.

Bernard said virginity certificates, which are usually requested to identify bridal purity, are against the medical code of ethics. He added it is a breach of the patient's confidentiality.

He described this practice as irrelevant, repugnant, outrageous and unacceptable. He also called it 'degrading' to women as the gynecological examination is performed solely to identify if the hymen is still intact. Several European countries like Belgium, Denmark, France and Spain have already issued similar warnings not to perform such tests.

The 'two-finger test,' which is performed to determine a woman's virginity, may have originated in France over a hundred years ago. Thoinot, a French medical jurist, believed there were two types of virgins: true and false. He advised inserting either a cone or two fingers into the woman's vagina to ensure is she is a virgin. Such practice is still being performed in several countries like Bangladesh where such tests are conducted to rape victims to check if the victim had any previous sexual experience.

The Supreme Court in India, however, found the 'two-finger test' is a violation to the rape victim's rights. In early 2013, it has urged the government to provide a superior medical procedure to confirm any sexual assault.

Generally, the 'virginity test' is performed by a doctor. But in case doctors are not available, older women may perform the test. Certain Sudanese girls (Kenuzi) get tested by men who will marry them before marriage. Aside from testing the presence of hymen, the muscle laxity of the vagina is also tested. However, World Health Organization considers such tests as a form of sexual violence.

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