WORLD NEWS
CALL FOR BAN OF 'FAKE VIRGIN KIT'
Egyptian politicians want a ban on a Chinese-made kit which helps women fake their virginity
Egyptian politicians want to ban on imports of a Chinese-made kit meant to help women fake their virginity.
The Artificial Virginity Hymen, distributed by the Chinese company Gigimo, costs about 30 dollars and is intended to help newly married women fool their husbands into believing they are virgins.
Virginity is culturally important in the conservative Middle East where sex before marriage is considered by many to be illicit.
The product leaks a blood-like substance when inserted and broken and Gigimo advertises delivery to every Arab country.
The row started when a reporter from Radio Netherlands broadcast an Arabic translation of the Chinese advertisement of the product which set off fears of conservative parliament members that Egyptian women might start ordering the kits.
Sheik Sayed Askar, a member of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood who is on the parliamentary committee on religious affairs, said the kit will make it easier for Egyptian women to give in to temptation. He demanded the government take responsibility for fighting the product to uphold Egyptian and Arab values.
"It will be a mark of shame on the ruling party if it allowed this product to enter the market," he said.
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest political opposition group, holds 88 of Egypt's 454 parliament seats.
Prominent Egyptian religious scholar Abdel Moati Bayoumi said anyone who imports the artificial hymen should be punished.
"This product encourages illicit sexual relations. Islamic culture forbids these relations except within the confines of marriage," he said. "I think this should absolutely not be allowed to be exported because it brings more harm than benefits. Whoever does it (imports it) should be punished."
