TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Civic groups in Taiwan said on Wednesday (March 30) that the Mandarin term for "hymen" is discriminatory against women, and health authorities should replace it with a proper name.
Taiwan Women's Link founder Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英), Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology Deputy Secretary-General Lin Tzu-yin (林姿吟), and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lin Shu-fen (林淑芬) took part in the press conference calling for the awareness against sexual discrimination that is present in the country's health education.
They are looking to drop the existing Mandarin terms referring to the hymen and lochia.
In Taiwan, the literal translation of the Chinese term for hymen is "virginity membrane" (處女膜) and for lochia or postpartum bleeding, "bad excretion" (惡露). Both terms can be seen everywhere, from locally published dictionaries, medical journals, to academic textbooks.
"The term 'virginity membrane' makes a strong association with women's virginity while virginal obsession and the myth of purity persist in society," the groups said. "We should opt for a more neutral wording to avoid the inappropriate association, which unconsciously undermines women's sexual autonomy."
In response to the call, Dr. Wei Shi-lun (魏璽倫), Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Health Promotion Administration, expressed her full support for the proposal and emphasized that the ministry will advocate for a more positive and neutral way to describe body parts.
Another health official attending the press conference said there is actually an alternative, though much uncommon, term for hymen in Mandarin, the literal translation of which is "vaginal corona" (陰道瓣). The official said the ministry is still open to coining a new term in collaboration with experts and civic groups to reduce discrimination against women.