CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020
| Author | Abdilashimova, Farzana |
|---|---|
| Title | Reconstructing Virginity: Hidden Sentiments and Complexities Behind Hymenoplasty in Kyrgyzstan |
| Summary | This dissertation explores the experiences and perspectives of Kyrgyz women towards the hymen restoration surgery in Kyrgyzstan. Previous studies covered an importance of female virginity in Kyrgyz society through focusing on the practice of bride-kidnapping and the gender construction of kidnapped women. In my thesis, I will draw attention to the phenomenon of hymenoplasty through bringing voices and experiences of Kyrgyz women. The discourse of hymen restoration practices is neither a subject of open discussions nor a highly represented phenomenon in social media. Through applying qualitative research and in-depth interviewing, I examine how various Kyrgyz women perceive hymenoplasty procedure in their given socio-cultural settings. I argue that hymenoplasty is a complex phenomenon that cannot be identified through the dualistic model, and it has different meaning for Kyrgyz women depending on the intersection of various social categories they belong to. Building on the theoretical framework of agency I posit that Kyrgyz women exercise their own agency through undergoing hymen restoration surgery and negotiate between two opposite poles of conformity and resistance. This study investigates existing socio-cultural and gendered expectations towards young women’s state of virginity and their sexual choices, however it also brings a comparative analysis of perspectives of medical workers and ordinary women. |
| Supervisor | Renkin Hadley Zaun |
| Department | Gender Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2020/abdilashimova_farzan.pdf |
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