One young South African woman take to social media to celebrate being certified as a virgin by her community. The certificate was duly awarded after she underwent a virginity test conducted at the Sivuselela Amasiko Trust.
The young lady recently took to social media to flaunt her certificate of virginity, confirming her chastity and it caused quite a stir online. This practice of subjecting young women to purity tests is common in some African countries, including Malawi, some parts of South Africa, and the Congo. Before they can be eligible for testing, the women must be at least 18 years old. The test is meant to promote female chastity in the society. Once completed, certificates are usually awarded to the ladies by the community when they have been found to be chaste.
Social media users have had mixed reactions to the young lady's proud display of her virginity certificate. Some have made light of the situation with humorous comments, such as @tboysquare's tweet, "If I agree make I bend 😂," or @Cheztoi3Foods's quip, "Something I've collected every year?"
Others, such as @iamsmartsheddy, have taken a more critical view, saying, "Most Nigerian girls will receive Certificate of Performance instead 😭😂😂." Some have even expressed doubts about the validity of the certificate, with @gerraldfabian writing, "After seeing INEC’s forged election results I no fit believe anything on paper anymore," and @harryofido jokingly suggesting, "Call INEC if you need to rig your virg!nity test!"
Despite the mixed reactions, the young woman's pride in her certificate of virginity serves as a reminder of the persistence of traditional gender roles and expectations in some parts of Africa, and the ongoing challenges faced by women in the region in their struggle for equality and autonomy.
