Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

French government condemns reality TV 'virginity test'

French government condemns reality TV 'virginity test'

A French reality TV series has been condemned by the government over its treatment of so-called "handkerchief ceremonies" in which young brides are supposed to prove their virginity.

The Minister for Citizenship Marlène Schiappa has written to the country's broadcast watchdog the CSA, saying she was "outraged" by Incredible Gypsy Weddings uncritical handling of the rite, which sees the bride being examined by female relatives just before the marriage takes place.

Inspired by Channel 4's Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, the French series on the free-to-view TFX channel follows the courtship and marriage traditions of the Catalan gitan community living in the southern town of Perpignan.

In an edition broadcast in February, viewers saw, amid the preparations for a lavish wedding, the bed on which the ceremony was due to take place.

The commentary then ran: "On this bed a woman with special training tests the resistance of Naomi's hymen with a delicate tissue. The ceremony of the handkerchief is ancestral and inescapable. If Naomi has had sexual relations, the wedding will be cancelled."

In other scenes, women from the community explained why it was important. "It is for the family of the boy," said one. "So that they know he has a taken a beautiful woman who is a virgin."

"Since she was a baby she's been brought up to know that she has to have the ceremony, to get all her dresses, to get her wedding," said another.

Asked if men should not have similar questions asked of them, another replied: "That's not how it is done. We start from the principle that if a young man doesn't go out to party and see other girls before he gets married, then afterwards he'll miss it. It's an experience he has to have."

Ms Schiappa said in her letter she was incensed at the unquestioning tone of the programme.

"The whole institution of our Republican marriage was trampled underfoot, without any proper commentary," she said.

She said the sequences were "all the more revolting" because the National Assembly had only just voted for a law "banning virginity tests and assuring the consent of both partners to a marriage".

A clause in France's Separatism Law - which is currently before the Senate - makes it illegal for doctors to issue virginity certificates. The article is aimed primarily at France's Muslim community, where some families insist on proof of virginity before marriage. The extent of the practice is disputed.

In the text voted by the Assembly, doctors who issue certificates would risk a year in jail and a €15,000 fine (£12,800; $17,600). Non-medical professionals who carry out virginity tests, even with the consent of the woman, would risk being charged with rape.

The World Health Organization says the practice of inspecting the hymen visually or with fingers cannot prove whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse or not. It is also a violation of their human rights, the organisation says.

Ms Schiappa has complained before of sexism on French television. Last year, as minister for sexual equality, she commissioned a report that criticised reality TV for perpetuating stereotypes.

"Reality TV programmes emphasise the hyper-femininity of women candidates and the ultra-masculinity of the men. From this dichotomy stems a vision of relations between men and women that is stereotyped and unequal," the report said.

She has also complained about popular French wedding TV shows such as Four Marriages for a Honeymoon, in which couples are judged against each other for the quality of their weddings, and Married at First Sight where a couple are married within hours of meeting each other and the cameras follow their marital progress.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×