Annie North

I Was Not A Virgin

Getting a hymenectomy at twelve years old created an open door policy between us when it came to questions about my body, relationships, and intimacy. If I hadn’t been on the swim team, who knows how long it would have taken me to realize that the tampons weren’t working out so well and that I had a medical condition that would eventually require surgery to “pop my cherry”? There was really no coming back for us after the horrific pelvic exam while I was in middle school. They tried to make you leave the room so I could have privacy, but I was terrified of the doctor and her fingers and I begged you to stay. After that, I knew I could talk to you about anything.