In 2019, rapper T.I. sparked enormous controversy when he said that he took his daughter Deyjah Harris to the gynecologist to check that her hymen remained “intact” and thus know whether she was still a virgin. Deyjah was 18 years old at the time and was starting college.
T.I. himself said that these visits took place annually and that he even made sure his daughter authorized the doctor to share information from the appointment with him. He also recounted that, after Deyjah turned 16, he once left her a note informing her that she had a gynecologist appointment the next day.
The problem is that the method he described could not prove what he intended. The World Health Organization states that there is no examination capable of determining whether a woman has had sexual intercourse and that the appearance of the hymen cannot prove it either. The WHO considers so-called “virginity tests” a practice with no scientific basis and one that is harmful.
The controversy ended up directly affecting Deyjah. She later said that she learned about her father’s statements through Twitter and that she felt surprised, hurt, angry, and embarrassed. She also described the situation as “a little traumatic” and explained that she felt uncomfortable being around her father after everything became public.
T.I. later tried to explain his words on Red Table Talk. He said that he had exaggerated some of his statements and that many people had taken them literally. He also claimed that his intention had been to protect his daughter.
The episode, later known as “Hymen-gate”, ended up opening a much broader discussion: how far can a father go to protect his daughter, and when does that care turn into control over her privacy?