Scarleteen

Hi, I'm 16 years old and my mom doesn't allow me to use tampons. In fact, my friends' moms don't either. This is due to the fear of damaging the hymen, which is a very common mindset here in Turkey. Because of this, I have to struggle with pads during every period. My mom used to tell me that if anything enters the vagina, the person I marry in the future won't want me, and they will treat me as if I had sex with someone else before. But I just can't make her understand: why should I sacrifice my own comfort every month just to prove my virginity to men? I'm not having sex with anyone anyway; I'm just looking for a solution to live my life a bit more comfortably. Actually, I'm not asking for my mom's permission, I just don't want to hide it from her; I want her to know that I use it. I've never used one before, but I will eventually. I will definitely use it. If not now, I'll use it in a few years. What does this even have to do with marriage anyway? Plus, I know and hope that the person I marry in the future won't be this old-fashioned. Deep down, they might still think like this, but making my life harder just to prove myself to a man is ridiculous. Besides, who says I will even get married?A long time ago, I also inserted my finger. What happened now? Am I not a virgin anymore? It's such a ridiculous mindset. If that's the case, then no man is a virgin right now because most men have masturbated. When they do it, it's fine, but when girls do it, it becomes suspicious. Seriously, they must be joking.I've gone on too long, but in short, I'm afraid to use tampons because of societal norms.