Origins of Virginity
Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
History Hit
4.8 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 26 August 2025
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
From luring in unicorns to protecting the Roman Empire, myths have surrounded virginity for centuries. But is virginity itself a myth?
In this episode from the archive, Kate speaks to Anke Bernau about where the so-called cherry comes from, what it stands for and why it has been important throughout history.
*WARNING there are mentions of sexual assault in this episode*
Produced by Charlotte Long and Sophie Gee. Mixed by Peter Dennis.
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All music from Epidemic Sounds.
Betwixt the Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. A podcast by History Hit.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello everyone, it's me your host, Kate Lister. I'm just jumping in before the episode to ask you for a little favour. |
| 0:07.6 | If you are enjoying betwixt, and I hope that you are, we'd love it if you could vote for us for the |
| 0:12.5 | Listeners Choice Awards at the British Podcast Awards. If you follow the link in the show notes, |
| 0:17.9 | it should take you to the place you need to go and it would mean the world to us. We were shortlisted last year, and the one before that, and the one before that. |
| 0:27.8 | We were so close, and it just made us want it even more. I think we can do it this year. Right, |
| 0:34.5 | on with the show. Hello, my lovely betwixters. It's me, Kate Lister. I am me, you are you, and this is Betwixta Sheeds. And I bet you have come here because we talk about all things historically mucky. But just in case you're a newbie and you've wandered in, unsure of what is about to assail your ear holes, I do have to tell you. This is an adult podcast, spoken by adults |
| 0:54.5 | to other adults about adultery things and an adult you should be an adult too. Oh, I feel |
| 0:59.4 | safer. Do you feel safer? Right, let's get on with it. Okay, think of watery things. Think of fountains, rain, hose pipes, tears. How about if I just made this noise? |
| 1:15.8 | Pss, pss. Have you ever tried to wee on demand? Those of you that have done this, just for shits and giggles, or for money, it's not easy, is it? No. And what can make it even harder? |
| 1:30.5 | Having somebody there next to you when you're trying to pee on demand makes it all but impossible for the most determined others. |
| 1:38.3 | So imagine trying to have a wee with somebody watching and listening and having your entire reputation and marriage ability |
| 1:45.8 | dependent upon this action. If the medieval medical books were to be believed, then if you |
| 1:51.8 | weed too much or too quickly, then you were not a virgin. If you didn't we enough, then you |
| 1:56.5 | were holding something back and were probably also not a virgin. Hashtag science. |
| 2:02.7 | This completely bizarre test |
| 2:04.6 | is just one of many tests |
| 2:06.6 | that have been used throughout history to try |
| 2:08.6 | and determine whether or not somebody |
| 2:10.5 | has ever had sex before. |
| 2:12.2 | And the whole thing is a complete |
| 2:14.5 | load of cobblers. |
| 2:23.3 | Music is a complete load of cobblers. What do you look for a man? |
... |
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