Controversial T.I. Daughter Comment Inspires New York 'Virginity Test' Bill

In what T.I. now refers to as “hymengate,” a new bill is being introduced to help prevent similar exams from occurring in the future.

TMZ reports that the bill introduced by New York assemblywoman Michaelle Solages will make “virginity tests” illegal, banning doctors' offices across the state from conducting casual hymen checks.

T.I. first drew heavy criticism when he was interviewed for the “Ladies Like Us” podcast, where they discussed sex education. In the episode, which is now deleted, T.I. described what he and his wife view as sufficient sex education, which entails them taking their daughter to the gynecologist yearly to check her hymen.

In a phone interview with the New York Post, Solages called T.I.’s virginity checks “appalling” and “misogynistic.” After mentioning how absolutely horrifying it is, she said: “If a celebrity can impose his power to ensure his 18-year-old daughter gets checked, imagine what can be done in households across New York state?”

Despite T.I. trying to clarify his statements, the bill cites his specific situation when stating: "Section 1 of the bill adds two new sections ... to the public health law to forbid the performance of a hymen exam on women as a means to ascertain whether a woman is a virgin."

The bill describes a breach in these codes as an “act of professional misconduct,” which will leave doctors responsible with a Class D felony and a potential sexual abuse charge.

According to CBS News, the bill does not make hymen examinations illegal outright. Instead, this bill specifically targets "the performance of hymen examinations on women as a means to ascertain whether a woman is a virgin."

At press time, the bill has not yet been voted on.