This project goes into depth as to why we should leave this social construct (Virginity) behind us as it objectives many women.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gender_studies/1038/thumbnail.jp

Torres, Andrea

English

University of Washington: UW Tacoma Digital Commons

University of Washington TacomaUW Tacoma Digital CommonsGender & Sexuality Studies Student WorkCollection School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences2019Lets Talk VirginityAndrea Torresandret4@uw.eduFollow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gender_studiesThis Undergraduate Presentation is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at UW Tacoma DigitalCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Gender & Sexuality Studies Student Work Collection by an authorized administrator of UW TacomaDigital Commons.Recommended CitationTorres, Andrea, "Lets Talk Virginity" (2019). Gender & Sexuality Studies Student Work Collection. 38.https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/gender_studies/38Virginity LET'S TALKBy: Andrea Torres  What  i s  v i r g i n i t y?Virginity is a very complex term tossed around by many people who in return have turned this concept of virginity into a social construct. As historians have stated this term still does not have a working medical definition for it. "Medical books don't bother to discuss virginity and those that did rarely seemed to discuss it." -Jessica Valentine.  To simplify things virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. What  mak e s  v i r g i n i t y  s o  impo r t a n t  a nyway s?It is important because society constantly links a women's worth to her sexuality rather then her accomplishments. Putting more importance on a women's sexual aspects while ignoring women values (Jessica, Valenti). On the contrary women are socially punished for enduring in sexual intercourse while women who don't are objectified. Thus, showing how problematic this concept has been. More generally speaking society considers virgins pure and non-virgins damaged goods. "The idea of purity is used as a means to control and manipulate us into following social norms especially gender roles, reinforcing the idea that women lack sexuality." Sky Jordan, 2017Why we  s h ou l d  l e a v e  t h e  c o n c e p t  o f  v i r g i n i t y  b e h i n d1. Virginity is sexist Women are taught that their virginity is valuable, even a commodity (Erin Mckelle, 2013). If they lose it to the wrong person at the wrong time they are labeled "damaged" or "desperate".2. Virginity contributes to slut shamingVirginity is constructed so that we judge women based on how and when they started having sex. (Mckelle, 2013)3. Virginity frames a women's worth as inversely proportional to much sex she's had.Meaning that the more sex she's had the less pure she is. "Linking value to sex." Mckelle, 2013The pu r i t y  my t hThe purity myth is the virginity movements war against women. Which ties back with womens lack of sexual agency, infantilizing women and women passivity. The concept of virginity is doing more harm to women than it is "saving"  as it objectives women and condones slut shamming. Women's mortality is often being tied to their sexuality like I have mentioned before which designates men as in control over womens sexuality rather then her own. Everyday women around the world face different forms of oppression and harassment for simply being a women. "Once sexually objectified the worth of a woman's body or body part is directly equated to its physical appearance or potential sexual function and is treated like it exists solely for others to use or consume." -Barnes, 2017 CCon t i n u e d . . .Suggesting that being "sexually pure" is the greatest thing that a person brings to her or his partner in a marriage actually says that "sexual intercourse is a form or ownership of the other person. It says that purity is who gets to lay and claim you which is the quintessential way of objectifying a person." Jennifer Bird, 2012The common belief that a women's virginity should be saved for that special someone she will marry may affect her mental health more severely if her virginity is taken away from her by sexual assault. Which will only damage her internally making her feel worthless,dirty and unwanted (Filipovic, 2013).7 l i e s  t h a t  p u r i t y  c u l t u r e  t e a c h e s  women1. Womens bodies are something to be ashamed of 2.Women are responsible for mens sexual acts3.Women shouldn't have sexual desire4.Your virginity is the only thing of worth about you5.Women don't enjoy sex as much as men do 6.If women have sex before marriage then that means everything will go wrong7.Theres no difference between sexual abuse and sex before marriage. (Natalie Collins, 2015)"The irony is that purity culture is anything but pure." Natalie Collins, 2015 One researcher defines purity culture as a "deep sexual shame so intense she compares it to survivors of sexual assault."  Melissa Mayer, 2018One's sexual identity shouldn't be anyones business but our own. It shouldn't define who were are as human beings.

Lets Talk Virginity

https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1038&context=gender_studies

Lets Talk Virginity

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