Virgin

In Roman times, the Vestal Virgins remained celibate for 30 years on penalty of death

Virginity is a term used to describe the state of never having engaged in sexual intercourse. A person who still has his or her virginity can accordingly be described as being a virgin. In broader usage of these terms, they can characterize a state of purity.

Etymology

With the standard usage of these terms (where the state of purity is thought to come from a lack of sexual relations), they have been more commonly applied to women than to men, both historically and in many present-day situations. In fact, the terms traditionally were used to simply describe a female unmarried person: It was introduced to English in the 13th century, and via French virgine derived from Latin virgo (Genitive virginis), which is composed of "vir" meaning "man" or "husband," and "genere," "created (for)," and already had the meaning of a female in (nuptial) subjection to a male. During the Middle English period, the word "maid" referred to a person, whether male or female, who had never been married or sexually active. Geoffrey Chaucer, for instance, used that word in reference to Christ and St. Paul. However, applying the term to men as well has become uncommon in modern times, as the word "maid" lost currency in reference to men and began to refer only to unmarried women (called maidens) and, later, unmarried domestic servants.

In some cultures, women are not regarded as virgins after a sexual assault, but some people disavow this notion. There are also those who take this "spiritual" concept of virginity to its maximum, considering "born again virgins" to be virgins, regardless of their past sexual conduct. However, the word "chastity" is often used in this context rather than "virginity."

In culture

The status of virginity is respected and valued in certain societies, particularly when there are religious views regarding sexual conduct before marriage. A woman who is a virgin is also sometimes referred to as a maiden.

Female virginity is closely interwoven with personal or even family honor in many cultures. Traditionally in some cultures there has been a widespread belief that the loss of virginity before marriage is a matter of deep shame. In some cultures (for example the Bantu of South Africa), virginity testing or even surgical procedures guaranteeing premarital abstinence (infibulation) are commonplace. This would typically involve personal inspection by a female elder.

In Western marriage ceremonies, brides traditionally wear veils and white wedding dresses, which are inaccurately believed by many people to be symbols of virginity. In fact, wearing white is a comparatively recent custom among western brides, who previously wore whatever colors they wished or simply their "best dress." Wearing white became a matter first of trendy fashion and then of custom and tradition only over the course of the 19th century.

Technical virginity

Some historians and anthropologists note that many societies that place a high value on virginity before marriage, such as the United States before the sexual revolution, actually have a large amount of premarital sexual activity that does not involve vaginal penetration: e.g., oral sex, anal sex and mutual masturbation. This is considered "technical" virginity as vaginal intercourse has not occured but the participants are sexually active.

Loss of virginity

The act of losing one's virginity, that is, of a first sexual experience, is commonly considered within Western culture to be an important life event and a rite of passage. It is highlighted by many mainstream Western movies (particularly films aimed at a teenaged audience). The loss of virginity can be viewed as a milestone to be proud of or as a failure to be ashamed of, depending on cultural perceptions. Historically, these perceptions were heavily influenced by perceived gender roles, such that for a male the association was more often with pride and for a female the association was more often with shame. (See Double standard.)

The partner during the loss of virginity is sometimes colloquially said to "take" the virginity of the virgin partner. In some places, this colloquialism is only used when the partner is not a virgin, but in other places, the virginity of the partner does not matter. The archaic term "deflower" is sometimes used in modern times to also describe the act of the virgin's partner, and the clinical term "defloration" is another way to describe the event.

One slang term used for virginity is "cherry" (often, this is the term to refer to the hymen, but can refer to virginity in males or females) and for a virgin, deflowering is to "pop their cherry," a reference to destruction of the hymen during first intercourse.

In some countries until the late 20th century, if a man did not marry a woman whose virginity he had taken, the woman was allowed to sue the man for money, in some languages named "wreath money".

Religion

Mythology

Virginity has been often considered to be a virtue denoting purity and physical self-restraint and is an important characteristic of some mythical figures such as the Greek goddesses Athena, Artemis, and Hestia. The Vestal Virgins were strictly celibate priestesses of Vesta. The Maiden or Virgin is one of the three persons of the Triple Goddess in many Neopagan traditions. The constellation Virgo represents a wide selection of sacred virgins.

Hinduism

In predominantly Hindu societies in Nepal and India, any form of premarital sexual intercourse is frowned upon immensely and is considered an act designed to bring great dishonor and disrespect to the family.

Christianity

Some Christians today say that virginity indicates a state of holiness in terms of sexuality before marriage, and most Christian denominations believe that the New Testament and Old Testament of the Christian Bible forbid pre-marital sex of any form. These ideas are more specifically discussed throughout the Old Testament. Genesis describes sex as a gift from God to be celebrated within the context of marriage. The New Testament also speaks of the Christian's body as a holy temple that the Spirit of God comes to dwell in. (1 Corinthians 3:16) Purity in general is deeply threaded throughout the entire Bible.

Until recently, some states which have a significant Christian population have or have had laws protecting virginity. Germany abandoned a law (§1300 BGB) only in 1998 that entitled the deflowered virgin to compensation if the relationship ended. In Mexico, there is a very old saying still used by females today: "Fulfill your promise to marry me (if we had sex), or leave me how I was (virgin)."

Islam

Islam provides a decree that sexual activity must occur only between married individuals. Quotes such as 'Do not even go near Adultery' (Al-Israa 17: 32), are testament to this. Islam teaches both partners in a marriage to fulfill and satisfy each other to the fullest extent. Marriage is considered to be "half of the Deen (Faith)." The husband and wife must always keep in mind the needs, both sexual and emotional, of each other.

Qur'an 17:32 says "And come not near to the unlawful sexual intercourse. Verily, it is a Fâhishah [i.e. anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell unless Allâh forgives him)." Unlawful sexual intercourse in this context refers both to adultery and premarital sex.

Judaism

Virginity appears in Judaism as early as the verse in Genesis, referring to Eliezer's encounter with Rebekah: 'And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her' (Genesis 24:16) and is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, especially with regard to the laws governing betrothal, marriage and divorce.

However, in practice, Judaism is fairly lenient about sexual relations, and has been since its early days, fairly pragmatic about the realities of sex and sexuality. Sex in Judaism is not seen as dirty or undesirable — in fact, sex within a marriage is considered a mitzvah, or desirable virtue. Jewish law contains rules related to and protecting female virgins and dealing with consensual and non-consensual pre-marital sex. The thrust of Jewish law's guidance on sex is effectively that it should not be rejected, but should be lived as a wholesome part of life.

According to Jewish law, sex before marriage is not acceptable; however, whereas a child born of certain forbidden relationships, eg. adultery, incest and similar, is considered a mamzer, approximately translated as illegitimate, who can only marry another mamzer, a child born out of wedlock is not considered a mamzer unless also adulterous or incestuous.

The more liberal denominations (Reconstructionist Judaism, Reform Judaism, and Conservative Judaism) are relatively open to pre-marital sex: while it is not encouraged, it is not ignored, either — rules governing sexuality still apply, etc. In stricter denominations, sex before marriage can be relatively uncommon, as religious practices of modesty, marriages at a younger age, and other practices, may apply.

Medicine

In early modern Europe, prolonged virginity in females was believed to cause the disease of chlorosis or "green sickness."

Virginity Pledge

Virginity pledges (or abstinence pledges) are commitments made by teenagers and young adults to refrain from sexual intercourse until marriage. They are most common in the United States, especially among Evangelical Christian denominations.

The first virginity pledge program was True Love Waits, started in 1993 by the Southern Baptist Convention, which now claims over 2.5 million pledgers world-wide in dozens of countries. A torrent of virginity pledge programs followed.

A later, prominent virginity pledge program was the Silver Ring Thing (SRT), which was the subject of a lawsuit by the ACLU in 2005. SRT presented a two-part program, the first part about abstinence; the second about Born again Christianity. The ACLU claimed that federal funding given to this program violated the separation of Church and State. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services settled the lawsuit by suspending SRT's federal grant until it submitted a "corrective action plan." In 2006, SRT decided not to seek further federal funding so it could continue its message.

Virginity pledge programs take a variety of stances on the role of religion in the pledge: some use religion to motivate the pledge, putting Biblical quotes on the cards, while others use statistics and arguments to motivate the pledge. Regardless of the approach, the vast majority of virginity pledge programs are run and staffed by individuals with ties to Christian organizations, mostly evangelical, although the Catholic Church sponsors both secular and a religious virginity pledges. Advocacy of virginity pledges is often coupled with support for abstinence-only sex education in public schools. Advocates argue that any other type of sexual education would promote sex outside of marriage, which they hold to be immoral and risky.

Studies of virginity pledges

There are four peer-reviewed studies of virginity pledges and one non-peer-reviewed study. Three of the four peer-reviewed virginity pledge studies and the non-peer-reviewed study use the same federal data, the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), in which 13,000 adolescents were interviewed in 1995, 1996, and 2000. The other peer-reviewed study uses a study of virginity pledges in California.

The first peer-reviewed study of virginity pledgers — by sociologists Peter Bearman and Hannah Brueckner of Columbia and Yale, respectively — found that in the year following their pledge, some virginity pledgers are more likely to delay sex than non-pledgers; when virginity pledgers do have sex, they are less likely to use contraception than non-pledgers. This study found, however, that virginity pledges are only effective in high schools in which about 30% of the students had taken the pledge, meaning that they are not effective as a universal measure. Their analysis was that identity movements work when there is a criticial mass of members: too few members, and people don't have each other for social support, and too many members, and people don't feel distinctive for having taken the pledge. This study was criticized for not being able to conclude causality, only correlation, a criticism which applies to all studies of virginity pledges thus far.

The second peer-reviewed study, also by Bearman and Brueckner, looked at virginity pledgers 5 years after their pledge, and found that they have similar proportions of STDs and at least as high proportions of anal and oral sex as those who have not made a virginity pledge. They inductively determine that pledgers may substitute oral and anal sex for vaginal sex. Curiously the data for anal sex without vaginal sex reported by males does not reflect this directly. This study also estimates that male pledgers 4.1 times more likely to remain virgins by age 25 than those who did not pledge (25% vs 6%); and estimates females who pledge to be 3.5 times more likely to remain virgins by age 25 than those who do not pledge (21% vs 6%). The study also notes that those who pledge, yet became sexually active report fewer partners and are not exposed to STD risk for as long as nonpledgers.

The third peer-reviewed study — by Melina Bersamin and others at Prevention Research Center, in Berkeley, California — found that adolescents who make an informal promise to themselves not to have sex will delay sex, but adolescents who take a formal virginity pledge do not delay sex.

The fourth peer-reviewed study — by Harvard public health researcher Janet Rosenbaum — found that over half of adolescents who took virginity pledges said the following year that they had never taken a pledge. This study showed that those who make the pledge but have sex are likely to deny ever pledging; and many who were sexually active prior to taking the pledge deny their sexual history, which, it is speculated, may cause them to underestimate their risk of having STDs.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Blank, Hanne. Virgin: The Untouched History, Bloomsbury (2007). ISBN 1596910100
• Cantalamessa, Raniero. Virginity: A Positive Approach to Celibacy for the Sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, Alba House (1995). ISBN 0818907452
• Carpenter, Laura. Virginity Lost: An Intimate Portrait of First Sexual Experiences, New York UP, 2005, ISBN 0814716539
• Dubay, Thomas. And You Are Christ's: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life, Ignatius Press (1987). ISBN 0898701619
• Holtzman, Deanna. Nevermore: The Hymen and the Loss of Virginity, Jason Aronson (1997). ISBN 0765700379
• Jennifer, Brooke. Why Virginity Matters, Xulon Press (2006). ISBN 1600348009
• Rotella, John. Marriage and Virginity: Saint Augustine, New City Press (2005). ISBN 1565482220
• Wilson, Andrew (Ed.) 1991. World Scripture: A Comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. New York, NY: Paragon House. ISBN 0892261293

External links

• True Love Waits
• Silver Ring Thing
• Teens Who Make Virginity Pledges Have Substantially Improved Life Outcomes A report from the Heritage Foundation
• Do Virginity Pledges Cause Virginity? A report from the Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development
• The Good (and Bad?) News About Virginity Pledges TIME article.
• Patterns of Deceit Raise Concerns About Teenage Sex Surveys in The New York Times, about recanting virginity pledges
• University of California, Santa Barbara's SexInfo - article addresses losing one's virginity and first time sex worries

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