The document summarizes Jessica Valenti's book "The Purity Myth" which argues that virginity is a social construct used to police and control women. Valenti asserts that male institutions have historically defined and assigned value to virginity. This conflates a woman's sexuality and morality, reducing her worth simply to her sexual history. The myth of virginity continues to be reinforced through popular culture and religious institutions. There is debate around whether public displays of female sexuality can be empowering or harmful.

1. +
The Cult of Virginity
by Jessica Valenti
Claire Porter
12/31/11

2. +
Background
 Valenti was raised in Long
Island City, Queens in an
Italian-American family.
 Her father was a Buddhist, and
her mother introduced her to
her first pro-choice march when
she was 13.
 She received her Masters
degree in Women’s and Gender
Studies from Rutgers
University, where she is a part-
time lecturer.

3. + Valenti’s Work
 American blogger and feminist writer, known for having founded the
feminist blog Feministing in 2004, while she was working at the
National Organization for Women’s legal defense fund
 She is the author or co-author of four books on women's issues,
including Full Frontal Feminism (2007), He's a Stud, She's a Slut
(2008), and The Purity Myth (2009).
 Her work has appeared in Ms. magazine, The Guardian, The Nation,
andThe Washington Post
 Valenti was named in March 2011 as one of The Guardian's top 100
women

4. +
Valenti has been called the “poster
girl for third-wave feminism” by
Salon Magazine

5. +
The Purity Myth
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAGqfEU-
FpQ&feature=player_embedded

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Some things to remember:
 There is no medical definition of virginity. Rather, it’s a social
construct that serves to police women and keep them
subordinate to men
 Virginity is often associatedwith a heteronormative view of sex
that is restricted to intercourse between a man and woman

7. +
Important Quotes from “The Cult of
Virginity”
 “It’s people who have social and political influence who ultimately get
to decide what virginity means- at least as it affects women on a large
scale…We know that men or male-based institutions, have always
been the ones that get to define and assign value to virginity.”
 What effect does that have on women?

8. +
Important Quotes
 “Present-day American society-whether through pop culture,
religion, or institutions-conflates sexuality and morality
constantly. Idolizing virginity as a stand-in for women’s morality
means that nothing else matters-not what we accomplish, not
what we think, not what we care about and work for. Just
if/how/whom we have sex with. That’s all.”

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 Hanne Blank describes how up until the last century or so,
marriage actually represented a literal transfer of property
rights from a father’s household to a husband’s.
 Valenti adds that this is why women who have had sex were
and sometimes still are, referred to as “damaged goods”, and
thus serving to commodify women’s sexuality.

10. +
 Valenti cites pop-culture institutions as reinforcing “The Purity
Myth”
 She references MTV’s True Life show on celibate youth and
also Jessica Simpson’s father giving her a promise ring
 Simpson described as the archetype for the “desirable virgin”: a
sex symbol that is sexy, but not sexual. Also that this archetype
is presented as young, white, and thin.
 What are other ways you can think of that the myth is
continued?

11. +
 University of Wisconsin-Madison law professor Ann Althouse
criticized Feministing in 2006 for its sometimes sexualized
content. Erin Matson of the National Organization for Women's
Young Feminist Task Force told The Huffington Post the
controversy was "a rehashing of a very old debate within the
feminist community: is public sexuality empowering or harmful
to women?”
 What do you think?

12. +
 What shaped your view of virginity? Was it religion? Family?
 Were you brought up to view sexuality, particularly female sexuality as
dirty or immoral? How did it affect you?
 How many of you were taught abstinence only sex education?
 How can we create a more positive vision of women’s sexuality? What
about for younger women?
 How do you think masculinity plays into the purity myth? How have you
seen this play out in your own life?