Jessica Valenti

The United States is obsessed with virginity — from the media to schools to government agencies. In The Purity Myth, Jessica Valenti argues that the country's intense focus on chastity is damaging to young women. Through in-depth cultural and social analysis, Valenti reveals that powerful messaging on both extremes — ranging from abstinence-only curriculum to "Girls Gone Wild" infomercials — place a young woman's worth entirely on her sexuality. Morals are therefore linked purely to sexual behavior, rather than values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti sheds light on the value — and hypocrisy — around the notion that girls remain virgins until they're married by putting into context the historical question of purity, modern abstinence-only education, pornography, and public punishments for those who dare to have sex. The Purity Myth presents a revolutionary argument that girls and women are overly valued for their sexuality, as well as solutions for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity.

How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women

The Purity Myth

Lindy

In my opinion, The Purity Myth barely scratches the surface of the materials it purports to analyze. Valenti's writing is often recommended as an entry point to feminism due to her informal style, but I wouldn't suggest The Purity Myth to a nonfeminist because Valenti does not define terms which would be unfamiliar to a general audience (like "virgin/whore dichotomy") and fails to contextualize most of her arguments within the broader sociopolitical context of the post-9/11 United States and the preceding years. At the same time, I don't think she's saying anything that someone who reads feminist stuff regularly would find particularly groundbreaking. This, plus the lack of attention to discourses about purity which affect women of color, means I probably won't recommend it. It does sort of make a good time capsule of feminist activities on the internet in the mid/late 2000s though, and at least it was less condescending than Full Frontal Feminism.

tanvi deshpande

don’t usually do nonfiction but extremely interesting. thx mr goulet

Emily C Peterson

I agree with a lot of what Jessica Valenti says needs to change about the virgin complex in our culture, but I didn't agree with a lot of her conclusions about WHY this is an issue or in how they needed to be changed. Definitely a thought-provoking read.

From the bestselling author of Sex Object, a searing investigation into American culture's obsession with virginity, and the argument for creating a future where women and girls are valued for more than sexuality The United States is obsessed with virginity--from the media to schools to government agencies. In The Purity Myth, Jessica Valenti argues that the country's intense focus on chastity is damaging to young women. Through in-depth cultural and social analysis, Valenti reveals that powerful messaging on both extremes--ranging from abstinence-only curriculum to "Girls Gone Wild" infomercials--place a young woman's worth entirely on her sexuality. Morals are therefore linked purely to sexual behavior, rather than values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti sheds light on the value--and hypocrisy--around the notion that girls remain virgins until they're married by putting into context the historical question of purity, modern abstinence-only education, pornography, and public punishments for those who dare to have sex. The Purity Myth presents a revolutionary argument that girls and women are overly valued for their sexuality, as well as solutions for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity.

Valerie Dee

sash.

hileahrious

tash lee

Crystal L

The United States is obsessed with virginity - from the media to schools to government agencies. This panic is ensuring that young women's ability to be moral agents is absolutely dependent on their sexuality. Jessica Valenti, executive editor of Feministing.com and author of Full Frontal Feminism and Yes Means Yes, addresses this poignant issue in her latest book, The Purity Myth. Valenti argues that the country's intense focus on chastity is extremely damaging to young women. Through in depth analysis of cultural stereotypes and media messages, Valenti reveals that powerful messages - ranging from abstinence curriculum to ''Girls Gone Wild'' commercials - place a young woman's worth entirely on her sexuality. Morals are therefore linked purely to sexual behavior, as opposed to values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti approaches the topic head-on, shedding light on chastity in a historical context, abstinence-only education, pornography, and public punishments for those who dare to have sex, among other critical issues. She also offers solutions that pave the way for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity, including a call to rethink male sexuality and reframing the idea of ''losing it.'' With Valenti's usual balance of intelligence and wit, The Purity Myth presents a powerful and revolutionary argument that girls and women, even in this day and age, are overly valued for their sexuality, and that this needs to stop.

The Purity Myth How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women

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