ABSTRACT
The term “virgin” describes a person without at least certain kinds of sexual experience—though exactly what counts as “losing” one’s virginity is often the subject of debate and depends on the culture or subculture in question. But the term also carries with its connotations of moral purity and is closely tied to notions of female virtue. Lifetime virginity has been exalted by philosophers within certain religious traditions, such as Catholic Christianity and Buddhism, as an expression of spiritual devotion. In modern times, a debate has focused on the value of preserving one’s virginity before marriage, especially among young people. Critics have argued that the very concept of virginity promotes an unhealthy notion of sexuality and is detrimental to women’s equality. They call on us to excise the concept from our discourse about sex, and they are unconvinced by attempts to redefine it for the modern age. This chapter argues that people who are committed to the cause of gender equality should support this effort to abolish the idea of virginity from popular discourse.
