The Purity Myth
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| Author | Jessica Valenti |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Virginity, feminism |
| Published | 2009, Seal Press |
| Media type | Print, e-book, audiobook |
| Pages | 272 |
| ISBN | |
The Purity Myth is a 2009 book by Jessica Valenti. It was first released onto hardback on March 24, 2009 through Seal Press. The book contains research by Valenti that she says shows that there is a prevalent false notion promoted within the United States that a woman's worth is dictated by whether or not she is sexually active, implying that the loss of virginity can affect her negatively. A DVD tie-in titled The Purity Myth: The Virginity Movement's War Against Women was released in 2011.
In the book, Valenti discusses various different elements of society that promote chastity and discourage pre-marital sexual activity in women and teenage girls. She says that many sex education programs in the United States will only promote abstinence-only education, which she feels gives an unhealthy attitude towards sex and women. Valenti also states that the myth uses virginity as an "easy ethical road map" in order to teach women that, unlike the ability to abstain from having sex, their beliefs and actions hold no bearing to their value as human beings. Valenti does not discourage chastity but shows disapproval over virginity pledge programs such as purity balls and the Silver Ring Thing for the aforementioned reasons.
Valenti also argues that the over-emphasizing and idealization of virginity promotes the Madonna–whore complex, which would make many women and teen girls choose to be hypersexualized as they cannot live up to the expectations placed upon them. She also states that she believes that the concept of virginity is a myth, as the actual definition of the term is abstract and differs depending on the person, religion, or situation. Valenti explains that she was unable to find an exact medical definition of virginity in the Harvard Medical School library and that the popular concept of virginity did not fit both genders.
Commentators have linked Valenti's views on virginity to discussion of sexual assault victims and the Rape and pregnancy controversies in United States elections, 2012.
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