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Essay On The Cult Of Virginity

710 Words3 Pages

Ones identity can have to do with their sexuality, their race, their sexual orientation, their religion, their nationality, and many more. Each human being is born into this world innocent and not knowing anything. Each individual is taught about themselves through their families, friends, peers, institutions, and the media. Each and everyday people are learning new things, which ultimately shapes their lives. In the world today everywhere WE turn, our lives are being shaped, and our identities are changing. Women identities are key targets to society. Women’s identities are socially constructed through the people they associate with and the media. People only know what they are taught and only act upon things they’ve learned. Growing up little girls one’s taught to be identical to their barbies, watch princess movies/television programs, eat the same as their mom’s, and so on. Growing up into a young lady one’s taught to be a mirror of their mother and are expected to be adults. When a girl is only eighteen years old she is still figuring out who she wants to be and who she is, but society already has a standard that she has to meet. Many teenage girls turn to the media and compare …show more content…

Valenti expresses how a socially constructed term known as “the purity myth” shaped women’s sexuality. Society teaches girls from a young age to stay pure by not having sex. Valenti talks about how society labels women who aren’t virgins as “damaged goods” and how sexually active women are judged. Staying “pure” and “innocent” is promoted to be one of the greatest things a women can do. These standards society has on women and ideologies of being pure have immense influences in women’s lives. Society turns these standards into norms and soon women who don’t meet these norms stands out. Women fell the need to meet these norms with the hopes of not being

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