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.
Author(s): Jessica Valenti
Publisher: Basic Books
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 300
Tags: Gender Studies, Feminism
Title Page
Praise
Dedication
Epigraph
Introduction
CHAPTER 1 - the cult of virginity
THE VIRGINITY MYSTERY
VIRGINITY: COMMODITY, MORALITY, OR FARCE?
SELLING VIRGINITY
CHAPTER 2 - tainted love
PERFECT VIRGINS, DIRTY GIRLS
MEDIA GONE WILD
THE MORALITY MYTH : WOMEN REALLY WANT TO BE “PURE”!
THE EMOTIONAL / PHYSICAL MYTH : SEX MEANS SUFFERING
THE RELIGIOUS/POLITICAL MYTH : SEX HAS LARGER-THAN-LIFE CONSEQUENCES
FOE, THY NAME IS FEMINISM
SEXUALITY REALITY
CHAPTER 3 - forever young
PURE GIRLS
GIRLIFYING WOMEN
INVISIBLE GIRLS
OUR HYMENS, OURSELVES?
CHAPTER 4 - the porn connection
A PORNED AMERICA
WOMEN OF PORN, WOMEN OF PURITY
PURITY’S PORN AGENDA
MOVING FORWARD IN A PORNED WORLD
CHAPTER 5 - classroom chastity
THE ANATOMY OF ABSTINENCE
CHASTITY CASH
THE PLAYERS
BATTLING BACK
THE END OF ABSTINENCE?
CHAPTER 6 - legislating sexuality
OUR BODIES, THEIR LAWS
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR BUT SEX ITSELF
DADDY KNOWS BEST
PURE PUNISHMENT
CHAPTER 7 - public punishments
INSTITUTIONALIZING BLAME
RAPISTS GONE WILD
WE’RE ALL “GIRLS GONE WILD”
A WORLD WITHOUT RAPE?
CHAPTER 8 - beyond manliness
MEN HURTING, HURTING MEN
CRASHING THE GATE(KEEPERS)
PURE MANLINESS
MOVING TO WARD A HEALTHY, SEXISM-FREE MASCULINITY
CHAPTER 9 - sex, morals, and trusting women
DISTRESSING DAMSELS
GIRLS GONE NORMAL
TRUSTING WOMEN
A PERFECT WORLD
CHAPTER 10 - post-virgin world
CREATE MEDIA, GET ONLINE
GET ORGANIZING, GET EDUCATING
AFFECT LEGISLATION
SUPPORT LOCAL ORGANIZING
GET PROACTIVELY INFORMED
DON’T GIVE UP! FIND COMMUNITY, GET SUPPORT
purity myth facts at a glance
questions for discussion
notes
resources
index
Acknowledgements
about the author
Copyright Page
