T O P I C R E V I E W
polyprotic
Member # 45568
posted 06-03-2010 01:21 PM
I just watched VH1's special on the new wave of virginity in the media and in pop culture (i.e. The Jonas Brothers and chastity balls). I was expecting a one-sided argument with little genuine insight, but I was surprised at how well they treated the issue. I think they really hit the nail on the head in a lot of regards, like the pressures girls face from all sides to keep their virginity, the failure of abstinence-only sex ed, as well as the ridiculousness of the concept of virginity as a whole. What I found particularly interesting was their point that the trend of using one's supposed chastity as a marketing strategy demonstrates in a literal sense the idea that a girl's virginity is her sole value. So props to VH1. Has anyone else seen it?
Nightshade
Member # 45255
posted 06-03-2010 03:19 PM
Just watched it. I thought it was crazy how that girl was trying to 'sell' her virginity, and all the reasons people would 'buy' it. The newness, sense of wonder, ect. Are you kidding me? And the chastity balls. That really kind of freaked me out. It really kind of scared me, the idea of the father owning the girl's purity. I don't think any one else can be in charge of our sexual selves except us. They literally brought up a few things that made me jump up and cheer. I think I might have to watch it again and pay a bit more attention before I can really pass serious judgment. But as it stands, I really liked it.
Devanie
Member # 46095
posted 06-05-2010 06:52 PM
What's a chastity ball? I've heard of chastity belts, but... not balls. (Sorry, this is slightly off topic. I haven't seen the program, but I'm glad they handled it well.)
Nightshade
Member # 45255
posted 06-05-2010 09:51 PM
From Wikipedia. 'A purity ball (also known as a father-daughter purity ball is a formal ball dance event attended by fathers and their daughters. Purity balls promote virginity until marriage for teenage girls, and are often closely associated with Evangelical Christian churches in the USA. Typically, daughters who attend make a virginity pledge; a pledge to remain sexually abstinent until marriage. Fathers who attend pledge to protect what they view as their young daughters' purity of mind, body, and soul. Proponents promote a strong father-daughter relationship as a means to affirm what they consider to constitute spiritual and physical purity.' There's a pretty unbiased general definition.
Cloverdance
Member # 47739
posted 07-03-2010 12:11 AM
The whole purity ball thing really skeeves me out, primarily because it seems so focused on the girls' virginity. Do they have mother-son balls that promote mother-son relationships, where the moms pledge to protect their sons' purity?
Lilerse
Member # 46007
posted 07-03-2010 12:16 AM
nope, but they have purity balls where sons promise not to "taint" a girls' purity. so the focus is still on the virginity of the GIRL. (source: the purity myth by jessica valenti. which all of you should read!!)
askwhatyouneed
Member # 48103
posted 08-07-2010 04:02 PM
quote: Originally posted by Lilerse: nope, but they have purity balls where sons promise not to "taint" a girls' purity. so the focus is still on the virginity of the GIRL. (source: the purity myth by jessica valenti. which all of you should read!!) I read that book. You should read it too. The whole concept of "virginity" is useless and non existent. You should also read Full Frontal Feminism, Jessica's first book. You might also want to read other sex lit books like Sex at Dawn and How Sex Works. Both books explain that virginity was imposed by human males when they began privatizing their property and therefore, controlling women. [ 08-07-2010, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: askwhatyouneed ]