Defining Virginity
Oxford dictionary defines virginity in two ways; both as being the state of never having had sexual intercourse and/or the state of being naive, innocent, or inexperienced in a particular context [ 2 ]. When dissecting the first, and more widely understood definition, we must consider what exactly ‘sexual intercourse’ refers to. For most people, sex involves sexual experience, sexual orientation, consent, and many other factors that may alter an individual’s concept of both sex and virginity. While this subsection will not explicitly discuss these elements, it is still important to recognize these factors when working through the arguments provided.
In a Planned Parenthood Ask the Experts Q & A forum regarding the definition of virginity the forum reassures that identifying degrees of virginity is solely up to the individual [ 3 ]. The Q &A provides insight on the more common understanding of virginity being both parties participating in vaginal intercourse- a definition which excludes LGBTQ+ Another common preconception of losing virginity is a broken hymen, a small piece of thin fleshy tissue at the opening of the vagina [ 4 ]. This definition invites a medical misconception of female genitalia in intercourse considering the hymen can be broken by a number of experiences unrelated to vaginal penetration.
References:
[ 2 ] Oxford Dictionary Editors. n.d. “VIRGINITY English Definition and Meaning.” Lexico.com. Accessed December 6, 2021. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/virginity.
[ 3 ] Kendall at Planned Parenthood. 2011. “What is the definition of a virgin?” Planned Parenthood. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/ask-experts/what-is-the-definition-of-a-virgin.
[ 4 ] Lewis, Helen. 2021. “The Cult of Virginity Just Won’t Let Go.” The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/pseudoscience-virginity-testing-hymenoplasty/620089/.