The purity myth by Jessica Valenti | Open Library (original) (raw)
The purity myth
how America's obsession with virginity is hurting young women
by Jessica Valenti
- 21 Want to read
"The United States is obsessed with virginity - from the media to schools to government agencies. The Purity Myth is a critique about why this is so, and why it's problematic for girls and women. Analyzing cultural stereotypes and media messages, Jessica Valenti reveals the overt and hidden ways our society links a young woman's worth to her sexuality rather than to values like honesty, kindness, and altruism."--Jacket.
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Subjects
Virginity Social aspects of Virginity Nonfiction Young women Sexual behavior Women's Studies Social aspects Women, sexual behavior Women, united states Young women--sexual behavior Young women--sexual behavior--united states Virginity--social aspects Virginity--social aspects--united states Hq29 .v338 2010 306.73
Places
United States
Book Details
Table of Contents
Edition Notes
Published in
Emeryville, CA
The Physical Object
Pagination
p. cm.
Number of pages
263
Edition Identifiers
Open Library
OL22560557M
ISBN 10
1580052533
ISBN 13
9781580052535
LCCN
OCLC/WorldCat
LibraryThing
Goodreads
Work Identifiers
Work ID
OL8930063W
Source records
- Library of Congress MARC record
- Library of Congress MARC record
- marc_openlibraries_sanfranciscopubliclibrary MARC record
- Marygrove College MARC record
- Library of Congress MARC record
- marc_columbia MARC record
- marc_nuls MARC record
- Harvard University record
Work Description
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 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 virgin 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.
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