How Different Cultures Handle Losing Their Virginity
Virginity has become an obsolete concept in modern Western society,
allowing young women to experiment with their sexuality while their male
counterparts are doing the same. This actually results in a healthier
more well-adjusted sexual identity later in life. However, virginity has
not totally left the modern scene. Many cultures are still upholding
the value of virginity or pre-marital chastity, mainly on the basis of
predominant religious concepts.
The most popular advocate of virginity is the Catholic Church. Its most
obvious validation for this stand is the teaching that all young girls
are the Virgin Mary’s daughters. As such, and having presented Mary as
the most pristine and chaste of all women, young Catholic girls are
therefore forced to follow her lead throughout their lives. Of course, sex
is not prohibited once the woman has entered into the sacrament of
marriage. However, while married women are viewed with respect and
approval, women who remain virgins all their lives are considered as
consecrated. Thus, the latter still achieves a higher status in the Catholic
community. Aside from using the Virgin Mary, the Catholic Church has also
employed countless symbolisms in order to justify the importance of
virginity. Canonizing St. Maria Goretti, who died while trying to fight off
a rapist, presents such a symbolism.
While the Catholic Church in ancient times did impose cruel punishments
on women who become unchaste out of wedlock, modern ideologies have
already diminished such harmful practices. However, while Catholic girls
may have been spared such pain and humiliation, those from other
cultures have to contend with much graver consequences. One such culture is
present in Hindu countries. Chastity is a crucial virtue for all Hindu
women, not only before they get married, but also after the latter’s
termination, usually upon the husband’s death. Thus, if the husband dies,
the widow, who is no longer a virgin, is not suited to wed someone else.
Furthermore, her existence becomes not only superfluous, but abhorrent
as well. Thus, the ancient practice called Sati was performed. This
custom usually prescribes that during the husband’s cremation, the wife
shall fling herself into the flames. In so doing, she cements her faith
and honor as a wife. A modified version of such practice is called
the Jauhar or Jouhar. This custom is performed on a larger scale,
likewise prescribing that the wives kill themselves, but this time, with
their husband’s imminent death in mind.
These heinous practices are now outlawed in India, but some
fundamentalists still press for a reversion to these traditions. Nevertheless,
premarital chastity is still a highly treasured virtue in Hinduism today.
The same statement holds true for Islamic cultures. Muslim brides must
remain chaste until the night of their wedding. According to Islamic
teachings, Allah created the hymen because it serves the function of
determining the validity of intercourse, in which women may engage after
marriage. The hymen is present in order to make it clear to women that
sexual relations outside the marriage bond are perversions of a holy act
and are considered unclean. Islam prizes the body’s cleanliness above
most things, and should, thus, be protected and upheld.
Unlike the modern Western culture, those discussed above maintain the
importance of virginity before marriage. However, the decision of
whether or not virginity is important depends essentially on personal choice.
After all, a woman must be free to choose, without fear or coercion,
what she can or cannot do to her own body.
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