Vindictive Valenti

By Anonymous -
We started to read “The Purity Myth” this week. I do have to say the author Jessica Valenti is a rather angry woman when it comes to the standard of maintaining virginity until marriage. If one can read through her rants on Christian organizations, the real meat of her thoughts comes into view. Her point is that the conservative view of maintaining virginity overshadows the bigger sexual issues that plague our country. Valenti points out the over sexualizing of youth as one of these bigger issues, and she is right, to an extent. This particular issue is addressed by many of the same conservative Christians that promote waiting until marriage to have sex. This is just one of many topics that plagued me while working through the chapters. The other thing that plagued me was the thought of this book actually promoting youth sex. Is it? I really am not sure. Her voice may be intended for the 17 and older reader, and if her statistics are correct, is about the age when teens are having their first sexual experience. Valenti could have been more powerful with her message to this older teen group if her thought process was a bit more clear and less of a personal rant against conservative Christian groups. She has a great deal to say and valid points concerning the sexualizing of women and girls that should be addressed by our society.

Robin Apelado

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