Abstract
Sexual abstinence is generally interpreted as a health-promotion practice, in particular to avoid HIV/AIDS risk and unwanted pregnancy and parenthood. This paper offers insight into narratives and interactional fantasizing that challenge common conceptions of sexual abstinence. The data come from several interviews and group discussions conducted in a netnographic context, altogether involving 21 European, middle‐ and upper‐middle‐class women who have never engaged in sexual intercourse or who are sexually experienced but have discontinued sexual practices for some reason. The women’s narratives and interactional fantasizing about sexual abstinence can reveal positive societal effects such as opposing sexualisation of culture and pressure for sex, but also more individual perspectives such as promoting self-esteem, psycho-physical well-being, work productivity and career prospects. Narratives and interactional fantasizing seem to play an important role in examining how sexual abstinence can impact society, especially people’s perception of sexuality and gender roles.
Highlights
Like any other social phenomenon, sexual abstinence is seen through the lens of values, beliefs, ideas, and practices
This study aims to investigate the role that sexual abstinence plays among more adult, middle‐ and upper‐middle‐class women
While narrative studies usually rely on stories about present and past experiences, here the role of fantasies about sexual abstinence has been taken into account
Summary
Like any other social phenomenon, sexual abstinence is seen through the lens of values, beliefs, ideas, and practices. These aspects can help to understand reasons and motives behind sexual abstinence and reveal important insights about society. While narrative studies usually rely on stories about present and past experiences, here the role of fantasies about sexual abstinence has been taken into account. In this way, the study benefits both from a wider participant selection and from stories that consider imaginary events to expand the understanding of sexual abstinence towards unexplored dimensions
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