The Cult and Its Virgin Sacrifice

Abstract

The loss of virginity is arguably the most important rite of passage in American society today. In the first place, it is a nearly universal experience cutting across ethnic, class, racial, religious, and gender lines. The event of “the first time” may occur in homosexual or heterosexual encounters and within committed or casual relationships. In short, sooner or later, in one way or another, the vast majority of Americans lose their virginity. Second, defloration is a critical rite of passage because it typically is experienced by young people yet always carries the possibility of serious adult consequences. For this reason, much of the political discourse about teen sexuality is motivated and fueled by statistics concerning sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assaults, and unwanted pregnancies. Third, the loss of virginity matters a great deal in a society in which sexual activity constitutes normative adult behavior. Although cotillion balls are fading away and weddings are occurring increasingly later in adulthood (if at all), the moment of defloration remains an important initiation into mature social interactions.