Re: MALE virginity
Geoffrey Graham (ggraham@minerva.cis.yale.edu)
10 Oct 1995 00:27:23 GMT
I would be hesitant to equate the act of sexual intercourse on the part of
a male with that of a female in a definition of "male virginity", because
the two acts, though now regarded by most modern industiralized societies
as roughly equivalent, are often regarded in quite contrasting lights by
most societies. It might be more accurate to say that males who have
never been penetrated in anal intercourse are "virgins".
It is not immediately apparent what kind of "virginity" exists for males
otherwise, given the views of traditional cultures to the subject of
"virginity" which usually involve the "sullying", "using", or penetration
of a female and consequent loss of her hymen, respect and value, as a bride
(unless she is already married and hence possessed by her male partner).
I think the analogy of penile penetration is more appropriate as a
psychological correlate to loss of virginity in the traditional sense.
The act of a young male's "taking" the virginity of a girl, is usually, in
most pre-industrial, peasant societies, regarded as a right of passage and
heroic fete of sorts, while the loss of virginity on the part of the girl is
regarded as a horrible onus or shame. The value of virginity is high, but
the conquest of virginity is a heroic goal to be sought.
In this type of context, I do not see how heterosexual intercourse would
create a similar "loss" of virginity for males, at least not in the types
of cultures which value virginity and have created its whole mystique.
The meaning attached to the "loss", if "loss" it be, for males in these
cultures, is entirely at odds with the "loss" that is assigned to females.
Therefore, the only appropriate equivalent, for non-industrial peasant
societies is likely to be integrity of the anus from penetration by other
males, because only this kind of "loss" is likely to produce the
consequent shame and ostracism that could be compared to that which
non-virgin girls acquire.
I think it is noteworthy that most societies, other than the
industrialized First-World, after the fashion of our primate brethren,
view penetration as a form of dominance behavior, in which the penetrator
receives glory and honor for his exploits, while the penetree is reduced
to untouchable status.
Places like the Middle East, Mexico, and Southern Europe are classic
examples of this attitude. Many Arab men brag about the number of men
whose "asses" they have "had", while no one in their peer group would ever
think of considering them "homosexual" for their exploits. The men that
they have "fucked" are, however, regared with contempt and scorn. He who
"gives it" is a "real man" and he who "takes it" is reduced to symbolic
"womanhood" and the acquisition of "womanhood" and its implied
"castration" is the most low of conditions of which such "male-supremist"
societies can conceive.
Please write me with your comments. I do not make it to this newsgroup
that often.
Yours,
Geoffrey Graham
Yale University Graduate Student
ggraham@minerva.cis.yale.edu
_________________________________________________________________________
David Stites (dstites@ncia.com) wrote:
: nakis@ix.netcom.com (Michael Nakis ) wrote:
: >Male virginity
: >Is there anybody out there who has ever heard of this concept before, or
: >is this an original theory of mine?
: >I will be posting more on the issue if I do not receive any replies, but
: >first I want to see whether there are any people out there who are
: >already aware of the issue.
: >The concept of male virginity also offers the only explanation of the
: >ritual of circumcision that is actually worth considering as an
: >explanation.
: >I am listening...
: Males who have not engaged in sexual intercourse are virgins. I that
: everybody knew that.
: David Stites
: dstites@ncia.com
: Don't tread on me
|