User:Arwynraine/Virginity

Africa
In a place such as Africa, with a predominantly patriarchal ruled society, virginity isn't just representative of a girl who either is or isn't a virgin but it also represents her family as well. In Africa, the Congo specifically, A woman's virginity represents her purity and her family's honour, it is traditionally believed that women should remain virgins until marriage.

Asia
For some countries like Turkey pre-marital sex is seen as a “taboo” with many family believing there daughter should only be wed as a virgin, if not many believe it brings dishonour and holds a lack of high moral standards. For other countries like China many families believe the same, that with the lack of virginity in marriage means a lack of honour. Many people in China have double standards when it comes to female virginity, with some men and women holding a high importance to marry a women whose a virgin, yet many of these people also fantasise about having sex with their partner and persuading them into sexual relations, which leaves these women with set backs when it comes to family relations and marriage in later life.

USA
For most countries in the world virginity is a representation of family and ones own honour, in countries like the United States virginity is related to someones self identity and in some cases a factor of ones social identity. In the united sates opinions and judgement can be passed around based not only on if a person has previously had sex but if their still a virgin. The older a person becomes while remaining a virgin the more shocking it is for others to believe, creating a stigma around someone and their virginity status, which leads to feeling more awkward and alienated than in normal circumstance, when the time does comes.

Mexico
For family's in Mexico, many hold traditional views and ways of life, especially when it comes to the female virginity, wanting girls to stay virgins until the time of marriage. Latina women tend to recognise and respect the views of their parents and family, yet most want to decide for themselves what should happen to their bodies, viewing virginity as a factor of self identity. Waiting until marriage to have sex is popular in Mexico but women also believe that waiting will produce set backs and wont guarantee a good marriage.

UK
The UK, like many other countries, is a highly patriarchal ruled country, holding a higher value on men than women. The majority of the population in the UK practices Christianity as a religion, leading many people in the country to have an importance on tradition and practice a traditional way of life. People tend to want women to stay virgins until marriage, thinking if they don't, it'll leave her tarnished. In cases where women do have sex prior to marriage, many will be subjected to different forms of punishment from their family, genital mutilations, honour killings and virginity tests have become popular in the UK due to social and cultural reasons.