Facts about Virginity
Traditionally, there has been a widespread belief that the loss of virginity before marriage is a matter of deep shame.
Virginity is a term used to describe the state of never having engaged in sexual intercourse.
Until recently, some states which have a significant Christian population have or have had laws protecting virginity.
The status of virginity is respected and valued in certain societies, particularly when there are religious views regarding sexual conduct before marriage.
The loss of virginity can be viewed as a milestone to be proud of or as a failure to be ashamed of, depending on cultural perceptions.
Maintaining virginity, sexual purity, until ready for these life-changing experiences has been held as the standard in most cultures.
Virginity has been often considered to be a virtue denoting purity and physical self-restraint and is an important characteristic of some mythical figures, such as the Greek goddesses Athena, Artemis, and Hestia.
The partner during the loss of virginity is sometimes colloquially said to "take" the virginity of the virgin partner.
Nevertheless, Mary continues to be revered as a symbol of purity and godliness, of which her virginity prior to becoming the mother of Jesus is an integral part.
Female virginity is closely interwoven with personal or even family honor in many cultures.
A person who still has his or her virginity can accordingly be described as being a virgin.
The act of losing one's virginity, that is, of a first sexual experience, is commonly considered within Western culture to be an important life event and a rite of passage.
The first virginity pledge program was True Love Waits, started in 1993, by the Southern Baptist Convention, which now claims over 2.5 million pledgers world-wide in dozens of countries.
Until recently, some states which have a significant Christian population have or have had laws protecting virginity.
Advocacy of virginity pledges is often coupled with support for abstinence-only sex education in public schools.
Virginity pledges (or abstinence pledges) are commitments made by teenagers and young adults to refrain from sexual intercourse until marriage.