Event was part of ‘Redefining Sex Week’
The College of New Jersey’s Women in Learning and Leadership program recently hosted a discussion titled “the Virginity Monologues” as part of the program’s “Redefining Sex Week.”
The event allowed students to “share their personal experiences with virginity, how it has affected their lives and their overall opinions on the subject as a concept and social construct,” according to the school’s newspaper, The Signal.
Attendees were given the chance to vote their opinions on virginity. “Six students voted that virginity is a ‘blessing,’ seven voted ‘curse’ and 23 voted ‘it’s complicated’,” according to The Signal.
New Jersey College alumna Kayla Termyna coordinated the event, telling attendees that she was “greatly empowered by virginity” and that “I’ve literally made it the most interesting thing about myself.”
“Virginity originally became important because men needed it to prove their paternity,” Termyna told the crowd. “Over time, societal values have been regulated to place value on this, and this somehow translated into women being the moral compasses of society.”
The audience adopted a feeling of encouragement when the need to be ready, to be safe, and to not let others pressure you when it comes to sex, was emphasized.
Gigi Garrity, a junior psychology major and vice executive chair of WILL, discussed the pressures she felt from a young relationship.
“I didn’t understand the power of my own body and how rad I was,” Garrity said.
Today, Garrity feels comfortable talking about sex openly, but stresses that it’s best to wait until an individual is ready and comfortable to do so.
“The reason why I like to speak about this so much is because sex can be an amazing, awesome, wonderful (and a) very gratifying experience for both parties,” Garrity said.
[Sophomore Rachel] Smith continued this theme of empowerment, as well as the idea that others’ opinions about one’s personal choices do not matter.
“It shouldn’t matter who you’re doing it with or what others think, as long as you’re doing it for yourself,” Smith said.
According to Women in Learning and Leadership, other events that took place over “Redefining Sex Week” included a viewing of “Life After Porn,” an event titled “Dis/Ability Sex and Accessible Sex,” a “Sex Trivia” contest, and a “Queer Sex Panel.”
Read The Signal‘s report here.
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