Re: [UUPoly-L] "Deflowering" (was RE: enough already)

["Catherine Deville" <catdeville@cox.net>]

Again, context... I am speaking in the context that this is a *historical*
cultural precedent.  Of course it is changing.  That's something women have
been fighting for over the last few centuries. And we've finally started
making progress.  But this is where the precedent *comes* from.  

And if we ignore that... if we ignore the historical context, the reason
that these cultural "norms" exist, then we have not learned a thing, and
will not be able to move forward. Indeed, the moment that we forget that
this is the way that things "are", the more likely it becomes that we will
move backward. 

Anecdotally I also recognize that there are people who no longer care, who
don't consider a woman "despoiled" by no longer having an intact hymen.  Yet
there are still people who *do* care... and that's the worrisome thing.
Until we all let go of all of the many manifestations of the sexual double
standard, women (as a group) will never be free of being thought of as
child-bearers first, and anything else last.  Until we acknowledge and move
away from all of the traditions connected to that custom, women will never
truly be free or equal partners.  

NT, 
Cat

-----Original Message-----
From: uupoly-l-bounces+catdeville=cox.net@uupa.org
[mailto:uupoly-l-bounces+catdeville=cox.net@uupa.org] On Behalf Of
WABaldwin@aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 11:54 PM
To: uupoly-l@uupa.org
Subject: Re: [UUPoly-L] "Deflowering" (was RE: enough already)

 
In a message dated 9/30/2008 11:38:28 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
catdeville@cox.net writes:

And  *that's* why female virginity is important in this (and many  other,
patriarchal, cultures), and it's also why only women can be  "deflowered".
Because a man cannot be "despoiled" by sexual intercourse.  


Except that, to many people, I sense (no - I'm not providing a citation for

this claim!) that it *doesn't* matter.