Worth more: the dicotomy of women's sexuality

An xx friend sent me this article from Today books with an excerpt from “The Purity Myth” by Jessica Valenti (Seal Press) and, as a female who is minimally versed in the feminist discussion, I thought it was really thoughtful and thought-provoking. She takes the discussion beyond just abstinence, delving into what we are focusing on when we put so much moral weight on it.

Jessica has an edge, which may be met with heightened criticism, as any pro-choice, pro-contraceptive, progressive voice would be, but I found the most striking points she makes ring true, no matter your stance on such issues:

the message [society is sending] is ... a woman’s worth lies in her ability — or her refusal — to be sexual. And we’re teaching American girls that, one way or another, their bodies and their sexuality are what make them valuable.

It’s time to teach our daughters that their ability to be good people depends on their being good people, not on whether or not they’re sexually active.

Valenti is the founder and head editor over at Feministing, and according to Wikipedia, has been topic of converstion beyond the blog, including some backlash from other so called feminists.