February Book Club - 'The Purity Myth' by Jessica Valenti

When: Tuesday, Feb 7th at 7pm - 9pm
Where: Accent's Coffee Shop - Downstairs
How to find us: We'll have the book displayed upright on the table.
The Book: 'The Purity Myth' by Jessica Valenti
Facebook Event: RSVP here 

About:

• The United States is obsessed with virginity from the media to schools to government agencies. The Purity Myth is an important and timely critique of about why this is so, and why it’s problematic for girls and women. Analyzing cultural stereotypes and media messages, Jessica Valenti reveals the overt and hidden ways our society links a woman’s worth to her sexuality rather than to values like honesty, kindness, and altruism. Valenti takes on issues ranging from abstinence-only education to pornography and exposes the legal and social punishments that women who dare to have sex endure. Importantly, she also offers solutions that pave the way for a future without a damaging emphasis on virginity, including a call to rethink male sexuality and reframe the idea of “losing it.” With Valenti’s usual balance of intelligence and wit, The Purity Myth presents a powerful and revolutionary argument that valuing girls and women for their sexuality needs to stop–and outlines a new vision for how it can happen.
  

While this book does focus quite a lot on the American issues, many similar issues can be seen in parallel in Ireland and all over the western world. This book poses some interesting questions and offers some terrifying facts. 

It has also been made into a documentary which the IFN may screen in future, trailer below. 

---

---

The Purity Myth Trailer