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Reviews
The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti
aliyahovert's review against another edition
5.0
although a little outdated at this point, this was a very interesting read full of info that i think everyone should understand and appreciate.
madsmacmath's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.25
Reading this in 2024, knowing it was published in 2010, is shocking.
I wish someone had given this book to me, my mom, or any adults around me when I was younger. I don’t know that they would’ve listened, but I would have benefited from this research before age 29.
I wish someone had given this book to me, my mom, or any adults around me when I was younger. I don’t know that they would’ve listened, but I would have benefited from this research before age 29.
yikesnation's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this book up because I’m interested in reading about sexuality and feminism as a way to both learn more about the world but also about myself and my past experiences. This book was a great introduction to the importance of working against the beliefs held against women in America, but it’s just that. There were parts of this book that were new to me and provoked some internal conversations, but a lot of it was repetitive and surface level?
I think this would pair well with Men Who Hate Women and Jesus and John Wayne, especially the chapter about sex in modern Christian belief systems. I appreciated that there was mention of the intersection of the purity myth and racism, classism, and homophobia, but Valenti did not go into great depths connecting it all, which is fine, that’s why other pieces of work exist.
I think this would pair well with Men Who Hate Women and Jesus and John Wayne, especially the chapter about sex in modern Christian belief systems. I appreciated that there was mention of the intersection of the purity myth and racism, classism, and homophobia, but Valenti did not go into great depths connecting it all, which is fine, that’s why other pieces of work exist.
emleemay's review against another edition
4.0
I'm not a fan of all of Valenti's work but she gets it right with this one. Valenti addresses many important issues in The Purity Myth and manages to effectively make the point that a woman's sexuality shouldn't matter. She doesn't resort to virgin-shaming, that's not what this book is about, but instead suggests that women should not be judged based on whether they are having sex, how often they are having sex or who they are having sex with. A very thought-provoking and interesting book.
butle2em's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism and Abortion
Minor: Adult/minor relationship
abgushte's review against another edition
3.0
I really wanted to like this book; I truly did. But what I also really wanted was a book I could give to my mom and explain to her that this is what I truly believe and that her notions of morality that she was raised with hurt women--and that IS something she is morally against. So that means I started reading it from the perspective of what my mother might get from it, and Valenti always fell short of really driving the message home. The point was always implied but never really stated and outlined in plain language right from the beginning, and instead there were a bunch of inside jokes shared with those who were in-the-know which just made it seem really exclusive and alienating. Furthermore, I agree with other reviews that her analysis of studies and articles were really lacking. It was always implied that x or y was ridiculous but she never came out and explained WHY. As repetitive as that may seem to do that every other page or whatever I feel it's really necessary to engage readers who are unfamiliar with the topic because they're going to keep going back to their core values when they disagree and as an author you have to be ready to counter that every time.
So like I said...not what I was looking for. I fully support Valenti's views and I will use this book as a source to express my own beliefs, but I was hoping for something that's more 101.
So like I said...not what I was looking for. I fully support Valenti's views and I will use this book as a source to express my own beliefs, but I was hoping for something that's more 101.
kirajoy's review against another edition
3.0
An important point to make and make again and again, and yet this book felt banal and repetitive, and seems to be written knowing that those who disagreed would be unlikely to pick up this book. I would recommend reading the first few chapters of the book and calling it a day. Nothing new is introduced thereafter.