...memories, good or for ill. Laura Carpenter, in this readable and informative book, explores the transition from being a virgin to becoming a non-virgin; an experience she labels "virginity loss." Carpenter charts the beliefs and experiences of young adults and argues that most people describe their virginity loss in terms of a metaphor, mostly as: a gift, a stigma or as a rite of passage/a process.

For those who viewed virginity loss as a "gift," the experience is recalled in romantic terms and usually involves a longstanding chosen partner. For the "stigma" group virginity was thought to be a burden to be shed as soon as possible and with any available and accessible partner, in some cases someone never seen again, or as a "hooking up" arrangement. For those in the rites of passage category, labeled "processors," virginity loss was more about becoming an adult and often involved pragmatic planning like being prepared with contraception or condoms. Carpenter notes...

NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.



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