Auctioning off virginity
Is a 22-year-old woman's decision immoral, or smart business?
Is 22-year-old Natalie Dylan making a “potentially lucrative” business deal by auctioning off her virginity to pay for college, said Jeremy Taylor in AOL News, “or is it an immoral act with long-term ramifications?” It’s hard to say. But even though she’s using a pseudonym, “there is a good chance her real name will get on the Internet,” which may not be appealing to “boyfriends, potential employers, and future grandchildren.”
But “can anyone in the modern world provide a compelling reason why this is wrong?” said Genevieve Kineke in Feminine Genius. It’s certainly consistent “with the ‘values’ peddled around the clock by our pop culture.” And besides, “a woman owns her body” and can enter into “whatever transactions she likes.”
But virginity is a “beautiful gift” from God, said Dennis Babish in The Point, and it’s “meant only for that special man in marriage.” And what’s astonishing is that “she wants to do this so she can go to college and receive a master's in marriage and family therapy,” and “she already has a bachelor's degree in women's studies”—talk about a “disconnect.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com