Psychologists Amanda Gesselman and Justin Garcia, from the University of Indiana, and Gregory Webster, from the University of Florida, have conducted a study on the perception of virginity in today's world. They found that, although in other times reaching marriage a virgin was a positive moral and social value , premarital sexual activity is already so common that those who do not start in late adolescence begin to feel discriminated against.
Through three field studies, the aforementioned authors have discovered that young people who are out of the loop – that is, who have not had relationships while their peers have enjoyed them – feel that they are going to be rejected due to their lack of experience. in the subject. In fact, many predicted that they would be undervalued not only when having sex, but also when starting a love relationship, because their potential partners could associate their inexperience in bed with personality problems.
Experts recall that it is a subjective perception: although virginity was not a negative factor when it comes to maintaining relationships, those who have not yet made their debut in sex feel it as an obstacle . This makes them feel more insecure and engage in less-than-ideal relationships to remove stigma. What is worrisome about this form of social pressure is that it leads many young people to rush into deflowering without really feeling the desire, so as not to suffer the ridicule to which they believe their younger friends are going to subject them.
