The ambiguity of "having sex": The subjective experience of virginity lossin the United States

Ambiguity, surrounds virginity, loss as defined and interpreted by young pe ople in the contemporary, United States. Drawing on in-depth case studies o f 61 women and men of various sexual orientations, ages 18 to 35, I explore the influence of that ambiguity, on conduct and identity. Although uniform ly agreeing that virginity, loss could occur through first coitus, most res pondents claimed that other kinds of genital sex could also sometimes resul t in virginity loss. Many argued that virginity, could not be lost through rape. Respondents offered three primary interpretations of virginity-as a g ift, stigma, or part of a process-which were associated with distinctive pr esentations of self, choices of virginity-loss partner, and contraceptive p ractices. Different definitions and interpretations of virginity, loss gave distinctive shape to individuals' choices about the transitions from virgi n to nonvirgin identity. Understandings of virginity loss were further patt erned by, gender and sexual orientation.