re: Emphasis on Virginity in some cultures
Hmm, interesting question OP. In the west, both genders are mocked for being virgins past a certain age but a girl will still be seen as a s.l.u.t or a hoe if she sleeps around…and with the teenager lot…sleeping with just one person can be enough to earn her such labels. I think media plays a role in how society views sex. It is one factor and a I feel it’s a big one. Media contributes toward the change in societal trends …and these trends include attitudes about various issues.
I watched a documentary on the kailaash people and I think in their culture premarital sex is not taboo. However, they lack exposure to the media…which is the factor that I cited above. So, not sure why it’s not a bigger deal for this specific group and perhaps other indigenous people. My guess is that people like the Kailaash are very connected to nature and this may include one’s own natural instincts and so sex could be seen as something purely natural that is not wrong and therefore should not be restricted. However, it’s interesting that menstruation…which is also natural…is viewed by them as something so impure that the women are to be confined to a separate living space during their monthly courses.