Navigating virginities

Enactment of sexual agency among Arab women in the USA

Datos Bibliográficos

ID15099472
AutoresSarah Abboud (0000-0002-3822-7484, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA;, autor de correspondencia), Yzette Lanier (0000-0002-7988-2370, New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY, USA), Loretta Sweet Jemmott (0000-0001-8509-5827, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA;), Marilyn S Sommers (0000-0001-5007-2262, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA;)
Año2019
Volumen21
Número10
Páginas1103-1116
Fecha de publicación2019-10-03
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCulture Health & Sexuality (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1369-1058 • E-ISSN: 1464-5351
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13691058.2018.1539249
PMID30646837
OpenAlexW2909108088
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas40

People interpret virginity in a variety of ways with different implications for sexual identity and behaviour. In Arab societies, heterosexuality and compulsory virginity before marriage are traditionally understood as ideals for a 'good' Arab girl, a 'good' Arab family and, consequently, a 'good' Arab society. In this study, our goal was to gain an in-depth understanding of the enactment of sexual agency and decision-making around virginity from the perspectives of Arab women living in the USA. We conducted a qualitative phenomenological study involving interviews with ten women whose accounts could be grouped into three distinct types: 'For me, it's the person you marry that you will be doing these things with'; 'I want to wait until marriage but I know there might be a possibility where I'm not'; and 'I started dating this guy, and I did lose my virginity to him'. The life stories of the women illustrate different ways of enacting sexual agency that are strongly influenced by socio-cultural norms and contexts. Our findings have important implications for future research to better understand decisions and behaviours about virginity and how Arab women in the USA enact their sexuality

Developmental psychology · Girl · Heterosexuality · Human sexuality · Sexual identity · Social science · Sociology · Virginity test · Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting Issues · Gender Studies · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Marriage and Sexual Relationships · Psychology · Social Psychology