Much has been said about how bad virginity cult is for women's mental health, but I want to take a look at how it really messes with men's heads as well.
Virginity cult is easily traceable to Patrilineal societies, where knowing the father of a child is critical to the passing of property and power. Virginity becomes a Virtue because it is the most certain way to knowing paternity.
For a man in such a Patriarchal culture, potential sexual partners are divided into two groups. There are Good Girls, who are welcome in society, and can command respect, and there are Whores who are pariahs, and not worthy of respect.
The difference between these two groups is that one has been touched by a penis. That's all. Touch a Good Girl with a penis, and *poof*, she's a Whore. Even if she didn't want the touch. While it's not overtly stated, the internalized message for men is this:
PENISES ARE CURSED.
The curse can be abated by a religious ceremony. After the Wedding ceremony, he can touch her with his penis, and she changes from a Good Girl into a Good Woman. But, the penis curse is still active. Any other woman the man touches with his Cursed Object still becomes a Whore. If any other Cursed Object touches the Good Woman, *poof* she's a Whore again. The curse is that powerful.
What a terrible head trip. A part of his body that ought to be a source of intimacy and fun is a metaphysical deadly weapon. Wanting to have sex with a woman is the same as wanting to defile her. It's no wonder this culture generates abuse.
Looking at Patriarchal culture in the light of this superstition explains some things, though.
It's what makes "Fuck you" an insult.
It's why women in politics get rape threats. (and men don't) The threat is not about sex, it's about destroying her ability to command respect through use of the Cursed Object.
This also explains the Patriarchal view that lesbians are hot, but gay men are not. Two Good Girls having sex with each other are not defiled, not matter how lascivious they get. But... if a Cursed Object touches another Cursed Object... do they curse each other? Does it set up feedback for an Ultimate Curse? Might it defile the entire world?
It can be the cause of violence against trans women. What the superstitious man thought was a harmless Whore turns out to be concealing a Cursed Object.
And, to drift a little from the topic of how this twists men's thinking, this idea is also where TERFs come from. They are so afraid of the Cursed Object, they believe even surgery can not remove the curse.
