Viginit p-s

An outdated, harmful,
fictional concept

> Sexual definitions and the

control of our bodies

Cazzy Lewchuk
Opinions Editor

 

Vian is almost as obsessed upon in
our society as sex. The pressure to lose
it, stories of losing it, and teases of losing
it are abundant in pop culture, as well as
in our formative teenage years. Everyone
focuses on their first time, or is secretly
ashamed over having not done the deed.

Ultimately, the concept of virginity
was invented as a puritanical method of
control. The notion of “sexual purity”
is gross and incredibly harmful, as it
is shaming others for having any sort
of sexual intercourse. As the idea of
consent was not taken seriously by most
of our patriarchal society until quite
recently (and is still widely disregarded),
many losses of virginity were—and
still are—due to sexual assaults.

Sexual intercourse takes many forms
and can vary from person to person.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community
have sex in a lot of different ways,
many of which are not the traditional
“penis penetrating a vagina” form
society knows. That's not to say that
heterosexual couples adhere strictly
to the “traditional form,” either. Many
people go their entire lives with regular
and healthy sexual activity, but never
losing virginity in the traditional sense.

It’s not just
the LGBTQ+
who may not
fit in with the
traditional
virginity
structure. Those
who have suffered
abuse or trauma
involving sex have
psychological or
physical intimacy
problems. They can still
have intimate relationships
with partners, but that
form of sexual conduct may
not appeal. The same goes for
those with issues or disabilities that
physically prevent them from traditional
intercourse. Sex is a private matter and
there is no single “right” way to do it.

The concept was primarily used to
discourage girls from taking control of
their own bodies. In days when women
were considered property of their fathers
and then husbands, virginity was seen as a
controlling tool. All too often, even today,
girls who have committed the unspeakable
sin of doing something sexual are seen
as “damaged goods” or “not pure.”

A woman's hymen, a piece of
membrane inside the vagina, is often
seen as an indication of virginity in

 

   

  

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many cultures.
Traditionally, the hymen breaks upon first
penetration. However, it can and does
break as a result of many other physical
behaviours, including simple exercise.
Thus, there is no physical or medical way
to tell ifa girl has actually had physical
intercourse. Anyone who discusses
hymens as a virginity detector doesn’t have
a clue about what they’re talking about.
The toxic patriarchy doesn’t just hurt
women in virginity pressures. “Manliness”

  

&
Kf

 

  
     

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Illustration by Ed Appleby

  

focusing
on whether
or not a male
is “still a virgin”
is just as harmful
and terrifying for the
same reasons listed above. By
focusing heavily on this, shame and
anger can grow, and some men begin
to resent those who aren't interested in
having sex with them. Your self-worth
is not defined by sexual activity, nor is
your empowerment or attractiveness.
In the end, virginity was made up
by others a long time ago to control our
lives. It’s time to reject the outdated
concept and understand the variety
that goes into sexual activity, with
room for interpretation and privacy.

Progressive drug education is essential
in reducing the harms of drugs

> Misinformation and stigma will not solve the problem

Cazzy Lewchuk
Opinions Editor

 

D rug legalization is a complicated
and divisive topic. Treatment,
addiction, and the ethics of drug use
is just as controversial. Whatever
your opinion, | think we can all agree:
our goals should at least start with
the deaths related to drug use being
reduced, and eventually eliminated.

Awareness of the stigma and proper
education on the realities of drugs are
some of the most powerful tools in
combating the problem faced by society
today. Regardless of one’s stance on drugs,
we must agree that understanding the
true dangers is an essential. This goes
for current drug users, those who may
use in the future, and even for those who
will never, ever use the substances.

It is one thing to teach that heroin
is bad and addictive. While opiates feel
great, it can and does lead many to a life of
constant withdrawal, obsession, and fatal

overdoses. How many of us are taught
in school of the true effects
heroin has on the body
and mind? How much
science is devoted to
understanding how
drugs affect the brain
and the biochemistry
of your body?
Misinformation
and lack of proper
accessibility to
the truths about
drugs can be downright
dangerous. If those who
seek to try drugs realize
they’ve been lied to, they have
trouble understanding fact from
fiction. If one thinks certain
dangers are exaggerated,
they’re less inclined
to believe other
dangers. If one
doesn't instantly
become hooked on
a substance, they may conclude

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  

their drug education was totally useless
and that these substances
aren't at all addictive.
Unfortunately, many of
these dangers are actually
quite true. Cocaine is
°, not something one
* will instantly fatally
© overdose on the first
3 time (probably), but
% itisn’t a harmless
= recreational
% substance, either.
= With the
stigma and illegal
status of drugs,
accessing
proper
education is
suppressed and
discouraged. While
I generally support
decriminalization
of drugs, I believe
accessibility and
honesty is what’s most

important, regardless of legal status. I
believe withholding information on these
substances does not decrease usage, and
only serves to harm pretty much everyone.
With the rise of fentanyl (which is
much, much more dangerous than any
commonly-used drug), that education is
more important than ever. Many people
in Vancouver (and around the world) do
not understand how easy it is for someone
to overdose from fentanyl lacing, or that
an addict’s usual dose would not be fatal
if not for the presence of fentanyl. Many,
particularly the most vulnerable users,
do not even know what fentany] really is
or how undetectable it can be. Fentanyl
is colourless, odourless, and it only takes
a few specks to kill without treatment.
Fentanyl is basically the made-up horrors
of bad drug education becoming reality.
Telling our youth not to do drugs
and giving vague descriptions of their
dangers isn’t enough. We need to be
clear and honest about the science
and impact of addiction, and the true
effects of narcotics on an individual.