Virginity and Sexism

Female virginity seems to be sacrosanct in several different cultures, and the Incan society is no different from others.  In Garcilaso de la Vega’s El Inca one reads about the women of the Sun. These women were chosen specially because of their beauty and social status. The women had specific tasks such as making clothing for the royalty. What were more important than their tasks were them preserving their virginity forever. This was done in two ways. First, the women were kept in seclusion away from all other people. Even their male servants were not allowed to talk with them, but only bring them food and necessities. Second, there was a severe punishment for anyone that violated the women. Not only was the violator killed by being buried alive, the virgin was hung, and the violator’s entire family was killed. These prescriptions were used to prevent anyone from perpetrating such a vile crime as to take one of the women of the Sun’s virginity. This system is similar to other cultures from around the world. The Roman’s had the Vestal Virgins, Catholics have nuns, and then there is the most famous virgin in history: Mary, the mother of God. It seems that female virginity is sacrosanct to many different people.

With a cursory glance at the obsession with these virgins, it would seem that sexism is not a problem because these women are held in higher regard than men. Yet, that is just as sexist as trying to oppress women in societies rather than letting them be equal. Women are hardly allowed to serve in combat duties in the American military system. They say it is because the American public could not handle seeing women coming home in body bags, as if a woman’s life is more precious than a man’s. Yet this type of discrimination is just as bad as making women stay barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen. True equality comes from valuing both sexes equally and not valuing one greater or lesser than the other. However, there is one distinct problem with this analysis. The idea of sexism cannot really be applied to faith and religion. People’s limited, mortal perceptions cannot compete with divine authority and truth. If God or Vira Cocha or the “higher power” reveals themselves as male or female it is not a patriarchal system or matriarchal system. It simply is. Therefore, if these women, like Vestal Virgins, women of the Sun, or Catholic nuns serve a divine purpose, arguments on sexism and egalitarianism cannot be applied. However, the intrinsic need in societies for women to be virgins still remains outside of divinely sanctioned people. There is still the double standard that men are allowed to practically have sex with any number of women, but the woman must be pure for marriage. The dichotomy is telling about people that so many cultures and people value the female virginity.