Sarah E. Hinlicky

People should remain virgins until they are married, argues Sarah E. Hinlicky in the following viewpoint. Premarital sex can lead to disease, unwanted pregnancy, and emotional scars, the author maintains. Those who choose to abstain from sex until marriage, however, demonstrate a mature sense of responsibility that does not cave in to social fad or manipulative persuasion. Moreover, Hinlicky contends, premarital virginity proclaims one’s reverence for marital love, fidelity, and family. Hinlicky is a writer living in New York City and an editorial assistant for First Things, a monthly journal focusing on religion and public life.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What influences have convinced the author to remain a virgin until marriage"

2. What is “gender-war sexuality,” according to Hinlicky"

3. In Hinlicky’s opinion, what is powerful about virginity...