Reply #219: You nailed it [View All]

[JuniperLea]

And our views are not that far apart...

Right. It is very common in Europe for kids to have sex at 16. It's a cultural thing. That's exactly what I'm saying. This purity deal is a cultural thing for these people too. It is a choice, a tradition and a right. How would it fly if someone decided to force, by law, virginity on everyone until they were 21? That would go over like a led zeppelin for sure!

I fully support the parents you talk about who support their kids and feel those kids are mature enough to deal. That is the perfect scenario from my POV. But that is my POV... and it also happens to be my choice as to how I raised my kids. That's my right and I'll be dammed if anyone is going to take that away from me. Likewise, it is the right of these parents to teach their children what they want to teach them. Clearly they hold this virginity thing so high that they have these ceremonies to support that belief. Whether or not the kid holds true to their vow is quite another thing. All I'm saying is that these parents are well within their rights.

Your statement was all inclusive... that's why it scared me. No two kids are alike and I think we both get that.

Your reaction is understandable. Clearly you were not raised in a culture that was anything like what these people are in... neither have I! I find it way creepy! But when I approach this without emotion, on a purely intellectual basis, the only conclusion I can come to is that this is their right. Their kids, their right. Hell, I freaked out when I first saw little baby girls with pierced ears! EW! MUTILATION!!! And to be honest, I think circumcision is mutilation too! I did have my two sons circumcized... I was in my 20's... I would never do such a thing now. My daughter got her ears pierced when she was 12 and after much begging... just like I did. Honestly, I still think it's mutilation and I cannot think to hard about the holes in my own ear lobes or I freak out! HA!