Something completely different and sort of interesting ...

I've always thought of the act of sexual coupling as one of ultimate intimacy. Not so many others and frankly, IMO what happens between consenting adults is their business. I am more concerned about the fate of girls and young women sold, kidnapped or tricked into sexual slavery - and it is happening here.

I have to concur with the comments of Daffy. For a huge number of women on this planet, the loss of virginity is little more than ritual rape, the culmination of negotiations between families - mainly men, and where an intact hymen (or worse, an intact 'circumcision' otherwise known as Female Genital Mutilation) seals the deal. In Australian society the issue of virginity is generally one more of health than morality, economics or any other consideration. We would wish our young people enter sexual relationships with a good understanding of STI prevention and contraception and aware of potential emotional impacts. This approach would vary depending on ones cultural background but the law is clear enough regarding consent and the rights of individuals.

Yes, I'm also with Pericles - tacky! However if everyone involved is participating willingly, who are we to judge?

'On vulnerability, we need to question why both these cases involve women who have limited incomes.

One case shows an international student, the other two are workers from the notoriously low paid hospitality sector.'

Oh, so it's an industrial relations argument! Hospitality workers are paid so poorly, they are left with 'no choice' but to auction off thier virginity. Highly amusing.

If you are of the bent to find such a notion offensive, I don't see why the purchaser gets the bad wrap, and the seller is excused because they work for a modest wage at an age group where modest wages are quite common.

Not that an excuse should be necessary. Why cant the author just appreciate that there are probably some people who aren't bovvered about their virginity and are happy to trade with those who are.

Also, by that reasoning, if a 22yo working for $100k offered their virginity, it is safe to believe it is not a function of so called 'disadvantage' or 'inequality'. What's next cab off the rank then, childhood abuse? Low self-esteme?

What is wrong with the notion that some people just aren't spiritual and romantic, rather pragmatic and soul-less. Why would that be an indication of a supposed 'sick' society. People are different.

I'm sick of this notion these days that anyone who partakes in an activity willingly is still somehow a victim if the deal isn't what another would be willing to make. How arrogant.

I can imagine if some kid at school trades a Niçoise salad for a Nutella sandwich the Nutella kid MUST be being explioted and it MUST be because they come from a life of hardship, and it's a symptom of this sick evil capitalist society....

What if they both just like the taste of the other's sandwich?

Sometimes life really is that simple.

I think these young women made a sensible decision. I am an 86 year old man whose virginity has long since disappeared. When I still had my virginity I did not have either the business sense, the realism or the opportunity (nor the knowledge to make the opportunity) to auction it off. Of course the pleasure I got in losing it was of worth in itself.

These women, and yes they are women in their twenties who are considering the age-old money-earner called prostitution, know exactly what they are doing.

They need money, and they know that saying they are virgins will up the price for sex with them.
Maybe they aren't even virgins?
Just the mere thought that a 'girl' may be a virgin is apparently enough to rock some men's boats.

'Purity', in regards to a woman, is such an old-fashioned word with religious connotations that suggest that a girl is to be totally 'joined' to a man, and he can be sure no other man has been there before.

This author's ideas makes me cringe, even though I think these women are stupid to publicly put forward their plans for prostitution in such a way.
Who knows what sort of 'sicko's' would answer an advert like this one?

Pericles, good post.

The mystique? From a male point of view (at least hopefully from a balanced one) for a female/woman to offer her virginity freely as an act of deep affection should be seen as a massive compliment, and not to be taken lightly; a life-changing experience for both partners; a sacrifice by the female as an act of the highest expression of love.

Ok, these days, such deep emotional relevance would probably be laughed at by our 'sexually liberated' majority - at least that is my impression of 'modern' societal mores. A pity, in my view, that sex, and particularly its first experience, should now be no more than a right of passage, perhaps no more relevant than a first alcoholic drink or getting one's driving licence. Such is the fruit (or the price) of liberation, equality and an emancipated psyche.

As with so many 'dreams', the chance to experience virginal 'love' would be irresistable to some portion of the male population, albeit in reality a fiction, a pseudo contortion of the 'real thing'; mere fantasy fulfillment. Nonetheless, there will be those poor beasts who will be willing to pay highly for such dream fulfillment.

As to the female view of virginity, and the value placed upon its 'surrendering', that must be left to a response from that sector. I wonder if we've already had a partial response in this respect from Pericles? No matter, I would expect a variety of response ranging from the devout to the liberated.

These two 'volunteers' obviously place no real value on what they are offering, so I place no value in it either. As for our student? Pity? Or, condemn? Extenuation perhaps.

Modern Western sexual morality may not be universally bestial, but there seems to be a certain segment willing to drag it to the depths.

What kind of 'sicko's Suze? Men who like sex?

Or men who like sex with virgins? Or men who particularly like sex with virgins? Or men who exclusively want sex with virgins?

I really think you need to be more specific. What kind of sickos?

Maybe it's ugly, old men who want to have sex with young attractive woman? That feels sick to me too, but really it shouldn't. Why should desire for beauty only be acceptable from those that are beautiful or young themselves.

Ugly, old and fat, even sweaty and smelly people should have the right to have desires and not be considered 'sick'. Even people with weird kinks that aren't to my taste, I don't consider them sick.

Are the girls also sick because they are offereing their virginity?

It takes two to tango.

It seems to me the author is concerned about the women's financial or economic disadvantage, but hasn't mentioned the prospective customer's physical or asthetic disadvantage. Why cant the asthetically disadvantaged be the victim here. All I see is one disdvantage traded for another. Money for beauty. Why is the one with money 'sick', and the one with beauty the pure, the vitcim, the exploited.

Why is a begger in the hospitality industry more worthy than the beggar in the world of youth and beauty. If we're talking about purity, I think the girls have the purity granted to them on a platter. They are considered pure because they are young women. Ripe for being corrupted by the Fiiiilthy, Diiirty Old men. Such men have no right to access to sex and beauty with the pure woman! How dare they think above their station, and desire beauty! Sickos!

See, it's a two sided coin this purity business Suze.

But nobody is at all upset that poor moneyless hospitality workers are thinking above their station, wanting the riches of a mature established career minded adult, when they're a disgusting sicko inexpereinced cheap labour hospitality worker!