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Virginity: From The Auction Block to Your TV

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Within the past two years, "Virginity For Sale" has been a major public concern.  22 year old Natalie Dylan drove the media wild with her idea to auction her virginity for money to pay for her masters degree. 

Why am I bringing this up?  This practice is making its way to Reality TV - which means it may become a topic at work, home and even your child's school. 

Australian documentary maker Justin Sisely spent a year recruiting male and female candidates for the project.  Due to threats on his freedom, Sisely has moved the project from Australia to a Nevada brothel, where prostitution is legal.

The virgins will be paid $20,000 up front and receive 90% of their auction winnings. The other 10% will go to the brothel.

What many people won't know is that the idea of paying for virginity has been around since the days of Exodus and Deuteronomy.
Exodus 22:16-17:
If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29:
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

The concept of a virginity auctions has been around for  thousands of years.  This practice spans across the globe and touches every continent.  The selling or auctioning of the virginity was not always about being a whore.  For some cultures it was a right of passage or a way to honor a fertility god.

Daniel Defoe, a journalist, novelist and blogger of his time wrote "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of The Famous Moll Flanders" in 1722.  The story of  Moll Flanders is of a woman who was born inside of a prison and struggled to make something of herself in a world separated by class.  In an effort to get out of the life of being a servant to whores, Moll auctions off her virginity to the highest bidder. The money motivated Moll to continue the trade where eventually she upgraded to being a kept woman, another form of prostitution in the eyes of some.

The bidders for Natalie Dylan were anonymous to the public, but merely wanted to be "the guy who got it."  The man who bid $3.7 million put down a $250,000 non-refundable deposit after a recent divorce from is wife.  His wife reconciled with him after learning about his plans.  She was $250,000 too late, but stopped him from spending the whole $3.7 million.

Of course Natalie was backed and marketed by Dennis Hof, owner of The Moonlight Bunny Ranch, a Nevada brothel, which has been made famous The Moonlight Bunny Ranch has received two documentaries and two reality show seasons on HBO documenting the overall business.
Ironically for some, but not me...Natalie is a Women's Studies major.

Some people say that behavior like this is a sign that the end of the world is near.  I laugh when I hear this.  It may be the end of their world but "this type of S**t happens every day." It may not happen in your suburb or in your neighborhood, but in this world of traditions, greed, survival and human trafficking, capitalism and virginity will collide.



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