Queering the virgin/whore binary: The Virgin Mary, the whore of Babylon and sexual violence

Mulya, Teguh Wijaya (2015) Queering the virgin/whore binary: The Virgin Mary, the whore of Babylon and sexual violence. In God's Image: Journal of Asian Women's Resource Centre for Culture and Theology, 34 (2). pp. 45-55. ISSN 1394-7931

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Abstract

(First paragraph) In this essay, I seek to problematise the virgin/whore binary which, I argue, has enabled, normalised, and sustained violence against women. This binary positions women into two opposing categories: the virgins or the “good” women who express their sexuality only within patriarchal culturally sanctioned boundaries such as marriage; all other women who fail to conform to this ideal are considered “whores” – morally corrupt and dangerously concupiscent. Previous studies have shown how this binary has been deployed to justify and perpetuate sexual violence against those who are labelled as a “whore” or “slut.” The logic is that sexual violence against these women is deemed “normal” or “make sense” because they have transgressed cultural norms.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BL Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BT Doctrinal Theology
Divisions: Faculty of Psychology > Department of Psychology
Depositing User: Teguh Wijaya Mulya205905
Date Deposited: 08 Nov 2017 11:25
Last Modified: 24 Mar 2021 15:41
URI: http://repository.ubaya.ac.id/id/eprint/31097

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