98. {September Bonus}The Virginity Obsession on Teen Dramas of the ‘90s and 2000s: Gilmore Girls, Harlots, Purity Culture, and Beyond (Part 1 of 2)

Today we’re diving into virginity stories on Gilmore Girls and other teen dramas. Rory, Paris, and Lane all experienced their first time on the show - all with different challenges and hangups.  

So why is virginity such a frequent storyline for teenage girls, but rarely for boys? To answer that question, we started with Stars Hollow and continued to some of our other favorite YA and teen dramas of the ‘90s and 2000s, like My So-Called Life, 90210, Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, One Tree Hill, and Gossip Girl. 

Along the way, we name the 3 most common tropes used to portray teenage girls and their sexuality, against the backdrop of Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, and the rise of purity culture in mainstream culture. 

This episode is Part 1 of 2.

Content warning: includes discussion of virginity testing, sexual assault, purity culture, and sexual health. Take good care of yourselves, friends. 

✨ This is an excerpt of a bonus episode. To access the full episode, join our Patreon, where you’ll get extra bonus episodes every month. 

Edited and produced by Jackie Procyk and Catherine Bailey.

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