Page 3 March 4, 2009

CAMPUS

PANTHER POST

Woman who sold virginity in online bid could have

relationship problems in the future: UPEI prof

By Jillianne Hamilton

The 22-year-old California university student who at- tempted to sell her virginity to the highest bidder in an online auction to pay for her

tuition may have relation-

ship problems in the future, says a UPEI professor.

The young woman who goes by the pseudonym “Natalie Dylan” recently graduated from Sacramento State University with a de- gree in Women’s Studies. She wants to continue her education and earn a mas- ter’s in Psychology.

But instead of getting a.

summer job and a student loan like the average college student, Dylan is accepting bids for her virginity.

Dylan agreed to spend a night with the highest bidder at the Moonlite BunnyRanch in Nevada, a licensed broth- el.

So far, Dylan said she’s re- ceived over 10,000 bids with a current highest bid of $3.7 million. Half of the profits of the winning bid will go to BunnyRanch owner Dennis Hof.

Peter Koritansky, a Reli- gious Studies professor at UPEI, said what Dylan is do- ing doesn’t come from a fail- ure to see the value of virgin- ity but from a failure to see the value of sexuality.

“There was a time when sex was understood to be something sacred, not neces- sarily in the religious sense. That is, something belong- ing to the very core of who

“T believe she will find out, it has the effect of an

40 isaials self- degradation.”

we are as human beings and therefore not something to be taken lightly or treated as merely recreational.”

The fact that Dylan has made her sexuality into a commodity is disturbing, Koritansky said.

“T believe she will find out, it has the effect of an extreme self-degradation.”

The story received interna- tional attention and spurred a debate on ethics and how something like this could be indicitive of society’s down- fall, as well as questions re- garding the omnipresent In- ternet

Koritansky said Dylan’s ac- tions may cause problems in any intimate sexual relation- ship, including marriage, she has in the future.

“She will come face to face with the fact that she’s se- verely damaged her ability to use sex as a means of ex- pressing love.”

More people are reporting that engaging in meaning-

less, recreational sex early in|

life seriously hinders one’s ability to have a meaningful sexual relationship in the fu-

“Natalie Dylan” offered her virginity online, but a UPEI prof says it could have prob- lems for future relationships. Photo: www.red-alerts.com

ture, said Koritansky.

“That she’s become a pros- titute only makes matters worse.”

Rose Michels, the financial secretary of the Women of Steel chapter at IMP Aero- space Components in Am-

herst, N.S, said Dylan was

wrong to offer her virginity to the highest bidder.

“But we don’t know about her situation. I know that is no way to show respect for your body or anyone else.”

First year Holland College Culinary Arts student Cait- lin Hueser said she under- stands the need for money but found Dylan’s story very disappointing.

“Selling your body, I don’t

”

know. It’s... ew. She went on to state that something as important as your body shouldn’t be sold, and that includes to pay for school. “That’s priceless.”

something _ that’s

Hamilton is a journalism student at Holland College

“She will come face to face with the fact tha she’s severely damaged her ability to use sex

as a means of expressing love.”