In case you haven’t heard the absurd news, “Natalie Dylan”, a 22-year-old from California, is is auctioning off her virginity to pay for her education. Gut reaction: EWWW. She uses the name Natalie Dylan as a pseudonym for, as she put it, “safety reasons”. (But gets interviewed by The Insider–so everyone can see what she looks like. I think, Natalie, someone is going to know who you are and how to find you…click here to watch the video.)
Safety? SAFETY?! I think safety was thrown out the window when she decided she’d have consensual sex with the highest bidder. Umm…have you seen Law and Order: SVU? There are some serious creep monsters out there. I don’t want to think about the legal mess that could occur should, God forbid, something bad happen to her.
“Through this process I’m not just looking for the highest bidder,” she said, Us magazine reported. “I’m looking for someone who is a genuine, overall nice person.”
But she also says she’s looking to get at least a million. Does she think Prince Charming is going to come along and drop a cool mil just to be nice and help her out? The auction, by the way, is going to be at Nevada’s famous brothel, The Moonlight Bunny Ranch. Yeah, she’s sure to meet a winner there. eBay, for the record, said no to the auction.
So there’s the whole safety thing that should make any woman scream no and consider life in a convent instead. But Natalie calls her decision “empowering”. I’m not going to go on a feminist rant, because I think the argument can be made against this without even bringing up feminism.
Okay, Natalie, I get that you want to pay for your education. I have loans too. And will have more when if I get into grad school (keep your fingers crossed for me). But here’s the thing. I would argue that in selling your virginity to pay for your academic education, you are selling yourself short in the life education department. Here’s what Dennis Hof, owner of The Moonlight Bunny Ranch, thinks:
“I think it’s a tremendous idea. Why lose it to some guy in the backseat of a Toyota when you can pay for your education?”
Tremendous idea, eh, Dennis? Well you know what? Sometimes some guy in the back of a car can be really meaningful. Far more meaningful than sex for money ever will be.
And somehow, I’ll still manage to pay for my education. Ironically, Natalie wants to pursue her master’s degree in marriage and family therapy–that’s a decent career. She should make enough money in her lifetime to pay back her loans the old fashioned way.
And here’s the final reason Natalie shouldn’t go through with her plan. Her mom thinks it’s a bad idea.
What are your thoughts?
[Posted by Kathleen]
six words to change the world. 