# Does the idea of a thirty year old virgin athelete genuinely play well in America? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2012, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170 "2012-08-11T05:48:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/21 "2012-08-11T13:16:48Z")
So, one of the Olympians thinks she’s Artemis. Is that such a surprise? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/22 "2012-08-11T13:46:45Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So, one of the Olympians thinks she’s Artemis. Is that such a surprise? Who is Orion then? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/23 "2012-08-11T14:35:59Z")
I didn’t know who Lolo Jones was until this thread and thus checking her out on Wikipedia. She has such an inspiring life story that this focus on her virginity and what this says about her seems ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/24 "2012-08-11T14:42:51Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > I don’t think the actual _being_ a virgin is odd, but making a big thing out of it, like it’s some amazing accomplishment, does strike me as something a bit weird. > > It’s like someone boasting that they’ve never eaten eggs in their life- I mean, it’s not doing any harm to eschew eggs, but it’s a bit bizarre to expect everyone to be impressed. And even more bizarre if anyone is. This. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/25 "2012-08-11T14:50:46Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > I don’t think the actual _being_ a virgin is odd, but making a big thing out of it, like it’s some amazing accomplishment, does strike me as something a bit weird. This+1. If you just don’t wanna, for whatever reason, that’s fantastic and I still hope you find happiness. But it’s also kinda personal–why are you even talking about it? I’m equally baffled by homosexuals who feel they need to come out to me when I’ve never even expressed an interest in them or their preferences. I save my intimate history for my close friends, I would really appreciate the same courtesy. Oh, and same goes for religion, your bowel movements and the color of your menstrual blood. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/26 "2012-08-11T14:57:37Z")
Most people haven’t heard about this - I’m a sports fan and I hadn’t, although I’m not into track and field - and of those who’ve heard, most don’t give a crap. People who care about this are either a small minority of conservative hreligious believers or joke writers for late night talk show hosts. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/27 "2012-08-11T15:05:04Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > I could not tell you what denomination the Prime Minister or former opposition leader of Canada professed; the only obvious ones are French Canadians are likely Catholic. I don’t know that any Canadian politician going to church was ever a news story. I didn’t know Canada even had news stories. This is exciting. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/28 "2012-08-11T15:32:54Z")
She raised it during an interview on Real Sports. I don’t care but I’d like to bang her despite her having tiny breasts. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/29 "2012-08-11T16:02:14Z")
I wonder who brought up the issue in the first place? If it was her, that seems like a little too much sharing. Why should we care about the sex lives of successful athletes? ---
**Author:** ![F14tomcat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e4f/32.png) [@F14tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F14tomcat)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/30 "2012-08-11T16:10:18Z")
IMHO, I think she is a virgin, 1st because she has dedicated her life to her sport. 2nd (and at the core of it really), she is TOO picky! You can tell she is very controlling and probably a complete prima donna. I think she is a very gifted athlete and quite attractive, but I bet she is a total P.I.N.T.A. to be around. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/31 "2012-08-11T16:20:00Z")
> [@F14tomcat](#): > > IMHO, I think she is a virgin, 1st because she has dedicated her life to her sport. Athletes from Jack Johnson to Wilt Chamberlain to Tiger Woods have dedicated their lives to their sports and still found time to have plenty of sex. Being in well-known and in great shape makes it easier to get laid even if you devote lots of practice time to your sport. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/32 "2012-08-11T16:22:07Z")
Is she gonna do me? No? Then I can’t see that it’s really any of my bidness. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/33 "2012-08-11T16:23:03Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Most people haven’t heard about this - I’m a sports fan and I hadn’t, although I’m not into track and field - and of those who’ve heard, most don’t give a crap. People who care about this are either a small minority of conservative hreligious believers or joke writers for late night talk show hosts. Yes, this thread is the first I’m hearing about this too. > [@Confused dart cum](#): > > Is the American fetishism with purity and all that rubbish such that this is acceptable, or is this a joke, or what? What makes you think that this has anything to do with an _American_ fetishism? The fact that this Lolo Jones seems to be unique among American Olympians making such a claim should tell you something about what Americans as a whole are likely to do. > [@](#): > > Seriously - I’m kind of used to the silver ring thing and teenage purity and all that crap but this is so way out of it, I can’t tell if it’s serious. My instinct is that it is but then again it’s so demented that I just cannae tell. Are you Scottish? > [@md2000](#): > > Can you think of any country outside of America (and maybe Saudi Arabia) that gives any serious importance to purity rings, abstinence pledges, virginity assertions, and quarterbacks who kneel and pray…? Waitaminit, the entire _country_ gives importance to these things? Where are you getting that? > [@](#): > > There is a serious divide in America (in case you don’t follow their news). Red states are liberal and like the rest of the first world, and blue states are all wrapped up in God, country, old time values, and keeping the government away from their guns. (ok, that`s a sarcastic simplification, but there is a great divide in popular American culture, and this sort of thing matters to half the population.) 1. The red state/blue state paradigm is a gross oversimplification of the situation. 2. You reversed the meaning of red and blue in this context. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/34 "2012-08-11T16:30:23Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Most everyone has had sex. . Clearly you haven’t read here for long. > [@Inigo\_Montoya](#): > > Oh, and same goes for religion, your bowel movements and the color of your menstrual blood. Nor have you. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/35 "2012-08-11T16:32:14Z")
Count me in the “why did she bring it up” camp. It’s her personal life, and if she’s made that choice it’s fine, and possibly admirable, depending on her motivation for doing so. But, unless she’s talking to someone she’s about to start a relationship with, why is your sex life a topic for discussion? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/36 "2012-08-11T16:34:16Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Nor have you. Har! This place doesn’t really count. It’s sort of a pocket of non-reality. Sometimes surreality. Blood, sex, tampon string management, electric blue 18 inch ribbed two-headed jelly dongs…everything goes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/37 "2012-08-11T16:58:46Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Can you think of any country outside of America (and maybe Saudi Arabia) that gives any serious importance to purity rings, abstinence pledges, virginity assertions, and quarterbacks who kneel and pray…? > . You don’t follow news from around the globe much, do you? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/38 "2012-08-11T17:25:23Z")
When we see late-virgin athletes like this, I think that there’s also a little bit of a Galahad thing going on as well; even though nobody comes out and says it, I think there’s a little bit of the thought that their “purity” is part of what got them this far. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/39 "2012-08-11T17:28:39Z")
That’s what I was implying with my remark earlier about Artemis. It takes a special sort of mentality to become an Olympic gold medalist; if the whole “virgin goddess” things is what works for her, then who are we to object? ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170/40 "2012-08-11T17:39:27Z")
> [@F14tomcat](#): > > IMHO, I think she is a virgin, 1st because she has dedicated her life to her sport. 2nd (and at the core of it really), she is TOO picky! You can tell she is very controlling and probably a complete prima donna. I think she is a very gifted athlete and quite attractive, but I bet she is a total P.I.N.T.A. to be around. Her decision begins to make sense now … [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-idea-of-a-thirty-year-old-virgin-athelete-genuinely-play-well-in-america/631170.md?page=3)