Virginity Definitions and Meaning Among the LGBT Community

The literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) virginity is almost nonexistent. Thus this exploratory study was completed to understand virginity in the LGBT community. The research questions asked members of two LGBT student groups to define virginity, discuss its meaning, and share experiences. Data were collected from two focus groups and six individual follow-up interviews and were analyzed. Results indicate that there is a range of virginity definitions, there is little discussion of the topic, and that “coming out” is a more important rite of passage than virginity among these LGBT community members. Future research needs are discussed.