@article{2015,title={TÜRKİYE BAĞLAMINDA “BEKÂRET” KAVRAMININ SOSYAL ANLAMI: TEORİK BİR BAKIŞ AÇISI},abstractNode={The concept of virginity has always been the locus of hot debates and discussions throughout the history. It holds true to say that the norm of virginity has a profound impact on women’s sexuality and their social lives since virginity has become a visible tenet of our lives through the institutionalization of patriarchal power on female body. Although losing virginity is a conceptual thing, the consequences and underlying implications of this action are clearly seen in the society which proves that the concept of virginity is socially constructed and it is manipulated by patriarchy to control female sexuality and their bodily activities. This study aims to investigate the concepts of sex and gender in order to understand how virginity is socially constructed and point out the ways through which the norm of virginity has been continuously embodied via the patriarchal language, virginity tests and laws in Turkey. Since Turkey stands out among other Islamic countries with its emphasis on secularism but also being influenced by Islamic traditions, the norm of virginity is elaborated with regard to the prevalent discourses in the country. Therefore the key terms of the study is analyzed through the terminology of feminist and Islamic feminist theory. As a result, it is found that “virginity” means family honor, social constraints on female body, celebration of men and the prioritization of societal values over i},author={Esra Keskin KORUMAZ},year={2015},journal={The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies}}