Every pop star since the dawn of time has had to walk the line of being sexy yet virginal – also known as the Virgin-Whore or Madonna-Whore Complex. But what exactly does this mean? And how does the Virgin-Whore Complex hold such control over pop culture?

From the public chastising Britney Spears for her life choices to celebrating Jessica Simpson for hers, the general public is obsessed with judging those in the spotlight for sticking within the construct of virginity that so many conservative American Christians are obsessed with. We talk about these two popstar pathways time and time again in the podcast, and it was about time to unpack the obsession with virginity culture, the collective American religious trauma and how this all ties back to pop music.

Join us for a most ridiculous journey as we unpack just how much Sigmund Freud’s Madonna-Whore Complex & the construct of virginity have made a lasting effect on how the American public praise and ridicule women in the spotlight.

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The Virgin-Whore Complex and Its Control Over Pop Culture