MTV’s New Reality Show ‘Virgin Territory’ Makes Us Nervous

Losing your virginity is a private and personal choice. Maybe you’ll discuss it with your friends, your significant other, your parents (that is if you have a cool Mom or a laid-back dad). But now the decision to swipe one’s V-Card has a much larger audience: the viewers of MTV.

Virgin Territory is a new reality show about fifteen young adults who all have one thing in common: they’re all virgins. “Some will keep it, some will lose it,” the trailer teases in a flashy Urban Outfitters-like font.

The “stars” being followed are virgins for various reasons, some are saving it for marriage, some claim to be, “delayed with the whole sexual thing,” while others are actively looking to lose it.  The whole concept of the show, while incredible, makes me nervous.

In one respect, it could have a positive outcome. What better way to clear up the misconceptions of celibacy than by showing a raw perspective of real life virgins? And on MTV, the same network that brought us the unfiltered and honest True Life series (it also brought us Jersey Shore, mind you). But in a world where ratings reign supreme, you have to wonder whether anything’s sacred anymore.

If being on a reality show (read more about that here) taught me anything, it’s that reality isn’t 100% real.. After all, real people act differently when a camera is in their face and strangers are watching them. I mean. . . wouldn’t you?

With 15 virgins on a show where the tagline is, “Some will keep it, some will lose it,” could the pressure affect them in negative ways? Will they make a decision they may have not made if their story wasn’t being broadcast to millions of people?

And what message does this send to young people? “I want it to be done as quickly as possible,” says one teen in the trailer. What if a teenager watches that and thinks, hey, I should lose my virginity as quickly as possible too. Teenagers are very impressionable, I know because I was one. I grew up when My Super Sweet 16 was on the air. Sure, that show was meant to entertain the hilarious standards our spoiled youth has on their special day, but in my affluent Connecticut hometown, this show wasn’t watched for entertainment, as much as it was for setting the bar for Sweet 16 opulence.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m intrigued by the concept of Virgin Territory, and I’ll admit, the trailer sucked me in. How will a show like this affect the standards of virginity? Will this break the stigma of being a virgin or encourage it? I just hope this show helps gain acceptance for the choice of celibacy and doesn’t pressure people into situations they’re not ready for.

Are you nervous too? Or am I overreacting?