In a powerful new audiobook collection, acclaimed poet and spoken word artist Hollie McNish delivers a myth-shattering exploration of purity, sex, and the female body. Titled Virgin, this compelling work is dedicated to all who have faced blame, shame, or dehumanisation over societal constructs surrounding their own physicality.
A Direct Challenge to Outdated Notions
McNish confronts what she describes as persistently weird and outdated notions of innocence that continue to surround young women in contemporary society. Through a series of poems and prose stories, she systematically dismantles stereotypes with both intellectual rigour and emotional resonance.
In one particularly striking passage, she directly addresses the obsession with female purity: "Do not tell me which touches have mattered the most / This is your obsession not mine." This defiant stance characterises much of the collection's approach to reclaiming bodily autonomy.
The Performance Brings Words to Life
As narrator of her own work, McNish brings her entire self to the performance, creating an intimate atmosphere that makes listeners feel as though she's speaking directly to them in the room. Her delivery is expertly paced, moving between withering critique and moments of surprising tenderness and humour.
The poet's background as a spoken word artist shines through in every carefully modulated phrase, with her vocal performance adding layers of meaning that transcend the written word alone.
Examining Double Standards and Historical Context
McNish takes particular issue with the persistent double standards surrounding sexual experience. She notes with frustration how men with multiple partners are often celebrated as "Lotharios" presumed to be skilled lovers, while women facing similar circumstances are frequently labelled with derogatory terms.
With a note of incredulity, the poet examines communities where women are still expected to be virgins upon marriage. She traces this expectation to historical power structures, noting how it's "property-related ... instilled by those in power during times when a wife was quite literally, legally, a possession passed from father to husband."
Reclaiming Agency in the Digital Age
In the poem "Send Nudes," McNish addresses contemporary issues of digital intimacy and betrayal. She argues that any shame associated with sharing intimate images should rest with those who break trust by sharing or mocking such content, rather than with the individuals who originally sent them in confidence.
This perspective represents part of McNish's broader project of shifting responsibility and judgment away from women's choices about their own bodies and toward those who would police or exploit those choices.
Further Listening Recommendations
The audiobook edition includes recommendations for complementary listening, including:
- Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite, narrated by Weruche Opia, Diana Yekinni and Nnei Opia Clark - A time-hopping tale about a curse passed down through generations of women in one family
- Vagabond by Tim Curry - The actor's bracingly sweary memoir that reveals much about his career, including his iconic role in The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Through Virgin, Hollie McNish continues her important work of challenging societal norms with poetic precision and performative brilliance, creating space for more honest conversations about sexuality, autonomy, and the complex realities of living in a body subject to constant scrutiny.
