Sworn Virgins Essay

The Sworn Virgins of Albania are a perfect example of the relationships and differences between male and female, and sex and gender. Taking a vow to dress and act like a man, these Sworn Virgins are accepted by their communities and looked at as men, no matter their sex and/or upbringing. In this paper I will examine the cultural logic and norms that make becoming a Sworn Virgin possible, desirable, and even necessary.
Every society has their own specific norms. Depending on the location, cultural traditions, religion, and many other variables, these norms differ. This is very pronounced when looking at what makes a specific practice possible. When looking at what makes being a Sworn Virgin possible in rural Albania, we can see four major branches: law, location, and the lack of permanent changes to the body. First, and most prominent, in discussing the possibility of being a Sworn Virgin is the element of the law. Under the Kanun, Albanian law, a woman is “ethically permitted to become a man under specific conditions” (Crossing Boundaries). This law states that if a woman has decided to not marry her pre-arranged husband, she cannot marry another, therefore having to dress and act like a man, and ultimately becoming a Sworn Virgin (Crossing …show more content…
They are able to transform themselves from women to men by simply changing their attitude and clothing. In this paper the cultural logics and norms that make this occurrence possible, desirable, and necessary were brought forth by looking at the Albanian Law (Kanun), location, family necessity, careers, and the overall gender norms of the culture. While it is desirable for some of the Sworn Virgins studied, many were forced into the role, making it necessary, rather than desirable. No matter what the path that lead to each Sworn Virgin, it can be concluded that this interesting phenomenon is unique and specific to the culture that is