Virgin: 'Hollie McNish's Words Always Sweep Me Away' Giovanna Fletcher

The belief in the concept of virginity loss, as well as causing us much gossip in the school playground, has led to unimaginable atrocities now and for centuries past. The concept has been used to justify exclusion, ostracisation, forced marriage, torture, imprisonment, rape and murder.

Virgin is a word that holds incredible power - when we're not using it to describe clean white snow, olive oil and non-alcoholic drinks. In this exciting new collection of poems Hollie McNish dissects the the concept of virginity: its history, social impact, problematic nature and need to dismantle it.