Introduction to Lauren Harkins

Lauren Harkins, a 35-year-old woman from Maine, has never had sex and is often mocked for her virginity status. However, she refuses to be silenced and has revealed on social media that she has never been on a date. Harkins is hoping to dispel the myths surrounding virginity and has always spoken openly about it, even as a teenager.

Her Views on Intimacy

Harkins believes that intimacy has always been something meaningful and not something she had to rush into just to "keep up" with everyone else. She says, "For me, intimacy has always been something meaningful, not something I had to rush into just to ‘keep up’ with everyone else." This approach to intimacy is a deliberate choice, and she is not ashamed of her decision.

Dealing with Criticism

On Instagram and TikTok, Harkins often receives comments claiming that she "doesn’t act like a virgin" – which she attributes to the fact that she doesn’t fit the "meek, socially awkward, confident stereotype" that people expect. She also faces criticism that she is lying, "expired," attention-seeking, or narcissistic. However, Harkins says that the criticism does not affect her.

Common Misconceptions

People often assume that Harkins is religious and "saving herself" for marriage, which is another false stereotype. She explains, "What I value is a committed, coordinated and long-term partnership – not a contract or tradition for its own sake." Harkins is not the hyper-traditional archetype that people try to project onto her, but she is also not the everyday modern woman who’s into sex culture and takes it easy.

Her Approach to Romance

It’s only in recent years that Harkins has become more open to the prospect of romance, saying she "wasn’t ready" in her teens or 20s. She says, "I’m only now approaching that readiness, and there’s nothing embarrassing about it – if anything, it’s deeply intentional." Harkins is waiting for the right connection and doesn’t reach for the first one, declaring defiantly, "You’ll never catch me settling out of fear or desperation."