Lolo Jones Stands for Her Virginity: Why Is That Hard to Understand?

Lolo Jones is taking a stand about saving herself for marriage.

In an HBO documentary, Jones talks with Mary Carillo about the struggles of choosing this particular stance, and has gotten many odd comments and suggestions along the way.

According to a clip released by HBO, it's not exactly easy being a 29-year old Olympic athlete that's still a virgin.

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“It’s just a gift I want to give to my husband. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. Harder than training for the Olympics. Harder than graduating college. … I’ve had guys tell me, if you have sex it will help you run faster.”

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Does this ring a familiar bell?

New York Jets quarterback Tim Tebow has taken the same stance of saving himself until he's married which has only made people criticize him more.

It's gotten so bad that one website is actually offering a $1 million bounty on his virginity.

According to a Yahoo! Sports story, Ashley Madison (an infidelity-dating website) is offering the large sum of money to anyone who can prove that Tebow is not a virgin.

In a statement reported by guyism.com, Ashley Madison founder Noel Biderman said, "Sports and sex (and of course, infidelity) go hand in hand. If Mr. Tebow is indeed abstaining from adult relationships, I would encourage him to find a nice lady or two and enjoy his youth and fame as much as possible."

First, it makes me sick to think that someone would do this. But second it brings me to this question—why is it so hard for sports fans or people (in general) to accept the fact that some athletes have morals and want to honor what they believe?

These athletes don't go around bragging about how many people they're sleeping with or the fact that they have child support payments due to multiple women (Terrell Owens, Travis Henry, Evander Holyfield). Instead, they're being responsible and planning to have kids when they're married. What's so hard about accepting that?

Which brings me back to Jones.

Some people may say that Jones opened herself to this because she posed nude for ESPN The Magazine's "The Body" issue in 2009.

However does her decision to do that take away her right to stand up for one of her morals?

Bleacher Report posted a link to the story on its Facebook page with various responses. Some said that it's not news, so why is it being posted, while others praised her for that decision.

Then, there are those who wrote sexual comments on there that really made me scratch my head as to where our society is at.

Some comments read (names withheld):

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Contraception isn't hard just saying.

I would hit that.

wtf is wrong with her

she is so thin she doesn't get her period...thats jesus saying get to it

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And then, the worst one of all comes from a man responding to one poster:

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‎"Imagine if you had a daughter that wanted to wait till she was married, would you really laugh at your daughter and say 'wtf is wrong with you?'."

yes.

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Why is it when people stand up for morals or principles, we as a society have to throw in our two cents and think there is something wrong with us because we don't conform to society?

It's her choice just like it's Tebow's choice.

Nobody said anything about Owens' or Henry's inability to make child-support payments for their multiple kids.

Where is society taking a stand on these deadbeat fathers who don't handle their business after doing their business?

Instead we condemn those who choose not to do the same thing.

Apparently there is something wrong with you if you haven't had sex by the time you've graduated college.

I've respected Tebow for a long time for his faith and his stance on saving himself for marriage, even though I'm a Georgia fan and he played at Florida.

Now I can say that I have a new person I respect and admire because she stepped up for what she believes in.