Virginity can be an awkward topic, but George Watsky uses it
to emphasize the importance of loving yourself. At the Youth Speaks Teen Poetry
Slam of 2006, Watsky opens his prose with a rhetorical question that everyone
must relate to: “How many people in here have ever been a virgin?” Building on
the connection to his audience, Watsky plays off of the cultural memory of his audience,
high school students of the 90s, and the highlights from their youth. He not
only alludes to nostalgic shows like Star
Trek and Fresh Prince, but also asks
the audience to remember them in a different way, like empathizing with
Carlton. Watsky presents those aspects of high school that made you geeky and
asks you to “toss this perky misconception to the dogs.” Watsky redefines the
word sexy with the repetition of that word: “I’m talking That’s some sexy peach
fuzz sexy; picked last for kickball sexy, check out the curves on that parabola
sexy; regular kid sexy.” Making fun of topics that were at some point
uncomfortable makes them all the more comfortable; Watsky makes it clear to
every member of his audience that we’ve all experienced similar feelings and
there’s no need to be embarrassed of who you were or are. On the contrary we should
be proud of we are. Even now, Watsky feels at times the need to say, “Girl you’re
flying solo tonight because I’m gonna go hang out with four of my friends and
drive around the city bumping biggie;” Watsky’s crude diction is humorous
enough to resonate with the audience, insightful enough to be
thought-provoking. Proud to be who he is, a high school virgin, Watsky
pronounces he has no regrets and wouldn’t have had it any other way.
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