This book investigates the historical and cultural construction of virginity as a fluid, performative, and often unverifiable concept within medieval Western European society. Kathleen Coyne Kelly, a scholar of medieval literature and culture, examines how medical, legal, and literary frameworks attempted to codify chastity. By synthesizing diverse primary sources with modern analytical lenses, she argues that the obsession with testing virginity reveals more about societal anxieties regarding gender and power than it does about biological reality.

Scholars in the field of medieval studies frequently cite this work for its interdisciplinary approach to gender and bodily autonomy. The text is recognized for its ability to bridge the gap between historical analysis and modern cultural critique, making it a standard reference for those studying the history of sexuality.