I write a lot of articles about celebrities and their wild behavior. Usually this involves sex, drugs or all of the above. The celebrities on this list are different though. The celebrities on this list have chosen to save themselves for marriage and have spoken openly about it; something very unusual in today’s hypersexualized celebrity culture. From actors and actresses to professional athletes and even lingerie models, these abstinent celebrities have chosen to save sex for someone who they want to spend the rest of their lives with. Just a note before we begin. I respect women and men who take charge of their sexuality, whether that means speaking openly and honestly about their bodies or whether that means saving themselves for the right person. I’ve also included celebrities who have decided to abstain from sex even though they’ve already had sex because to me, that’s also an incredibly admirable choice. Okay, let’s get started.
10: Brendan Fehr
I adore Brendan Fehr in ways I can’t describe or explain. I thought it was fabulous on Roswell as Michael Guerin and loved him just as much as Dan Cooper on CSI: Miami. I also deeply respect his decision to remain a virgin until he was married although, to be honest, the subject seems to be a source of some debate among his fans. Did he choose to remain a virgin until he was married? Was it a personal choice or a religious choice? I’m not really sure. He often spoke about his choice to remain abstinate until marriage while Roswell was on the air but little is said about it after that. I still gave him a spot on this list though – mainly just because I love having the chance to write about one of my favorite actors.
09: Jessica Simpson
By now, we know Jessica Simpson didn’t return to the celibate life after her divorce from Nick Lachey thanks to John Mayer’s habit of over sharing as often as possible (remember that sexual napalm thing?) but by all appearances, she did remain a virgin until her wedding day and I think that’s something worth celebrating. Of her decision to save herself for marriage, Jessica said: “Abstinence, for me, is about romance. It has nothing to do with my relationship with God. It’s about giving something special to that person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.” Jessica evidently had no regrets about that decision, stating her first time was with Lachey on their wedding night. When discussing that first time, Jessica said: “It was the most amazing moment of my life. I’m so lucky I didn’t lose my virginity in the back of a jeep or something.”
08: Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga has never been shy about sex or sexuality but she also seems to have a pretty mature attitude about the subject. Granted her celibacy declaration came quite some time ago and before she started dating the gorgeousness that is Taylor Kinney so it’s hard to imagine she’s stuck with the celibacy thing but that’s really beside the point as far as I’m concerned. At the time, Gaga said: “I’m single. I haven’t got time to spend on the road to get to know anyone. Even Lady Gaga can be celibate. You don’t have to have sex to be loved.” I think the last part of the statement is especially true. So many young women (and young men) equate sex with love and it’s important to recognize they aren’t always the same thing.
07: Tim Gunn
I’m not really sure whether or not Project Runway icon Tim Gunn actually belongs on this list because he hasn’t actually made a firm decision to be celibate or abstinent. He just hasn’t had sex in a very long time. He talked about this fact in 2012 on ABC’s The Revolution, saying: “I haven’t had sex in 29 years. Do I feel like less of a person for it? No. Not even remotely.” Gunn has also said, “I don’t want to imply to anyone that I have a mandate that says ‘no sex’. I don’t. I don’t know what’s around the corner.” I think that’s a pretty great attitude to have about the matter. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it isn’t the end of the world. I don’t always agree with Tim Gunn but I agree with him wholeheartedly on this one.
06: Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz has dated a whole string of gorgeous Hollywood women – Adriana Lima, Nicole Kidman, Madonna, Lisa Bonet (who he married and had daughter, Zoe, with) – but that doesn’t mean all that has been about putting another famous notch on his bedpost. Lenny has been very open and honest about his decision to remain celibate until he marries again, stating: “It’s just a promise I made until I get married. Where I’m at in life, the women have to come with something else; not just the body but the mind and spirit. It usually trips them out but that’s the way it’s going to be.” Very admirable, I’d say, especially considering that at that point in time, Lenny had abstained from sex for three years. That doesn’t mean it’s easy for him though. Two years later, he spoke about his struggles with abstinence, telling The Telegraph: “For some periods of time it’s easy and then it’s really hard. It goes back and forth. Right now, I’m just kind of sailing and watching and waiting and trying to be patient. There’s times when I’m patient and there’s times when I’m, ‘come on, Lord, bring this for me …”
05: Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima is certainly one of the most beautiful lingerie models working in the industry today but many were surprised to learn this stunning woman who regularly poses in nothing more than her underwear was planning to save herself until marriage. Perhaps this is how her relationship with Lenny Kravitz got started. Adriana remained celibate until her wedding night. About this decision, Adriana has said: “Sex is for marriage. Men have to respect that this is my choice. If there is no respect, that means they don’t want me.” Clearly, Adriana is a woman who has a lot of respect for herself and that is a quality I admire above all else.
04: Lisa Kudrow
I absolutely loved Friends. I still consider the show’s primary cast (Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer) to be one of the strongest ensemble casts every put together on television. Out of all the cast members though, Lisa Kudrow was my favorite. While over the years I’ve started to lean more toward some of the other cast members, I still appreciate Lisa, especially when it comes to her attitude toward sex. Lisa remained a virgin until she married in 1995 at age 31. Lisa told W Magazine, “I decided pretty early on that I should stay a virgin until I got married. My virginity was something I had decided was very precious, something that I owned, to give away. It was an honor I was bestowing on a young man and he had to be worthy of it.” Whether one chooses to remain abstinent or chooses to have sex, I think this is the attitude many more young women should have toward sex.
03: The Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers have been among the most vocal supporters of waiting until marriage, each of them wearing a purity ring to let the world know they intend to save sex for marriage. About the rings, Joe has said: “(the rings) are promises to ourselves and to God that we’ll stay pure ’til marriage.” While the brothers, somewhat bafflingly, were given a hard time about the rings, they seem to have stuck to their guns and I respect them for it.
02: Tim Tebow
Right now, Tim Tebow is probably the most famous virgin in the world. This deeply religious quarterback has dated some incredibly beautiful woman but by all accounts has stuck to his decision not to have sex until he is married. I don’t really care all that much about football and Tebow isn’t really someone I’m all that interested in (probably because of the lack of interest in football but also because I find the whole ‘Tebowing’ thing tiresome) but I have the utmost respect for the decision he’s made to wait.
01: AC Green
LA Lakers former power forward, AC Green, is a shining example of everything celibacy should be about. It’s certain AC Green had a fair bit of temptation as a professional basketball player but instead of giving in until temptation, he remained celibate. There’s a story out there about his teammates betting on how long he would be able to stick to his guns. The pot reached $600 before it was abandoned because it was clear he was in it for the long haul. This despite teammates sending beautiful women to tempt him into giving up his vow. None were successful and AC remained a virgin until his wedding night at age 38.
