What does “Virgin” mean to Lorde? Exploring feminine power & androgyny
Lorde redefines “virgin” through power, independence, and androgyny. Image: Thistle Brown
Lorde’s latest album, Virgin, isn’t about innocence or traditional purity, instead, it’s a bold statement about feminine power, independence, and gender expansiveness. The Grammy-winning New Zealand artist transforms the loaded word “virgin” into a declaration of being “one-in-herself,” while also inviting listeners into her personal gender journey. Here’s what to know about how Lorde reframes this concept and embeds it into her creative work.
Reclaiming “Virgin” as Independence and Power
The term “virgin” takes on a radical reinterpretation in Lorde’s vision. On Instagram, she shared an etymological framework suggesting “virgin” once referred to a woman “not attached to a man, a woman who was one-in-herself,” akin to goddesses such as Diana, Isis, or Astarte, figures of independence rather than sexual inexperience.
Another root proposal she highlighted merges Latin components, “vir-” (man) and “-gyne” (woman), as pointing toward androgyny, challenging the binary categories of gender.
Through these definitions, Lorde positions Virgin as not a nod to purity but a declaration of strength, autonomy, and fluid identity.
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Exploring Gender Fluidity and Self-Expression
Lorde’s album also weaves in deeply personal explorations of gender and identity. In interviews, she has described feeling “in the middle gender-wise” and coined the phrase: “I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man”. This fluid expression is reflected in Virgin’s lyrics and visuals, further expanding the album’s spiritual and introspective context.
In her Rolling Stone profile, she recounted using duct tape to flatten her chest to embody how she felt internally during creative breakdowns, moments featured in the single “Man of the Year”.
The music video itself dramatizes transformation: Lorde strips away traditional femininity, binding her chest and moving through earthy, raw spaces, a symbolic journey toward authenticity.
Artistry, Vulnerability, and Transcendence in Virgin
Musically, Virgin marks a return to Lorde’s synth-pop roots, layered with emotional depth and introspection. Critics note it’s less shimmering indie-folk and more a raw, minimal yet powerful exploration of identity, body image, and transformation.
The album’s artwork, an X-ray image of a pelvis with visible symbols like an IUD, zipper, and belt buckle, communicates transparency and vulnerability, visually reinforcing its themes of revealing what lies beneath both physically and emotionally.
Even the vinyl edition has sparked discourse, featuring an unzipped, semi-transparent visual insert hinting at anatomical boldness and underlining Lorde’s refusal to shy away from overt expressions of femininity and bodily identity.
With Virgin, Lorde invites us to rethink what the word means, and how it feels to inhabit a body. She reclaims “virgin” as a symbol of independence, celebrates her androgynous identity, and pioneers emotional transparency through her music and visuals. The result is a frontier of self-awareness and artistry that is at once vulnerable, defiant, and profoundly freeing.