A 35-year-old singleton said she’s constantly ghosted by men when she reveals she’s a virgin and wants to wait until marriage to have sex.
Sonali Chandra, a dancer and comedian from New Jersey, said dating is difficult because of her strict views about intimacy and her lack of experience in the bedroom.
“I have only dated nine men – including three serious relationships – and all nine men were jerks when they found out about my virginity,” she told the Daily Star in an interview Thursday.
Chandra was raised in a strict household by her Indian-born parents — something she believes has had a “profound impact” on her dating life.
“I was not allowed to socialize and dating was a big no-no,” she stated. “Dating is a life skill and I was forbidden from developing that skill in my teenage and college years. Fast forward to the present day, at age 35, I still have no clue how to date!”
The beauty — who had her first kiss at 26 — has been perusing dating apps in the hopes of meeting Mr. Right, but has not had much luck.
“I spend every weeknight exercising so I don’t feel lonely and I spend Saturday and Sunday nights alone in my studio apartment, which is very depressing,” she candidly confessed. “I go to sleep by 8 p.m. to numb my emotional pain.”
Chandra, who said she wasn’t allowed to go to prom or live in a campus dorm during college, refused to allow her parents to arrange a marriage for her — something that is a tradition in her culture.
However, she still has traditional views when it comes to sex before marriage and won’t jump into bed just to lock down a man.
“I consider sex sacred and special. In fact, I don’t even like the word ‘sex,’ I prefer ‘making love,’ ” she stated, saying she refuses to compromise on her values.
“I’ll be ready [to make love] when I have a ring from ‘the one.’ As for ‘the one,’ I am looking for a chivalrous gentleman who is moral and ethical, handsome, ambitious, health-oriented and will treat me like a queen,” she said. “I want what Priyanka Chopra has with Nick Jonas.”
Chandra went public with her virgin status two years ago with an appearance on “Dr. Phil.”
On the show, she expressed frustration over the fact that men were perturbed by her virginity.
“I’m confused and perplexed. I have all these great qualities. Why is it so tough for me to find the one who won’t be scared off when I tell him he would be my first and hopefully only?” she asked.
Still, she remained steadfast in her convictions, declaring: “I would rather remain a virgin and be single the rest of my life than be married to the wrong guy.”
Following her appearance on the program, Chandra appeared on the Lifetime dating show “Five Guys A Week,” but was still unable to forge a convincing connection with a suitor.
However, there now appears to be some hope on the horizon for the singleton, who has been communicating long-distance with a possible love interest.
Although they live in different cities, Chandra told the Daily Star that they recently met for the first time and they had strong chemistry in person.
“This man is handsome, ambitious, and a bit older than me – I am so surprised he is still single! I feel like I have known him for eternity, and I felt comfortable around him,” she dished. “He was slightly flirtatious but was completely respectful of my boundaries given that I’m a virgin. He didn’t even try to kiss me.”
“Since our meeting, I have not been able to stop thinking about him,” she further cooed. “However, I have no clue what he thinks of me or when I’ll meet him again, which is heart-wrenching.”
Whether or not he ghosts like every other man, the virgin said the situation has given her a better understanding of what she wants from a relationship.
“I do believe that friendship is the foundation of any relationship and that time will tell what happens between us,” she declared.