To be ashamed, or not to be?

I think I look beautiful in this picture.
:)

Taken directly after, without the scarf.
That is not the only difference. 

Zoom in and add color.
The difference is most definitely noticeable. 

I got this hickey one night that I went to a party. I am not going to give a lot of details. Like the who, when, and where. Because they are not really important. Rather what I want to talk about it something I see in our society that disgusts me. Passing false judgement meant to provoke shame.  

I went with Jenn to Smiths tonight to pick up food. The cashier commented on the hickey. And as we were leaving Jenn said something along the lines of her being embarrassed for me. And why shouldn't she? A hickey is the scarlet letter of the 21st century. It says "I am a harlot, who has no self respect". The thing is though. I am not a harlot, and I have a lot of self respect. Anyone who sees it will undoubtedly think less of me. Many will naturally assume I am putting out. 

I am 19. I am young, I want to go to parties and be care free. I want to make out with a boy I am not in a relationship with. So I get a hickey, I did not have sex with some strange kid I will never see again. 

When typed on a screen it makes so much sense to be like yeah, a hickey from someone is not as bad as having sex with someone you don't know. Though, IF I had sex with him, you would not be able to see it.. There would be no way of knowing without pregnancy. It is nearly impossible to look at someone over the age of 15 and be 100% sure that they are not sexually active. But getting a hickey, it is out there for everyone to see. And somehow that makes it worse...??

I guess I do not understand why there is so much shame in that. Why is a hickey a mark of death? Look at the two photos again. If I posted the first one after having a one night stand, you would be none the wiser from the image. But the second one, the worst is assumed. When all it was, was two young people after making out. Is it just me?? Maybe I am alone in this. Maybe I am misguided. Maybe I am wrong. But I feel no shame in having it on my neck. Though I am not exactly proud. And I do not want to flaunt it. Why should I have to hide it, why is it such a black mark, why do people assume the worst? 

Also I understand covering it up for work or meetings, or any other place that looking professional is expected. But going to the grocery store, or out to a mall, or anywhere else in public that is a casual setting.

People looked at me like I should be ashamed and exiled. The thing is, I know what went down, and what did not. I am not ashamed, or filled with guilt. It was fun, and if given the chance to go back and do things differently, I would not change a thing about that night.