Virginity

I recently came across a blog entry in The Daily Beast (not something I typically read, mind you) written by "Natalie Dylan," the self-proclaimed virgin who's about to collect almost $4 million dollars by selling her virginity online. This article spewed out a few fancy trigger words like "experiment" and "oppression," but the main point of the article, perhaps one she did not intend, says this: if we're seen as objects, we should become objects, that way we can get a little extra cash.
In the article, "Natalie" mentions how society has always viewed virginity as a valued commodity, i.e. fathers would sell their virginal daughters for profit and status, which is true. That's not what bothers me, although it essentially does ... but that's for another article. It's the next part that bothers me. She says that she considers herself independent for taking that tradition and "flipping it" so that she's benefiting from it financially instead of some man. Now, that's the part that isn't true.
She isn't flipping it, she's helping it.
By selling her virginity online in such a crude and lucrative way, "Natalie" is perpetuating a ludicrous and sexist system that only serves to continue viewing women as objects to be purchased. "Natalie" is creating a bad example for young women everywhere - that, as long as we live in crooked times, we should accept what we're given and milk it for all it's worth. Those kind of things never turn out well, both principally and emotionally.
Am I the only one who sees the heartlessness is this?
Now, I'm not advocating for treating your virginity like some priceless artifact that needs to be handed over to your dear husband for him to put on his shelf. But I do believe that one's virginity is something that is personal, private and should be shared with someone who matters to you. Not some John Doe with an extra mil or two to spare.