I’ve noticed that the pagentry and ridiculousness of the Purity Ball movement has gained traction. What are these things, you say? Via Wiki:

A Purity Ball (also known as a “Father Daughter Purity Ball” or “Purity Wedding”) is a formal event attended by fathers and their daughters. These events promote virginity until marriage for teenaged girls, and are often closely associated with U.S. Christian churches, particularly evangelical Christian churches.

Time Magazine sparked a lot of debate over what some called a biased, glowing POV of the concept, but here’s what I agree with (because it only makes sense:

The events have been called odd, creepy, oppressive of a girl’s “sexual self-agency,” as one USA Today columnist put it. Father-daughter bonding is great, the critics agree–but wouldn’t a cooking class or a soccer game be emotionally healthier than a ceremony freighted with rings and roses and vows? Some academic skeptics make a practical objection: The majority of kids who make a virginity pledge, they argue, will still have sex before marriage but are less likely than other kids to use contraception, since that would involve planning ahead for something they have promised not to do. This puts them at risk for sexually transmitted diseases.

Has anyone been to one of these things? Does it feel weird or is it just something you do with your dad, no big deal? I’m curious to know. This also seems like there may be a socio-economic divide in all of this. I just don’t see something like this happening in the very racially/ culturally/ religiously diverse neighborhood I grew up in.

photo by Pargon