The Father-Daughter Purity Ball Is One Party Scanner Will Not Be Attending

Posted by Nicole Pasulka

 

This is the Father-Daughter Purity Ball in Colorado Springs where fathers pledge to "guard their daughters from what evangelicals consider a profoundly corrosive 'hook-up culture'" by escorting them to a formal function and talking endlessly about sex (Not having it--but still!).

Whether abstinence is real or make believe, we think it's creepy when fathers obsessively fixate on their daughters' virginity.

“Something I need from dad is affirmation, being told I’m beautiful,” said Jordyn Wilson, 19...“If we don’t get it from home, we will go out to the culture and get it from them.”

 

Really?! Cause what we need from our dads is help putting up shelves and a check at Christmas.

After all the sex and affirmation talk at dinner, the Father-Daughter Purity Ball got weirder. 

Each father and his daughter walked under the arch and knelt before the cross. Synthesized hymns played. The fathers sometimes held their daughters and whispered a short prayer, and then the girls each placed a white rose, representing purity, at the foot of the cross. Mr. Lee and Rachel walked away holding hands.

Oh man. Thanks so much, Dad, for pledgin' to never take us to this freak show. 


Comments

LydiaSarah said:

Actually I do think that it's good for fathers to "affirm" their daughters. I know women who grew up with dads that would make comments about their weight and appearance etc. when they were growing up. It makes a difference in your confidence and approach to men when the first man in your life is constantly criticizing. I grew up with an "affirmative" dad who did always tell me and my sister that we were beautiful and wonderful and was always supportive of us. He always treated my mom that way too, and since that was the first relationship we ever observed, it made a difference also. I definitely give my dad some credit for having healthy attitudes towards relationships and men.

  But purity balls are just not the way to do that. Not only is it downright creepy, as you say, to have fathers' obsessing over their daughters' sexuality, it's sending a message that a father's love is conditional. Daddy will love you, but only if you are a very good girl and keep your legs closed. It's just really messed up to make girls "pledge" a lifestyle choice to a parent and it's infantilizing too. Gross.

May 20, 2008 8:21 PM

geek_sheik said:

Religion is a delusional, social disease promoting moral hypocrisy and a lack of respect for what is natural.

May 21, 2008 2:13 PM

in