The Implications of Purity Culture

What is Purity Culture?

In the context of religion, purity refers to a state of moral integrity and cleanliness, and it is often tied to an individual’s worth. Purity culture is a movement widely associated with the white, Evangelical Christian Purity Movement that happened in the United States during the 1990’s. However, aspects of purity culture can be seen in many different religions. As a result, it influenced the values of non-religious sects of society.

While the specifics of purity culture may vary slightly culture to culture, there are a handful of core beliefs that are seen throughout. One of those being that sex outside of a heterosexual marriage is a sin and sexual abstinence is necessary to remain “pure.” Sexual pleasure and desire are considered shameful and should be repressed until marriage. Then, once married, couples are expected to turn on their sexuality like a light switch. 

Purity and Virginity

The concept of “purity” is inherently tied to the concept of “virginity.” Virginity is referred to as the state of being in which an individual has never had sex. People, primarily women, are taught that no longer being a virgin signifies a significant loss of worth. The common phrase “losing your virginity” implies that having sex significantly changes people and is considered a loss of purity. Throughout time, no longer “being a virgin” has been described with imagery of damage, destruction, and worthlessness. The concepts of purity and virginity push the narrative that sex is dirty, immoral, and a form of self-disrespect. It gives sex the power to determine our worth as human beings. 

Gendered Expectations

The different expectations and blame assigned to men and women are another core facet of purity culture. Men are told that they are inherently lustful and their sexuality needs to be tamed. However, if they are incapable of controlling those desires, the blame falls on the woman for “enticing” them. Women are taught that their bodies are shameful because they are inherently sexual, and they are socialized to feel as though they are responsible for other’s sexual or romantic feelings towards them. There is no room for gender expression or identification outside of the gender binary. 

The expectations set by purity culture can cause immense shame, mental distress, and sexual repression. These mental health struggles are amplified because acting in alignment with purity culture is tied to religion, which can cause many to fear that they are disrespecting their higher power if they are not following purity culture.

Purity and Sexual Assault

The negative mental health effects are particularly damaging if a woman is sexually assaulted. While sexual assault is not sex, it is a form of violence, many people still do not see it that way and they may feel as though they are no longer a “virgin” if they have been sexually assaulted. By pushing the narrative that people are “less than” if they have sex outside of marriage, those who are influenced by purity culture will experience amplified feelings of shame and self-loathing that many survivors feel after sexual assault. 

There is nothing wrong with deciding to wait until marriage to have sex. Everyone should follow their own timeline and only have sex when they and their partner feel ready. However, it’s important to understand that an individual’s worth as a person is not tied to whether or not they have had sex before. Sex is natural and normal, it is not immoral as long as everyone has consented.