Purity Movement: Perspectives From Britain And Bill Maher (VIDEO)

In a Times of London piece this weekend, Jane Treays offered a British perspective on America's increasingly popular 'purity movement':

During my 10 days in Colorado Springs, I couldn't help but register the sweetness of the girls, the complete lack of teenage truculence. There's no straining at the parental leash, no desire to escape and experiment; they are, in short, a delight. Jane Austen is their cultural heroine, with films such as Sense and Sensibility endorsed as an ideal family-viewing choice. Everywhere I turned, I found sentimentality and scant curiosity about the world.

The innocence of the parents was more alarming. An army doctor, who had two daughters on his arm, told me that the HIV virus was so powerful, it could penetrate a con- dom. I said the British government had based its entire antiAids ad campaign on the assumption it couldn't. A few days later, after doing some research on the internet, he rang to say he'd been wrong.

To cynical Brits, the intensity of the relationship between the girls and their fathers can be unsettling. It is too trite, however, to label such relationships quasi-incestuous: these fathers are motivated wholly by a desire to remain a strong, controlling influence in their

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Watch what Bill Maher has to say about the practice:

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Watch this local news report on Reno's first purity ball:

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Read more about the rising "purity" trend and what makes it so popular.

What do you think of the purity movement? Tell us below.

Comments

[rockinroll]

I'm pretty sure instead of Peer Pressure this is coming from Parental Pressure and that after the event is over they're meeting up with their boyfriends to have Sex ie. Palin's Daughter. I guess we all know how that turned out!

[RealHRCFansVoteObama]

Why are these things getting federal funding? And how do they know it's a success?

[gevan]

Now we wait for Reno's first test case for violation of contract if one of those pledges goes unmet.

[consciousmom]

What about the sons? Don't they also have to remain pure? Or is it simply expected that "boys will be boys"?

[JNagarya]

Certainly: the boys are going to have sex with each other.

So ther's the dilemma: we want virgins, but we also oppose homosexuality.

And abstinence? -- only for girls.

[candyperfumegirl]

Seriously. This isn't about "purity", it's about keeping women in there place - as property.

[Motik70]

This movement creeps me out worse than a Freddy Krueger movie. Studies have shown that about 80 percent of kids who go through these programs end up having sex before marriage, and not using protection.

In a country which has a 50 percent divorce rate, is it really wise or realistic to tell children they are going to be with one person for the rest of their life?

The worst thing about these program is they teach girls that their sexuality belongs to their father. Your sexuality, and what you choose to do with it, is your choice alone. And children will do whatever they feel right, when their parents are not around. Of course these kids will sign purity pledges with their parents standing next to them. What are they going to do at 1 a.m. on a Saturday night after they are tanked up on beer?

What's next chastity belts with dads holding the key? If you want to know how well these programs work look at Bristol Palin.

[wolfgangmo]

Federally funded?

Blessed excrement. What a crock.

Sure these kids are serious about that? They signed a card after all [sarcasm]. And that one kids saying that they hope it will be a new tradition from generation to generation. Time will tell. My vote is on evolution and these idiots and their spawn dying out.

[FeelinGroovy]

Excuse me, did I hear the words 'federally funded' in this report? Yeah, that's what we should spend our tax dollars on. Good grief.

[peachfuzz]

Doesn't want a talk on the birds & bees.

Yeah why bother learning biology, what a waste.

Then you can get pregnant to the first loser you fall for.

What is the rate of anal & oral with these kids?

[candyperfumegirl]

So true. As to that last question, I went to a "Christian" high school, and I can tell you the rate among the "pure" is quite high

[AJT]

It seem the Saudis are more than our friends.....they're our rolemodels......soon women will lose the right to vote and the priveledge of driving........but I guess father knows best.

[wolfgangmo]

Bam!

Bullseye.

[WI4change]

I find this movement repulsive and terribly wrong. The emphasis on the patriarchal model of family and religion is positively archaic. I certainly don't want my daughter to be described in what amounts to a future Stepford wife. It's our child's role to question the world--how else would we have fresh ideas and innovation? It seems like this author welcomes a stagnant and intellectually-unquestioning female population. Mysogynistic, you think?

[Topfeeder]

I want one of the "My kitty belongs to daddy" shirts.

[kulenski]

creepy!!!