Purity Balls

[Penthesilea]

Here's the accompanying article:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1823930-1,00.html

[Penthesilea]

An excerpt from the above linked article:

"When Kylie was 13, her parents took her on a hike in Lake Tahoe, Calif. "We discussed what it means to be a teenager in today's world," she says. They gave her a charm for her bracelet--a lock in the shape of a heart. Her father has the key. On my wedding day, he'll give it to my husband," she explains. "It's a symbol of my father giving up the covering of my heart, protecting me, since it means my husband is now the protector. He becomes like the shield to my heart, to love me as I'm supposed to be loved."


A modern chastitiy belt; the key given from one owner to the next - all symbolically of course.

[Katie77]

There is something about the whole thing that makes me feel a little sick in the stomach.

I can understand the fathers mean well in protecting their daughters, but somehow I feel that it is a little self righteous and overpowering.

I often wonder how these girls react to sex when they finally do get married.

And it does reek of double standards as far as the boys go, as has been mentioned here.

I dont know, Its hard to knock a parent for looking out for the well being of their daughter, but something about this approach, just doesn't look right to me.

[CellarDweller]

I often wonder how these girls react to sex when they finally do get married.

You wanna take your what, and put it where?!?!?!?!?









and I'm supposed to like it?!?!?!?!

[Katie77]

You got it Chucky.....

[southendmd]

OK, I first read this as "Purty Balls". 

Boy, was I wrong.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I suspect the fire and brimstone crowd are behind it all. 

You can take that to the bank! The event in the photos took place in Colorado Springs, CO, which is a hotbed center of the right-wing socio-religious conservative movement. I think Focus on the Family has its headquarters there, or one of those groups anyway.

A father-and-daughter bonding opportunity seems like a lovely idea, but his whole business of guarding the daughter's virtue and purity--purity!--the language of it!--just seems so retro and melodramatic and Romantic--and not Romantic in a good way. 

[mariez]

and where are the boys? Are boys not worthy of their fathers protection?

An excellent question - I wish the author of the article had thought to ask it!  I would've been very interested to see the responses.

There is something about the whole thing that makes me feel a little sick in the stomach.

Yes, it's making me flat-out nauseous.

A modern chastitiy belt; the key given from one owner to the next - all symbolically of course.

Exactly, Chrissi!  "Owner" is really what is meant by all this "protector" talk.  Ugh.  If these men really want to "protect" their daughters, they can start by educating them so they can protect themselves!  

Marie

[CellarDweller]

OK, I first read this as "Purty Balls". 

Boy, was I wrong.

"damn, you got some right purty balls!"

[Marge_Innavera]

Hell of a point, Jess, exactly.  If no one keeps track of boys in their family + community and urges them to keep it in their pants, HELLOOOOO...

Yeah, that approach is one of the best if what you want to do is harvest a nice big crop of absent fathers in a few years.

I find the "couple" on the left in that first posted photograph especially disturbing.  If fact, it looks like a pedophilic re-enactment of the Dozy Embrace.

Not to mention the sly lechery implied in "Purity Balls."  Who does daddy in that context want his property daughter to save herself for?  Himself?