While not exactly sweeping the nation, the popularity of Purity Balls has risen in recent years. If you aren’t a card carrying member of True Love Waits, you may not be hip to them. Basically, a Purity Ball is a formal dance event that promotes "virginity until marriage," attended by fathers and their daughters.
Also, swords are involved for some reason.
It’s actually kind of similar to a wedding ceremony. Fathers present their daughters with purity rings, while reciting vows. The father vows to guard their daughter’s purity and the daughter pledges to save her virginity until the day she marries, when she can then offer it as a gift to her husband on their wedding night. Sounds like dating one of these girls is a good way to get a dad-punch in the mouth.
Once the purity pledge is signed, they take a commemorative photo together on a leftover set from a high school prom, ironically a celebration synonymous with ‘losing it’. And then they party.
It’s not that father/daughter bonding is anything new…but this might be the creepiest example yet. Or second creepiest. After this one…
On the other hand, 2/3 of the Jonas Brothers still rock purity rings, which definitely ups the cool factor of staying pure. Um, right?
And there ain’t nothing wrong with a little fun while you’re keeping things chaste…am I right? Here’s a few things I learned about what goes on at these events.
As in any celebration food is served. I don’t know about you but, my mouth is watering just looking at this scrumptious spread!
Of course it isn’t a ball without dancing. Who needs a mirrorball and a disco theme when you have a giant cross and a sanitized top 40 playlist? Nothing raises the roof like Enrique Iglesias’ Tonight (I’m not frickin’ you).
And just like a Bat Mitzvah or Sweet Sixteen you can pick up some pretty sweet gift bags, only these are full of abstinence themed party favors made in the good old USA!
Of course no celebration is complete without the presentation of a spectacular cake . I like to imagine Purity cakes taking on themes that illustrate the fairy tale romance awaiting those who wait for that special day to come. When daddy hands over the key to his daughter’s castle.
But is abstinence really all it’s cracked up to be? After all, numerous studies have found no statistical difference in the sexual behavior of pledgers and non-pledgers. Some studies have even found that pledgers actually end up engaging in riskier practices, since they are less likely to use condoms and birth control when they do break their pledge. See Exhibit A:
Regardless of what you think of abstinence, what do you think of Purity Balls? Kinda sweet or kinda creepy?
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