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BrotherIvan

(9,126 posts)
11. The writer's comparison to other "coming of age" rites is completely missing the mark
Sun Jun 22, 2014, 02:22 PM
Jun 2014
The first ever official Purity Ball was in the late 1990′s out of Colorado Springs. Before that, there have been beautiful ceremonies from aristocratic traditions presenting debutant daughters to “society.” Freemasons have a charity and community service focused club and event/ball for it’s International Order of the Rainbow for girls. And I suppose there are always Bat Mitzvahs, celebrating the transition of girls into womanhood with bad DJ’s and enough teenage drama to make Romeo and Juliet want to kill themselves … again.

But unlike all of these coming of age traditions, a Purity Ball is the only one that attempts to repress girls by taking all of those padded bras, the red lipstick and lady-part desires and shoving them deep down where they belong. All of this, an effort to remind girls that until Daddy gives you away, you’re owned by him. Daddy symbolizes this with a ring for his little girl wear to show her purity for him. His little girl pledges that she’ll never go on a date, kiss a boy, or hold his dirty, sweaty awkward hand. Oh and his little girl gets a pretty frilly white dress to dance in with Daddy.


All of those ceremonies were a way to "present" girls to society much like a for sale sign. Debutante balls and beauty pagents have much in common, a way of upping the sale price. In fact the marriage ceremony still has the father give the girl in white away to her future husband, implying that he is handing over his unspoiled property to another man (and paying the groom off with a dowry) and that he has safeguarded her virginity.

Yes, purity balls are creepy to infinite degree and I would suspect most if not all of those parents guilty of some impure thoughts. But let's not confuse history here. ALL of these ceremonies treat girls as commodities.

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And here all the time I was thinking COLGATE4 Jun 2014 #1
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #2
I noticed smallcat88 Jun 2014 #3
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #15
It's a weird thing, to assume that your virginity belongs to your father Gormy Cuss Jun 2014 #4
Really creepy libodem Jun 2014 #7
Isn't that the creepiest thing you ever saw? Squinch Jun 2014 #5
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #8
I think you are right. I think the idea eventually became that women had Squinch Jun 2014 #10
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #16
Is it in "The Chalice and the Blade" where they talk about Ireland Squinch Jun 2014 #17
Why do you think this ? De Leonist Aug 2014 #24
There's plenty of creepy patriarchical material to be had, and it supports creepy behavior. NYC_SKP Jun 2014 #6
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #9
Very few things creep me out more than "Purity Balls". richmwill Sep 2014 #28
The writer's comparison to other "coming of age" rites is completely missing the mark BrotherIvan Jun 2014 #11
All this is true, but there is an added element of "Daddy is your boyfriend till you marry" in these Squinch Jun 2014 #18
You are absolutely correct BrotherIvan Jun 2014 #19
I agree. richmwill Sep 2014 #29
kick. littlemissmartypants Jun 2014 #12
purity balls are creepy as fuck. nt La Lioness Priyanka Jun 2014 #13
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #14
Speaking of arranged marriages... Maedhros Sep 2014 #26
Just say no JustAnotherGen Sep 2014 #27
His wife is an absolute gem of a human being. And she can cook! Maedhros Sep 2014 #30
Yikes! JustAnotherGen Sep 2014 #31
Cannot imagine the mindset that thinks this is something good. stevenleser Jun 2014 #22
Ugh stevenleser Jun 2014 #20
This message was self-deleted by its author libodem Jun 2014 #21
Not bad, how are you? stevenleser Jun 2014 #23
Really creepy. Yuck. lovemydog Sep 2014 #25
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