Chastity ball?

So the other day, Shay and I were all bored over at her house, watching TV.  When something about New Age Virginity came on VH1, we decided what the hell and watched.  It went on about celebrities and their virginal appearances, which turned into much more sexual appearances as the celebs grew up, and how it appeals to young children.  It was pretty much the same old schtick - Brit and Christina were virginal in MMC, but now they're basically sexual beings, Miley Cyrus never really appeared virginal, the Jonas brothers wear purity rings, etc.etc. 

Purity rings usually say something along the lines of "True love waits."

The most shocking part of the entire "documentary" was when they started talking about chastity balls - essentially a ball where a young girl (even as young as four!) would promise her chastity and virginity TO HER FATHER as well as until marriage.

*record scratch* wait, what?

Now, I can get behind waiting until marriage.  I can even get behind waiting until love.  But waiting to have sex with someone as long as your father gives you permission?  .....I'm absolutely speechless about this phenomenon.  And these girls actually sign somewhat of a contract with their father, that they won't give up their virginity before marriage, and it won't be to anyone that daddy doesn't approve of.  What easily floors me the most is that some of these children aren't really even old enough to realize what they're saying - they just know what mom and dad have told them.  At four, can you really have an opinion about your virginity other than it's something sacred, because that's what dad and mom have told you?



Too young to be thinking about sex/virginity?  I think so.
Credit to Dawn Allynn for the photo.

Maybe I'm jaded.  I never really did any of the purity ring thing, or purity ball, or had anny more of a talk with my parents past "Wait until you're in love."  Marriage wasn't brought up, and let's face it, marriage isn't a realistic goal for most.  It wasn't a realistic goal for me, nor any of the friends I have.  In Sweden (I believe, I may be thinking of the incorrect country), they preach waiting for true love for sex.  And they have shockingly lower teen pregnancy rates than that of the US.  There is hope for the good ol' US of A though: since abstinence education was removed from schools, there has been a huge drop in the amount of teen pregnancy.

See republicans?  We don't need to teach our kids that sex is bad, mmkay?  We need to teach them how to arm themselves with good safe sex practices, so that when accidents happen, it's not because they were uneducated.