Being a woman, especially growing up as a Christian woman, has been exhausting. The pressure to conform into the societal pressures of purity for a future husband is overbearing.  Purity culture emphasized in my youth group teachings, instills fear in women about relationships and resisting temptations. The idleness of these teachings leads to the fear that prohibits any type of healthy relationship. Having the pressure of stretching to fit this assumption of womanhood, is unhealthy.

Ironically, some male pastors advocating these ideals later disregarded their own marriages, with their mistakes seen as part of their journey. While men were allowed to make mistakes and still be accepted, women carried the burden of maintaining purity for a successful marriage, further hindering personal growth and genuine relationships. For it is the woman’s job to stay pure for her husband, because the ideal of a successful marriage lingers over her shoulders. Baring not only the weight of her future marriage but the acceptance of society as well. Jumping through hoops to finally be accepted into something.