A father has sparked controversy after he "proposed" to his 20-year-old daughter with a purity ring.
Yes, you read that right. Not only did he propose, but he did so with a ring symbolizing abstinence. Wow.
This all started when Patrick, a Christian content creator on TikTok, decided to surprise his daughter, Sarah. What might have been intended as a heartwarming moment turned awkward due to the unusual messaging behind the ring and his accompanying words.
In the video, Patrick expresses how "proud" he is of Sarah for remaining "pure." Again, yikes.
He then got down on one knee and presented her with a purity ring, encouraging her to continue her commitment to both him and God.
Although he clarified that it wasn’t an actual proposal, he explained it was meant to show his pride in her.
Patrick said to Sarah: "First of all, you're 20 years old, and most kids your age are not pure. Well, I want to thank you for being here and give you something. Sarah, will you wear this ring as a sign and a promise to God and to me to remain pure until the day you're married?"
The video drew strong reactions from viewers, with one commenting: "20?!?!?! Purity ring?!?!?! Dad?!?!?!" Another added: "So this is actually wild. There’s no way to spin this to be a cute thing."
However, some defended the gesture, with one person stating: "This broken generation will not understand the purpose of this … comments did not pass the vibe check. Guarding her heart is important."
The debate over teaching young girls abstinence is not new and has long been linked to higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies, and harmful perceptions of their bodies and sexuality.
A 2017 review in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that girls who pledged to abstain from sex had a higher likelihood of experiencing these issues compared to those who didn’t make such pledges.
In an interview with Verywell Mind, licensed mental health counselor Hannah Mayderry, who grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family, shared her perspective.
Mayderry explained that those immersed in purity culture are impacted in nearly every aspect of their lives.
She stated: "Women are often taught their sexuality is something that should be bottled up and suppressed. That affects everything from how they dress, how they interact with men, how they speak, and how they view their own bodies and sex drive."
She added: "I think we need to move away from that and understand that our kids' behavior is influenced by our parenting and their exposure to society, not just by a conversation about purity."
For anyone who still believes in the effectiveness of purity rings, just look at the Jonas Brothers... Those boys didn’t stick to it for long.
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