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Pure

Inside the Evangelical Movement that Shamed a Generation of Young Women and How I Broke Free

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About this listen

 In Pure, Linda Kay Klein uses a potent combination of journalism, cultural commentary, and memoir to take us “inside religious purity culture as only one who grew up in it can” (Gloria Steinem) and reveals the devastating effects evangelical Christianity’s views on female sexuality has had on a generation of young women.

In the 1990s, a “purity industry” emerged out of the white evangelical Christian culture. Purity rings, purity pledges, and purity balls came with a dangerous message: girls are potential sexual “stumbling blocks” for boys and men, and any expression of a girl’s sexuality could reflect the corruption of her character. This message traumatized many girls—resulting in anxiety, fear, and experiences that mimicked the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder—and trapped them in a cycle of shame.

This is the sex education Linda Kay Klein grew up with.

Fearing being marked a Jezebel, Klein broke up with her high school boyfriend because she thought God told her to and took pregnancy tests despite being a virgin, terrified that any sexual activity would be punished with an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. When the youth pastor of her church was convicted of sexual enticement of a twelve-year-old girl, Klein began to question purity-based sexual ethics. She contacted young women she knew, asking if they were coping with the same shame-induced issues she was. These intimate conversations developed into a twelve-year quest that took her across the country and into the lives of women raised in similar religious communities—a journey that facilitated her own healing and led her to churches that are seeking a new way to reconcile sexuality and spirituality.

Pure is “a revelation... Part memoir and part journalism, Pure is a horrendous, granular, relentless, emotionally true account" (The Cut) of society’s larger subjugation of women and the role the purity industry played in maintaining it. Offering a prevailing message of resounding hope and encouragement, “Pure emboldens us to escape toxic misogyny and experience a fresh breath of freedom” (Glennon Doyle, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Love Warrior and founder of Together Rising). Christian Living Christianity Women Inspiring Sexual Health Pregnancy
All stars
Most relevant
A very relatable book, good interviews and exploratory writing. Might need to listen again to really go deep.

Thought provoking and healing

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encouraging but blunt and to the point when sharing the pain and suffering some people in church can cause.

huge empathy with those finding their way.

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Despite not growing up within any of these communities, my upbringing with a Catholic Church and a family environment that was, at times, strict, a lot of this resonated with me. From Control techniques to the lack of understanding and inclusivity can be found in many many places and that is something that can stay with you. I hope those involved in this project have found peace. They’ve certainly helped to give it to others.
Well narrated and filled with peoples stories as well as the authors I would highly recommend this.

Beautiful, poiniant and stories that need to be heard

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