I guess my theme for the day is virginity. That and being squicked out. I don't really know what to say about the concept of purity balls, but this piece in Glamour pretty much sums it up: little girls get all dressed up with their daddies and go to a nice prom-like dance, where father and daughter sign pledges committing themselves to the preservation of her womanly flower.
(retch)
Some of these loving (CREEPY!) fathers even give their daughters jewelry, rings, even, to cement the deal. Yeah. It's a fully realized marketing campaign, complete with swag.
Is it me, or is making such a big deal about not-sex as unhealthy as making a big deal about sex? On one extreme, you have young women being influenced by media and peer groups to believe that their purpose is sexual. On the other extreme, you have young women being all but directly informed by their fathers that their most important resource is their virginity. I mean, when was the last time you heard about a father-daughter ball for girls who got an A in history or made the basketball team? Where are the mother-son purity balls?
