Feminism and modern evangelicalism, and the tension between religion’s “ought” and human reality, are some of my favorite topics (hence my blog) so I was excited to finally pick up The Purity Myth. I expected to find a book that succinctly examined our cultural and subcultural obsession with the virgin-whore dichotomy, the use and misuse of “purity” in modern evangelical and American culture, and the political and personal consequences of our preoccupation with virginity. I was not disappointed.
The writing is strong, the argument is convincing, and there are good doses of humor throughout, which help bring a little levity to the sometimes-infuriating topics. I think it’s great that this subject is being discussed in the mainstream by such a capable writer. I’d happily recommend this book to anyone who is interested in feminism, women’s health, or abstinence-only politics, and wants a little help connecting the dots. None of the information is new or impossible to find elsewhere, but it’s packaged well and is a good resource.
For the full review, see here!