By Zainab Richardson | Staff Writer
Society has evolved in many ways, from women being able to get an education and pursue careers and jobs to the redefinition of traditional gender roles. One thing remains unchanged: purity culture.
Despite progress when it comes to gender equality, purity culture has remained stuck in the past, and the responsibility always falls on women. The difference is clear — women have to carry the burden of purity culture, while men get the freedom to do as they please without the shame, judgment or accountability.
The issue did not pop up out of nowhere; it started at a young age, with parents telling their daughters to be careful and mindful of who they were with, while boys did not receive the same lecture. Even in a college setting like ours, when it comes to things like body counts and whatnot, it only matters for women; for men, not so much.
From childhood to now, purity culture has long dictated that women serve as the gatekeepers of sexual activity and can set boundaries, and men, by contrast, cannot control their urges, leading them to be free from any responsibility before anything happens.
There are layers to how deep this culture lies, one of them being a woman’s worth. A woman’s worth is always tied to her sexual history, while a man’s is ignored, if not seen as an accomplishment. A lot of the time, men seek pure women and desire to be the ones with experience, but how do they get experience, except by being with women?
This issue is evident not only in social interaction but also in some coming-of-age stories and religion. You don’t see young boys having a purity ball pledging to protect virginity.
Another aspect of our lives that is more visible is modesty; women are expected to cover up so as not to tempt or distract men. This can even be seen in the school setting, with stricter dress codes for girls than for boys. Men are given more grace in that regard with little to no restrictions. This supports the idea that women must be pure in all senses.
Purity culture isn’t really just about morality but also about control. Women are controlled by what they can and cannot do. Until we start holding men to the same standards, the underlying issue isn’t about virtue but control.
