Sexy and Pure

In 2002, evangelical author and purity culture icon Dannah Gresh wrote in her book Secret Keeper, "You were created to express God's beauty, and if his plan is for you to marry one day, part of your purpose is to 'intoxicate' one man with that beauty." Gresh went on to clarify that while a woman should strive to capture male interest, she should also protect "the true secrets of [her] body for one man, requiring him to invest in [her] life in order to one day enjoy [her] allure." Purity culture was not all high collars and long skirts; it also involved teasing a man's sexual curiosity just enough to ensnare him without giving him full access to one's body. Women were supposed to titillate men's sexual fascination but also leave a little to the imagination. If they did so, women could attain the good life and avoid the pitfalls that accompanied an unrestrained sexuality.

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https://doi.org/10.2979/jfs.00074

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