Pure

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

By: Linda Kay Klein

Narrated by: Linda Kay Klein

Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

From a woman who has been there and back, the first inside look at the devastating effects evangelical Christianity’s purity culture has had on a generation of young women - in a potent combination of journalism, cultural commentary, and memoir. 

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 though she was 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 12-year-old girl, Klein began to question the purity-based sexual ethic. 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 12-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. 

Sexual shame is by no means confined to evangelical culture; Pure is a powerful wake-up call about our society’s subjugation of women.

©2018 Linda Kay Klein (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

I expected a different ending I suppose

Plenty of relatable stories but I expected more insight into how one would overcome the sexual shaming and stunted sexual growth. I took the "how I broke free" part all wrong I suppose. I feel like many of us who grew up in this have already come to terms with the religious piece of this (by giving it up usually) but the big key is how to heal our self esteem and sexual lives. This book gave no help in this area.

there aren't enough stars to give this book.

As a Gay man who was raised in the purity era of evangelical Christianity many of these stories struck very close to home. ther were several times I had to stop listening and cry. but this story needs to be told. needs to be heard. not just by Christian's but everyone. if you were raised in the purity era and you have daughters now please listen to this with an open mind. and heart.

Excellent fresh perspective

I love the story and it really made me think. I did not grow up in the purity movement; however, this gave me perspective and really made me think about my own biases.

Incredible Book for Evangelical and Ex-Evangelical Women, and Those Who Love Them

I loved this book from start to finish, and I fully intend on reading it again. Linda’s personal story and the stories of those she interviewed made me laugh, cry, ugly cry, and feel whole. I see how the purity culture I grew up in has caused me to feel so much shame, shame in ways I never even recognized until seeing parts of my own story in this book. Linda wrote a perfect story and I am so thankful to her for the 10 years she invested into this book.

Where has this book been my whole life?

This book is a must read for anyone who was raised in purity culture or is thinking about raising their children and purity culture. I understand myself better after reading this book.

Wow 😭

This book is incredible. It is difficult. It rocked my world. I am so grateful I found it! Linda, your narration is beautiful. Sometimes I actually thought you were another person as you read the interviews. This book will change lives, for sure. Mine and my 3 daughters for start.

Very worthwhile but also conflictive

I saw this recommended online and I immediately bought it on Audible and finished it in 3 days. I'm 31 years old and was very much immersed in purity culture growing up when I attended my friends' church. At the time I thought this was awesome because at least they WERE talking about sex compared to my church that was silent. I also believe this movement was started with the purest of intentions in the evangelical community. The stories Linda shares were indicative of many maturing ladies' experiences of the messages that were pressed as kids and I related to more of the low-key situations. Other stories made my jaw drop with utter horror. Her bits about the dangers of complementarianism ideology had me raising my hands saying YES! Spot on. As a single adult, the themes of shame, fear, and suppression of sexual energy (because all feelings of sexual excitement felt dirty) have definitely been a thread in my dating life so I think the words from this book will help continue to heal my view of myself and my past. However, there isn't really a good solution offered of what the church SHOULD be saying in relationship to sex, and the encouragement of abstinence isn't key....the author indicates that abstinence seems to be viewed as something mainly encouraged to girls, adds to a shaming culture, and isn't working according to her statistics. I personally believe/hope there is a way to teach abstinence to boys and girls without indicating shame, adding to the taboo-ness of sex.

SIDE NOTE: As an evangelical Christian I will warn that toward the end of the book, the author interviews and supports the LGBTQ community in their struggles of acceptance by the church with no encouragement of repentance. I disagree with this viewpoint and feel it's a bit misplaced directly relating to the purity culture in this book.

It's worthwhile to listen to these stories of things that the church has done wrong and drives people further away from Jesus and the church.....for both young ladies and the LGBTQ community. I encourage pastors, youth pastors, parents, and anyone healing from the purity movement's negative effects to read or give it a listen. It gives me a lot to consider, especially with how we should talk to future generations regarding sex and relationships.

The "and How I Broke Free" is misleading

The author, Linda Kay Klein, deserves credit for recognizing the damage done to young women (and men?) by the purity culture inside the Evangelical Movement. Unfortunately, it is clear in listening to her story that she is still under the spell of Christian Evangelicalism. Those who have seen the damage done by religion--far beyond whether someone feels guilty after having had sex--will find listening to the author/narrator sickeningly reminiscent of the feeling evoked when one is subjected to having to listen to born-again faithful "speaking in tongues" or New Age believers talking about the miraculous powers of crystals. There is little sense that the author has grown in maturity beyond the adolescent whose critical intellect was stunted by her religious beliefs. She may have found peace reconciling with one obsessional aspect of her Christianity, but she has not been able to go beyond that point. This book is clearly for those who wish to continue clinging to their religiosity.

Her story, our stories

This book is an essential for anyone who has be affected by the church purity culture, or anyone who is trying to understand a loved one who grew up in that world.

It's personal, thoughtful, and intelligently written. This book is painful, but it is freeing. Thank you, Linda Kay Klein, and thank you to everyone who shared their stories.

It makes sense that this book was narrated by the author, and she does it well.

I thought it was just me.

A really incredible, powerful, accurate perspective on the purity culture. cut to my very core, very relatiable and healing to listen to so many tell their story. highly recommend.

Thought provoking and healing

A very relatable book, good interviews and exploratory writing. Might need to listen again to really go deep.

huge empathy with those finding their way.

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

Beautiful, poiniant and stories that need to be heard

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.