A father is facing backlash after he ‘proposed’ to his 20-year-old daughter by giving her a purity ring.
Yes, you read that correctly. He proposed with a ring symbolizing abstinence. Quite a shocker.
The situation started when Patrick, a Christian content creator on TikTok, decided to surprise his daughter, Sarah.
While perhaps intended as a heartfelt moment, many viewers found the ring’s message and Patrick’s words unsettling.
In the video, Patrick can be seen expressing his pride in his daughter for remaining ‘pure.’ His comments raised eyebrows.
He then knelt down and presented her with a purity ring, asking her to continue her commitment to him and to God.
He clarified in the video that it wasn’t a genuine proposal but a gesture to show his pride in her.
Patrick said to her: “First of all, you’re 20 years old, and most kids your age are not pure. Well, I want to thank you for being here and give you something. Sarah, will you wear this ring as a sign and a promise to God and to me to remain pure until the day you’re married?”
Reactions from viewers were strong, with one commenting: “20?!?!?! Purity ring?!?!?! Dad?!?!?!”
Another stated: “So this is actually wild. There’s no way to spin this to be a cute thing.”
However, some saw a positive aspect in the gesture, with one remarking: “This broken generation will not understand the purpose of this … comments did not pass the vibe check. Guarding her heart is important.”
The practice of teaching young girls abstinence has long been linked to higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancies, and negative views about their bodies and sexuality.
A 2017 review in the Journal of Adolescent Health revealed that girls who took abstinence pledges were more likely to experience those issues compared to those who didn’t pledge to be ‘pure.’
Hannah Mayderry (LMHC), a licensed mental health counselor who grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family, shared her thoughts in an interview with Verywell Mind.
She explained that those who adhere to purity culture are affected in several aspects of their lives.
Mayderry said: “Women are often taught their sexuality is something that should be bottled up and shoved down.
“That encompasses everything from the way that they dress, the way that they interact with men, the way that they speak, the way that they view their own bodies and their own sex drive.”
She added: “I think that we need to shift away from that and realize that our kids are going to do what they’re going to do because of how we parent them, because of their exposures in society, not because we had a talk with them.”
If anyone believes that purity rings truly work, they should look at the Jonas Brothers… Those commitments didn’t last long.