The Only Thing Creepier Than Purity Balls Are The Photos That Emerge From Them

Purity Balls have been in the news quite a bit; the unfortunately named father/daughter dance in which a daughter pledges her virginity to her father until her wedding day. The whole idea of that makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit – but the photos that emerge from some of these events are even creepier than pledging your virginity to daddy.

What may be even weirder than a mock marriage to your daddy as a preteen, are the posed photos that emerge from some of these events. Think prom-meets-engagement-photos-meets-who-the-hell’s-idea-was-this?  Whoever had the idea of making these photos resemble real wedding photos needs therapy. Actually, I skipped some people; whoever decided this should be a thing and then went about making it so needs all the therapy.  I wish I could post them, but they’re copyrighted – so I’ll just post a few candid shots of the events so you can get the idea.

In case you haven’t heard of a Purity Ball, here is the gist: Dad escorts his daughter to a dance. Daughter is wearing a white gown that looks disturbingly like a wedding gown. They exchange rings and sign this creepy contract:

Purity Covering and Covenant

________________’s father, choose before
God to cover my daughter as her authority and protection in the area of
purity. I will be pure in my own life as a man, husband and Father. I will be a man

of integrity and accountability as I lead, guide and pray over my daughter and
my family as the High Priest in my home. This covering will be used by God to
influence generations to come.

Then they share an eye-locked dance and take photos that look like a man with his child bride. Not weird at all. One father explained that after the girl dons her purity ring she is  ”married to the Lord” and her father is her ”boyfriend.” Huh?

The idea of a father/daughter dance is sweet, but these balls take it to a creepy, archaic level. I’m certain there’s not a mother/son equivalent, because men and boys are rarely perceived as property that needs to be kept pure to eventually be passed on like some weird virgin dowry.

(photos: Getty Images)