Purity Culture and My Sexuality

Humans are beautiful to me – whether they’re male, female, or non-binary.

Thoughts on Christian Marriage Teachings, Part Three

“Giving up saved our marriage. And we didn’t even need a marriage conference to do it.”

Thoughts on Christian Marriage Teachings, Part Two

“When you’ve been used to blaming your actions on God, lack of Him, flesh nature, Satan, Eve, and everything else *but* your own self, it’s tough to start admitting personal responsibility.”

Thoughts on Christian Marriage Teachings, Part One

“According to every sermon, every book, every conference, every meme and internet quote passed around Facebook, our marriage should be falling apart without God.”

Soy Makes Kids Gay and Babies Masturbate!

Where did all these myths about the evils of soy come from? WorldNetDaily and Debi Pearl, of course.

Not On Your Side, Debi: Jeri Lofland’s Thoughts

“This week, embattled IBLP founder Bill Gothard received aid from an unexpected quarter–homeschool mom and popular author Debi Pearl… Debi came out swinging against IBLP victims who have gone public with their stories on ‘Recovering Grace’ and other websites.”

An Open Letter to Debi Pearl

“I know this may be hard for you to hear, Debi, but many parents who read To Train Up A Child come away viewing their children’s normal behavior as sinful and interpreting their children’s natural needs as selfish as a result. They don’t come away with the idea that they should listen to their children or try to understand what makes their children tick, because that’s not in there.”

The Problem with Virgin to Vixen: A Personal Story

“In ‘Pulling the Victoria’s Secret Dance,’ Libby Anne tackles the conservative Christian culture’s strange demands on women, that they go from being perfectly virginal, pure, and innocent to becoming their husband’s personal porn stars after saying ‘I do.’ I imbibed enough of Debi Pearl and other Christian writers (not to mention my mother’s advice to ‘not say no too often’) to get this idea in my head that while I could enjoy sex, it was for me primarily about performing for my husband.”

(Not) An Open Letter To The Pearls: Samantha Field’s Thoughts

“As I got older, I started realizing, with a mounting horror, just how clearly evil Michael and Debi Pearl’s teachings are. What they advocate fosters and nurtures abusive homes. They explicitly encourage women to stay with physically abusive husbands and utterly dismiss the existence of marital rape.”

The Breaking of a Child, A Story of Near Disaster

“The Pearls teach that even giving in once—just once—will set back everything that had been gained and even threaten to ruin the child forever. And yet, here was their eighteen-month-old daughter, still toddling and barely starting to lisp words, wasting away before their eyes.”