In a bizarre verification of Freud’s theory, fathers in the United States are holding ceremonies that resemble weddings for their daughters. Little girls, as young as nine, are pledging chastity until they get married. The vow not to have sex is held in a grand and solemn ceremony with a big white cake, a limousine and guests as witnesses. These young girls, who may not even have reached puberty, will say their vows and even wear a ‘purity ring’ from their dad. In the exchange of oaths, the girls swear not to have sex until they marry while the fathers promise to be faithful to their wives. Some dads even vow not to use pornography.


The action of these conservative Christian families, however, does not prevent the majority of young girls who take the chastity vows to break them after a few years. Worse, these are the naïve and innocent girls who will then engage in unprotected sex. A pledge is a public declaration which does not necessarily ensure observance. Moreover, these girls will have more pressure not to confide in their families when things go wrong in view of the expectations placed on them.

When a teenager or young girl vows that she will remain a virgin, it is to satisfy the needs of the father to be reassured rather than addresses the needs of the daughter to be educated about sex. In other words, the chastity balls lull girls and daddies into a false sense of security for there are so many challenges that await them after the celebration. When the breasts get bigger, the bottoms grow more pert, the hormones change and the body develops more curves, the girls face temptations from within themselves as well as their peer and the mass media. The purity ring and oath would not hold them back but a grounding of strong moral values possibly would.